ADR UK Conference 2025 workshop takeaways: the critical skills needed for impactful research

In this blog, Louise Corti from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) and Bogusia Wojciechowska of Administrative Data Research UK (ADR UK) reflect on the capability workshop they ran at this year’s ADR UK Conference 2025.

Conducting a statistical research project using administrative data requires a wide range of activities, skills, experience, and connections. At this year’s ADR UK Conference, we brought together five speakers representing different researcher personas to find out more.

During the session, speakers and participants reflected on the skills that matter most when conducting impactful research —both within and beyond academia.

This turned out to be so much more than technical expertise, like coding, data wrangling or statistical modelling. Some of the capabilities shared can be difficult to learn through formal training and people often benefited from learning on the job.

In this blog we share summary case studies from our workshop speakers. Their stories offered rich insights into what it truly takes to grow and thrive in today’s research landscape, and how different these journeys can be.

From trainee to trusted voice: Eve Moore

Eve Moore’s journey as a government data scientist at the Office for National Statistics reminded us that capability isn’t just built in the classroom, it’s forged in the workplace. Real-world challenges provide strong motivation to build new skills—especially when tackling coding or analytical problems. Collaboration and knowledge-sharing with colleagues from diverse backgrounds, as well as engaging in communities of practice and mentorship, were key to accelerating her growth and becoming an effective “voice of the user” in a complex data environment.

Key message: Growth is incremental. Keep a log, ask questions, stay curious and be willing to step outside your comfort zone.

Leading with purpose: Jakob Schneebacker

Jakob Schneebacher’s career journey, from academic research economist at Oxford University to building a new research unit at the Competition and Markets Authority illustrates the evolving capabilities required to transition from analyst to analytical leader. While technical skills and domain expertise remain essential, Jakob emphasised the importance of interpersonal capabilities, project management and building strong networks.

Key message: Aspiring leaders should not assume that the research environment is fixed, but actively try to shape it—finding reward in supporting and empowering colleagues to achieve collective impact.

Fellowship and impact: Ezgi Kaya and Katie Hunter

Ezgi Kaya’s experience as an ADR UK Research Fellow demonstrated how structured support, direct engagement with data owners, and advisory boards can significantly enhance research impact. Her project on immigrant labour market integration benefited from regular guidance, clear expectations, and a focus on policy relevance, which helped her develop new strengths in communication, engagement, and relationship-building.

Katie Hunter, coming from a qualitative background, highlighted the importance of developing engagement and partnership skills through mentorship, collaboration, and proactive networking. By working closely with organisations like Barnardo’s and leveraging institutional support, she expanded her ability to communicate research to diverse audiences and achieve policy and media impact.

Key message: Actively seeking out collaborative networks is crucial to running successful research projects and achieving impact.

The Research Centre Coordinator: Josh Stock  

Josh Stock’s role as a research coordinator at Cardiff University Centre for Trials Research illustrated the essential, behind-the-scenes work that keeps complex research projects running smoothly and compliantly. He quickly learned that coordination involves supporting research teams across all project stages: invoicing, data cleaning, and public engagement logistics. This allows researchers to focus on their core specialist work, while also streamlining processes to boost efficiency and accessibility for future team members.

Key message: Successful research relies not only on specialist expertise but also on the dedicated support staff who connect the dots and keep the operation moving forward.

What we learned: Insights from our audience

In our breakout sessions, we unearthed some insightful experiences that have helped participants furnish their own journeys.

Communication and motivation: The new essentials

While technical and quantitative skills remain vital, today’s research environment demands effective communication, motivational, and project management abilities. Translating complex findings for policymakers, community groups, or even high school students is a skill in itself—and one that amplifies impact.

Building relationships and networks

Direct engagement with data owners, advisory boards, and external partners is transformative. These relationships not only deepen understanding of data quality and context but also boost confidence in sharing and applying research insights.

Building and sustaining professional networks emerged as a key capability for career progression. And if you’re not sure where to turn for help, ask around in your organisation – you’ll build valuable contacts along the way.

Leadership and enabling others

Leadership is no longer about working in isolation. It’s about enabling others, building research ecosystems, and supporting colleagues to thrive. Fellows highlighted the rewards of creating advisory boards, coordinating hubs, and fostering collaboration across sectors.

Confidence through practice

Confidence is built gradually – by embracing new challenges, learning from setbacks and celebrating small wins. Training in communication, flexibility and leadership skills is crucial.

Continuous reflection and growth

An important lesson is that research environments evolve over time, as can ways of working in them. Continuous reflection, openness to feedback, and willingness to try new tools (including AI!) are essential for staying relevant and impactful.

Our final thoughts: Building a holistic research career

For those of us on a research career journey—whatever the discipline or sector—success is about so much more than methods or data. While technical skills like coding, data wrangling, and statistical modelling are essential, they’re not the whole story. It’s also about communication, collaboration, and the confidence to embrace change.

It’s time to champion a more holistic view of research careers, one that values both rigour and relationship, data and dialogue.