3. Collaborate across organisations to add value

What:

The multidimensional nature of many of today’s complex problems means that they now rarely fall neatly within fixed departmental boundaries. Working together across professional and organisational boundaries helps government to both identify the key analytical questions (V) that really matter for policy and for citizens and bring the available data and evidence together to help answer them.

Two important aspects to collaborating across organisations to add value are to:

i. Triangulate expertise from multiple professions

Bringing the insights and professional capabilities (T) of multiple professions together on a common question helps to ensure that key decisions made on these topics are based on a sound (Q) analytical evidence base.

ii. Add value with external expertise

There should be recognition of where and when drawing on external professional expertise (T) can add significant value, especially where collaborating might offer benefits such as innovative insights (V) and methods or external assurance (Q).

How:

Our work identified a range of case studies that help demonstrate how to collaborate across organisations to add value. Some of the essential skills and behaviours illustrated through these examples include:

Starting with shared purpose:

Agree on common goals and clarify roles early to align efforts.

Building trust and relationships:

Invest time in open communication and mutual respect to sustain collaboration.

Enabling rapid and secure information sharing:

Put in place clear data-sharing agreements and common standards.

Leveraging complementary expertise:

Bring in academics, specialists, and external networks for innovation and credibility.

Creating and sustaining networks:

Use cross-organisation communities and forums to share best practice and resources.