Commissioned Research
Commissioned Research in the Hub
This section brings together all activities related to commissioned research and evaluation: from initial ideas and requests, through project delivery, to final outputs and repository deposition.
Commissioned research is the “production engine” of our commons. It is where questions become structured inquiries, evidence is synthesized or generated, and findings are translated into briefs, reports, tools, and learning resources that can be applied in real‑world contexts across academia, policy, and practice.
Whether you are a policymaker looking for timely evidence, a practitioner seeking practical guidance, or a researcher aiming for rigorous, citable work with real‑world impact, this is the place to propose, co‑design and track commissioned projects.
Start here
- Commissioned Research – Overview
A concise introduction to what commissioned research is, what kinds of work can be commissioned, and who can get involved.- How commissioned research works
A detailed, step‑by‑step guide to the full process: requesting a project, scoping, delivery, quality assurance, final outputs and use.What we offer
- Rapid evidence reviews, case studies and evaluations that address concrete policy and practice questions.
- Policy briefs, guidance notes and datasets designed for decision‑makers, practitioners and researchers.
- OER modules and training materials that translate evidence into usable learning resources.
- A transparent, documented process from initial request through to final outputs and repository deposition.
How it works (in brief)
- Request: A commissioner or partner submits a project idea using the Project Request Form in the Commissioned Research group.
- Scoping: The request is reviewed and refined; scope, timeline and outputs are agreed.
- Delivery: The project is carried out, with progress logged in a dedicated forum thread.
- Final outputs: Reports, briefs and other products are finalised, shared and later deposited in the repository layer.
Who can get involved?
- Public sector bodies seeking evidence to inform policies, strategies or reforms.
- Development programmes and initiatives needing evaluations, syntheses or learning products.
- Universities and research centres co‑producing evidence with policy and practice relevance.
- Practitioner networks and professional associations translating evidence into guidance and training.
For Commissioners and Partners
If you represent a public agency, development programme, university or practitioner network and you are considering commissioning research or evaluation, start with the Overview page, then move to How commissioned research works to see the process in detail and learn how to submit a request.
For Researchers and Practitioners
If you are interested in contributing to or leading commissioned projects, the How commissioned research works page explains roles, workflows and how projects are documented and shared across the hub.
Browse projects (coming soon)
In time, this section will also include links to:
- Repository records of reports, briefs, datasets and OER modules
- Current projects in progress
- Completed projects and their final outputs
Commissioned research through this hub is an invitation to collaborate: to ask better questions, build stronger evidence, and turn that evidence into practical guidance for policy, practice, and further research across sectors.
See also
Commissioned Research in the Commons
The commissioned research layer of the Commons provides a structured pathway for institutions to request, oversee, and receive targeted work that answers specific, high-priority questions. It is designed for organizations that need rigorous, time-bound outputs—such as syntheses, evaluations, guidelines, or policy options—produced under clear terms of reference and governance.
Unlike open collaborative activity or unsolicited journal submissions, commissioned research begins with a defined mandate from a commissioning body. The Commons provides a shared environment in which commissioning leads, research teams, and relevant stakeholders can co-develop the brief, monitor progress, review draft outputs, and ensure that the final products are preserved and discoverable across the Commons architecture.
As one of the five layers of the Commons, commissioned research is tightly connected to collaborative spaces, journal publication pathways, and the repository. A commissioned project can draw on existing collaborative groups for scoping, produce articles for the journal layer, and deposit final reports and tools in the repository, where they remain accessible and citable beyond the lifetime of the project.
Submit a Commission Request Initiate a Commission View a Commissioned Request
This Commissioned Research Layer is for institutions that need focused, time-bound research or advisory outputs and want a clear process for requesting them within the Commons. It is most relevant to ministries, public agencies, NGOs, professional bodies, consortia, and other organizations that must turn a defined question into a managed commission with traceable outputs.
It is also useful for internal institutional teams that need to coordinate a commission with external researchers, manage expectations, and keep the work linked to the wider Commons architecture. By placing the request, the brief, the review process, and the final outputs in one governed environment, the page supports users who need both clarity and accountability.
Roles and Responsibilities
Commissioning body
The commissioning body sets the agenda, defines the problem, approves the brief, and oversees the project from start to finish. It is responsible for making sure the commission is aligned with institutional priorities and that the results will be used appropriately.
Research provider
The research provider responds to the brief and delivers the commissioned work. This may be a university team, research institute, consultancy, or consortium. The provider is responsible for methodology, timeliness, quality, and compliance with agreed ethics, data, and reporting requirements.
Commissioning lead or steering group
The commissioning lead or steering group manages day-to-day oversight. They refine the brief, receive proposals, coordinate review, confirm the selected provider, and monitor progress during delivery. They also help handle scope changes, stakeholder input, and final review of outputs.
Commons coordination team
The Commons coordination team supports the commission workflow by helping users apply the templates, manage transitions between stages, and connect the project to relevant collaborative, journal, and repository layers. Their role is to keep the commissioning process coherent within the broader Commons system.
Repository and publication support
When a commission produces final reports, briefs, or articles, publication and repository support ensure that the outputs are properly prepared, described, and preserved. This includes metadata, licensing, identifiers, and links back to the originating commission so the work remains discoverable and citable.
The Commissioning Brief
The commissioning brief is the central planning document for a commission in the Commons. It turns a general need into a defined project by setting out the background, the questions to be answered, the expected outputs, and the conditions under which the work will be delivered.
A strong brief gives prospective providers enough detail to respond well, while still allowing room for the most suitable methodological approach. It should explain why the commission matters, who will use the findings, what kind of evidence or analysis is required, and how the final outputs should be structured and shared.
A typical commissioning brief includes:
- Background and context.
- Purpose of the commission.
- Core research or advisory questions.
- Intended audiences and uses.
- Expected deliverables.
- Preferred methods or constraints.
- Timelines and milestones.
- Budget or resource parameters.
- Ethics, data, and governance requirements.
- Communication and reporting expectations.
The Commons uses the brief as the basis for review, provider selection, project management, and eventual deposit of outputs. That makes the brief both a planning tool and a record of intent.
How a Commission Works
The commission workflow in the Commons is designed to move from a clearly identified need to a well-governed project with defined outputs, responsibilities, and timelines. It gives commissioning bodies a predictable path for turning institutional questions into structured research activity.
The process begins with scoping, where the commissioning body clarifies the problem, the intended audience, the expected type of output, and any constraints on method, time, or budget. From there, a commissioning brief is prepared, submitted, reviewed, and matched with an appropriate provider or team. Once selected, the project moves into delivery, where progress is monitored, and final outputs are prepared for publication or repository deposit.
Scope the need
Define the issue to be addressed, the purpose of the commission, and the decision or action it should support.
Draft the brief
Set out the background, core questions, expected outputs, timelines, stakeholder expectations, and any ethical or data requirements.
Submit the request
Send the commission into the Commons workflow so it can be reviewed and routed to the appropriate stage.
Review proposals
Assess responses from research providers against relevance, feasibility, quality, and value for money.
Select and confirm
Agree on the preferred provider, refine the brief if needed, and finalize the contractual and governance arrangements.
Manage delivery
Track milestones, review interim outputs, and keep communication open between the commissioning body and the research team.
Close and preserve
Prepare final outputs for journal publication where relevant, and deposit all approved materials in the repository with metadata, licensing, and links to the originating commission.
This workflow helps users understand what to do next, what information is required at each stage, and how the Commons keeps commissioned work visible, accountable, and connected to the rest of the site. It also ensures that a commission does not end at delivery, but continues as part of the Commons record for future use and reuse.
Integration with Other Commons Layers
The commissioned research layer is intentionally interwoven with the other layers of the Commons rather than operating as a standalone service. Early in a commission, relevant collaborative groups can be used to refine questions, engage stakeholders, and test emerging ideas. This leverages existing communities and knowledge within the Commons.
When a commissioned project produces outputs that meet scholarly standards and broader interest, elements of the work can be channeled into the journal publication layer. Articles derived from commissioned work then become part of the wider scholarly record while remaining linked to their commissioned origins. Final reports, briefs, and tools are deposited in the repository with clear metadata and identifiers, ensuring that they are discoverable and reusable over time.
Why this matters
This integration ensures that commissioned research is not a one-off transaction. Instead, each commission contributes to the evolving knowledge base of the Commons, enriching both the collaborative spaces and the repository, and providing a clear, traceable pathway from institutional questions to durable, shared knowledge.
Commissioned Research in the Commons
The commissioned research layer of the Commons provides a structured pathway for institutions to request, oversee, and receive targeted work that answers specific, high-priority questions. It is designed for organizations that need rigorous, time-bound outputs—such as syntheses, evaluations, guidelines, or policy options—produced under clear terms of reference and governance.
Unlike open collaborative activity or unsolicited journal submissions, commissioned research begins with a defined mandate from a commissioning body. The Commons provides a shared environment in which commissioning leads, research teams, and relevant stakeholders can co-develop the brief, monitor progress, review draft outputs, and ensure that the final products are preserved and discoverable across the Commons architecture.
As one of the five layers of the Commons, commissioned research is tightly connected to collaborative spaces, journal publication pathways, and the repository. A commissioned project can draw on existing collaborative groups for scoping, produce articles for the journal layer, and deposit final reports and tools in the repository, where they remain accessible and citable beyond the lifetime of the project.
Who This Page Is For
This page is for institutions that need focused, time-bound research or advisory outputs and want a clear process for requesting them within the Commons. It is most relevant to ministries, public agencies, professional bodies, consortia, and other organizations that must turn a defined question into a managed commission with traceable outputs.
It is also useful for internal institutional teams that need to coordinate a commission with external researchers, manage expectations, and keep the work linked to the wider Commons architecture. By placing the request, the brief, the review process, and the final outputs in one governed environment, the page supports users who need both clarity and accountability.
Roles and Responsibilities
The commissioning body sets the agenda, defines the problem, approves the brief, and oversees the project from start to finish. It is responsible for making sure the commission is aligned with institutional priorities and that the results will be used appropriately.
The commissioning lead or steering group manages day-to-day oversight. They refine the brief, receive proposals, coordinate review, confirm the selected provider, and monitor progress during delivery. They also help handle scope changes, stakeholder input, and final review of outputs.
The research provider responds to the brief and delivers the commissioned work. This may be a university team, research institute, consultancy, or consortium. The provider is responsible for methodology, timeliness, quality, and compliance with agreed ethics, data, and reporting requirements.
The Commons coordination team supports the commission workflow by helping users apply the templates, manage transitions between stages, and connect the project to relevant collaborative, journal, and repository layers. Their role is to keep the commissioning process coherent within the broader Commons system.
When a commission produces final reports, briefs, or articles, publication and repository support ensure that the outputs are properly prepared, described, and preserved. This includes metadata, licensing, identifiers, and links back to the originating commission so the work remains discoverable and citable.
The Commissioning Brief
The commissioning brief is the central planning document for a commission in the Commons. It turns a general need into a defined project by setting out the background, the questions to be answered, the expected outputs, and the conditions under which the work will be delivered.
A strong brief gives prospective providers enough detail to respond well, while still allowing room for the most suitable methodological approach. It should explain why the commission matters, who will use the findings, what kind of evidence or analysis is required, and how the final outputs should be structured and shared.
A typical commissioning brief includes:
- Background and context.
- Purpose of the commission.
- Core research or advisory questions.
- Intended audiences and uses.
- Expected deliverables.
- Preferred methods or constraints.
- Timelines and milestones.
- Budget or resource parameters.
- Ethics, data, and governance requirements.
- Communication and reporting expectations.
The Commons uses the brief as the basis for review, provider selection, project management, and eventual deposit of outputs. That makes the brief both a planning tool and a record of intent.
How a Commission Works
The commission workflow in the Commons is designed to move from a clearly identified need to a well-governed project with defined outputs, responsibilities, and timelines. It gives commissioning bodies a predictable path for turning institutional questions into structured research activity.
The process begins with scoping, where the commissioning body clarifies the problem, the intended audience, the expected type of output, and any constraints on method, time, or budget. From there, a commissioning brief is prepared, submitted, reviewed, and matched with an appropriate provider or team. Once selected, the project moves into delivery, where progress is monitored and final outputs are prepared for publication or repository deposit.
- Scope the need — define the issue to be addressed, the purpose of the commission, and the decision or action it should support.
- Draft the brief — set out the background, core questions, expected outputs, timelines, stakeholder expectations, and any ethical or data requirements.
- Submit the request — send the commission into the Commons workflow so it can be reviewed and routed to the appropriate stage.
- Review proposals — assess responses from research providers against relevance, feasibility, quality, and value for money.
- Select and confirm — agree on the preferred provider, refine the brief if needed, and finalize the contractual and governance arrangements.
- Manage delivery — track milestones, review interim outputs, and keep communication open between the commissioning body and the research team.
- Close and preserve — prepare final outputs for journal publication where relevant, and deposit all approved materials in the repository with metadata, licensing, and links to the originating commission.
This workflow helps users understand what to do next, what information is required at each stage, and how the Commons keeps commissioned work visible, accountable, and connected to the rest of the site. It also ensures that a commission does not end at delivery, but continues as part of the Commons record for future use and reuse.
Key Actions
Integration with Other Commons Layers
The commissioned research layer is intentionally interwoven with the other layers of the Commons rather than operating as a standalone service. Early in a commission, relevant collaborative groups can be used to refine questions, engage stakeholders, and test emerging ideas. This leverages existing communities and knowledge within the Commons.
When a commissioned project produces outputs that meet scholarly standards and broader interest, elements of the work can be channeled into the journal publication layer. Articles derived from commissioned work then become part of the wider scholarly record while remaining linked to their commissioned origins. Final reports, briefs, and tools are deposited in the repository with clear metadata and identifiers, ensuring that they are discoverable and reusable over time.
Why this matters
This integration ensures that commissioned research is not a one-off transaction. Instead, each commission contributes to the evolving knowledge base of the Commons, enriching both the collaborative spaces and the repository, and providing a clear, traceable pathway from institutional questions to durable, shared knowledge.