Table 6 Relationship maintenance challenges and strategies reported by investigators and research partners

Investigators

• Being responsive to diverse partner perspectives and using their guidance

• Develop group facilitation skills

• Adapt engagement goals in response to partners’ needs

• Practice or learn skills in active listening, giving everyone a voice, facilitating respectful dialogue, navigating differences of opinion

• Ensure research project goals match the capabilities and priority populations served by partner organizations

Investigators and partners

• Having shared language of research terminology and concepts

• Maintaining diverse partner representation

• Use accessible language

• Communicate frequently

• Consistently communicate value of partners’ contributions

• Create a glossary of research and health terms

• Send meeting notes regardless of meeting attendance

• Ensure regular communication to partners to describe partners’ influence on study and value to the research process (e.g., newsletter, standing agenda item)

Partners

• Managing expectations about project progress

• Experiencing perspective as understood and valued^a

• Knowing impact of contribution^a

• Clarify roles and expectations throughout the project

• Clearly define the purpose of partnerships and partner roles

• Create opportunities to define new partner roles and recalibrate expectations across study course