Some of these points are more detailed but might also be useful when framing a co-produced research project. It also outlines critical points for discussion and agreement with the whole team before embarking upon a research project. 

• Do you all agree on the idea for the application/research project? Have you discussed roles and responsibilities, how the decision making process will take place and how to resolve differences?

• How are you going to work together? How often are you going to meet (and who’s going to organise the meetings)? Do any of your team or collaborators or audiences have specific access requirements? When will you review progress and amend, if necessary, what you’re planning to do?

• Have you discussed what data you will be collecting? Who will own it? Who will deal with the ethics application?

• Have you discussed what information or produce will be generated? Who will own it? What intellectual property (IP) does each party bring to the project? Have you all looked at the University of Bristol guidance on IP?

• Have you discussed the outputs of the project? Remember that there can be various outputs but be realistic about what can be achieved. Have you agreed who takes responsibility for certain outputs and what each person will contribute towards them?

• Have you all agreed who will be paid and when? How much will different people be paid and what needs to be delivered before payments are made?

• Have you estimated the cost of the involvement of the team accurately? Remember that if applying for funding, many awards are ‘cash limited’ so for the purposes of costing the project, non-university partners will need to be clear about whether they are self-employed and/or VAT registered, or whether they are eligible to be engaged as a casual worker on the project (and be registered with the university’s Temporary Staffing Service (TSS)).

• Have you costed in your meetings accurately? This will include any costs for non-university partners/research assistants to attend the meetings.

• Have you discussed any plans for what might happen if an application for funding is unsuccessful or what might happen after the project, if it is funded?