Environment for Research Practice (ENVIRO)

Code: ENVIRO

The environment for research practice covers the conditions that allow user research to happen. This includes physical and digital spaces, organisational culture, leadership sponsorship, education, wellbeing support, and the practical logistics of socialising research across teams.

ENVIRO 1.0.0 Research spaces & logistics

Research requires safe, practical, accessible and well-supported environments, whether sessions take place remotely, in the field, or in physical research labs.

ENVIRO 1.1.0 Research Space Requirements

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ENVIRO 1.1.1

Guidance on Research Spaces

Spaces must support participant comfort, privacy, observation needs and basic operational requirements such as recording equipment, connectivity and safety.

G

ENVIRO 1.1.2

Remote & Hybrid Research Environments

Remote research must include secure tools, backup plans, inclusive instructions, and accessibility adaptations for users with limited devices or bandwidth.

R

ENVIRO 1.1.3

Accessibility Requirement for Research Spaces

All research spaces must meet organisational accessibility standards, including physical access, signage, quiet spaces, and WCAG-compliant digital environments.

ENVIRO 2.0.0 Culture, education & advocacy

Research thrives where the organisation understands its value, knows how to request it, and supports evidence-led decision-making.

ENVIRO 2.1.0 Building Research Culture

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ENVIRO 2.1.1

Research Culture Principle

Research must be a routine part of decision-making. Leaders must model evidence-based practice and support researchers to challenge assumptions.

G

ENVIRO 2.1.2

Education & Onboarding for Non-Researchers

Provide lightweight education, including workshops, guides, research shadowing and office hours, to upskill colleagues in engaging with research.

G

ENVIRO 2.1.3

Advocacy & Storytelling

Support researchers in creating accessible narratives, visuals and summaries that help colleagues understand user needs and system impacts.

ENVIRO 3.0.0 Wellbeing, safety & emotional labour

Research can involve emotional strain, exposure to trauma and ethical tension. Organisations must protect their researchers.

ENVIRO 3.1.0 Researcher Wellbeing

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ENVIRO 3.1.1

Researcher Wellbeing Requirement

Teams must include wellbeing considerations within risk assessments, plan for safe debriefing practices, and ensure access to supervision and support services.

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ENVIRO 3.1.2

Debriefing & Reflection Practices

Debriefs must include emotional reflection, review of ethical dilemmas, and documentation of emerging risks.

ENVIRO 4.0.0 Events, sharebacks & socialising research

Research events bring teams together, strengthen understanding and build shared ownership of insights.

ENVIRO 4.1.0 Research Events & Sharing

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ENVIRO 4.1.1

Research Events & Shareback Sessions

Plan structured events to share research, introduce methods, strengthen collaboration and ensure insights feed back into knowledge management systems.

Glossary & definitions

Environment for research
The physical, digital and cultural conditions that make research possible.
Shareback
Sessions or artefacts that feed insights back into teams.
Emotional labour
The emotional effort involved in listening to difficult stories or working in challenging contexts.
Research culture
The shared values and expectations that shape how research is used and understood.

Templates & artefacts

Use the following templates to standardise environment-related practices:

Change history

Version Date Summary of changes Author / owner
0.1-draft 2025-12-11 Converted to A1 numbering system, updated IDs and notation codes, fully aligned content to structural template. ResearchOps Governance Team