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Research Process Map

Our research process starts with a big question and ends with better care. The steps below will guide you through designing a study, getting approvals, enrolling participants, collecting and analyzing data, and sharing your findings.

Project Development

Identify a knowledge gap, formulate a research question to address a clinical problem, review the literature, and outline your project’s goals and methods.


Resources: (Project prospectus template?)

Contacts: (Clinical Librarian to support literature reviews)

 

Build your project team by securing support, recruiting multidisciplinary members, defining roles, and identifying resource or personnel needs.


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Contacts:

 

Develop a detailed clinical protocol by following established guidelines, ensuring feasibility, quality, risk management, and peer review.


Resources: (SPIRIT Guidelines, SEPTRE protocol)

Contacts: QA team to incoporate Quality-by-design principles

 

 Project Set-Up

Develop all essential supporting documents, service provider contracts, training materials, and oversight plans needed for study execution and compliance.


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Obtain all necessary regulatory, ethics, and institutional approvals to ensure your study is safe, feasible, and compliant with policies.


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Prepare for study initiation by setting up data systems, organizing documentation, training the team, and completing site activation.


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Project Execution

Screen, recruit, and consent eligible participants, then complete medical review and randomization if applicable.


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Collect data and biological samples according to the protocol and SOPs, ensuring accuracy, confidentiality, and proper documentation throughout the study.


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Monitor study conduct to ensure Health Canada compliance by addressing safety and quality issues, auditing as needed, and maintaining site readiness.


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Contacts: PHSA Jessica or BC Cancer PCTO

Manage study finances by tracking expenditures, invoicing, processing payments, managing participant stipends, and reconciling all financial activities.


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Project Completion

Close the study by completing final monitoring, resolving queries, verifying data, submitting required reports, and notifying regulatory authorities.


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Analyze the data according to the statistical analysis plan, and interpret results in the context of research objectives, existing literature, and clinical practice.


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Archive the study according to the data management plan, regulations, and institutional policy.


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Knowledge Translation

Prepare, submit, and publish your research, and communicate findings through presentations, reports or peer-reviewed manuscripts.


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Translate findings into practice, assess their impact on care and policy, and monitor dissemination efforts.


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Identify opportunities for further investigation or quality improvement based on your results.


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SOURCE: Research Process Map ( )
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