Engaged Research - How to do research with local communities ?

Item: Engaged Research - How to do research with local communities ?
Rating: 4
Author: PostSingularity Institute

by Dr. Michelle O'Donoghue

Humanities, Social Sciences & Thought Science — General & History GPSResearch methods GPSFApplied research methods

🎙 Dr. Michelle O'Donoghue 👥 46K 📅 April 7, 2026 ⏱ 11 min 👁 19 📄 expert opinion 🧭 2026-08-15

Available in: English (current) Français

Keywords

engaged researchcommunity-basedinclusive designautismparticipatory methods

Summary

Dr. Michelle O’Donoghue presents the ARISE project (Activity and Recreation in an Inclusive Sensory Environment) as an example of engaged research with local communities. The project stems from a long-standing partnership between the University of Limerick and community organizations, particularly the Autism at UL Special Interest Group and Dochas Midwest Autism Support. The initiative aims to design an outdoor activity and recreation space in Limerick that meets the needs of lesser-heard groups, including autistic individuals, people with disabilities, and older adults. The presentation outlines the project’s origins, driven by community-identified barriers to accessing playgrounds, and its evolution through a Citizens Assembly competition, which led to collaboration with the local council. The methodology emphasizes participatory and iterative design, incorporating voices of future users, including non-speaking individuals, through focus groups, interviews, and park observations. The project team includes diverse expertise and aims to produce design requirements and conduct design workshops. Key learnings highlight the importance of trust, flexibility, meaningful collaboration, and capacity building in engaged research. The presentation concludes with reflections on the project’s impact and future directions.

176 words

Critical Evaluation

Value of the Information & Strength of the Argument

The presentation provides valuable insights into the practical application of engaged research, demonstrating how community-university partnerships can lead to tangible outcomes. The argumentation is coherent, grounded in the speaker’s direct experience and the project’s real-world progress. However, it lacks empirical data or formal evaluation, relying on anecdotal evidence and descriptive accounts. The value lies in its illustrative example and the articulation of principles for engaged research, though it does not offer a critical analysis of challenges or limitations.

Scientific Rigor, Source Quality, Title Accuracy

The presentation demonstrates scientific rigor through its alignment with best practice guidelines in participatory and engaged research, and its emphasis on including diverse voices. However, no formal sources are cited, and the content is based on the speaker’s expertise and project experience. The title accurately reflects the content, focusing on engaged research with local communities. The presentation is well-structured and credible, but the lack of citations and peer-reviewed references limits its scientific robustness.

166 words

Title / Content Match

The title accurately reflects the content, which focuses on engaged research with local communities through the ARISE project example.

Quality & Reliability

7/10

The presentation is based on a concrete community-university partnership and ongoing project, with clear methodology and references to best practices. However, it is primarily a descriptive account without formal citations or peer-reviewed evidence, limiting its scientific rigor.

Key Moments

Markers derived by PSI from the transcript: the creator did not define chapters.

Cited Sources

United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities — Referenced as recognizing the right of people with disabilities to participate in physical activity.
Autism at UL Special Interest Group — Mentioned as the community-university partnership underpinning the project.
Dochas Midwest Autism Support — Community organization contributing to the project.

Concurring Sources

Community-Based Participatory Research — Aligns with the project's emphasis on community partnership and participation.

Contribution & Novelties

The presentation offers a concrete example of engaged research, demonstrating how community-university partnerships can lead to tangible outcomes. It highlights the importance of trust, flexibility, and meaningful collaboration in such projects. The ARISE project is innovative in its focus on inclusive design for lesser-heard groups and its iterative, participatory methodology.

Pour aller plus loin :

Participatory Action Research — Relevant as a methodological framework for engaged research.
Inclusive Design — Directly related to the project’s goal of designing accessible spaces.
Neurodiversity — Key concept in the project’s approach to autism.

90 words

Radar Profile

The radar profile shows high scores in information quantity and quality, moderate technical level, and high reliability. This indicates a well-structured presentation with substantial content, though not highly technical, and credible due to the speaker's direct involvement.

Reliability 7/10