Turning research into engaging formats
From short and punchy to in-depth and interactive, we help you turn research into engaging formats that connect with real audiences
From concise visuals to interactive experiences
We specialise in turning research into engaging formats that make complex evidence clearer, more accessible and more impactful. Whether you’re sharing findings with policymakers, funders, practitioners or the public, we design research outputs that communicate insight, not just information.
Our most requested research communication formats
Below are six of our most commonly requested formats for turning research into engaging, audience-focused outputs. Each can be delivered as a standalone product or as part of a wider research communication strategy.
We tailor each format to your research, your audience and the change you want to create, so no two outputs look or feel the same (because no two research projects are!).
Policy briefs
Actionable insights, tailored for decision-makers
This format combines robust evidence with clear recommendations, making it ideal for policy, practice and strategic audiences. We structure content to highlight key messages quickly, while ensuring credibility and clarity throughout.
Infographics
Bold, data-driven visuals that get your findings noticed
Best suited for projects with quantitative results, infographics transform complex data into clear charts, icons and visual narratives. They are ideal for reports, presentations, websites and social sharing.
Visual summaries
A document that makes your narrative shine
A concise, visually led summary of your research or evaluation findings. Designed to engage audiences quickly, visual summaries rely on minimal text, strong hierarchy and clear visual flow.
Static reports
Professionally designed reports to present your findings in full
We turn research into polished PDFs with a strong visual identity, helping funders, partners and internal audiences engage with your work more easily, and take it seriously.
Interactive reports
Clickable, user-friendly ways to explore research content
Our interactive PDFs allow readers to navigate between sections, explore key themes and dive deeper into what matters to them without endless scrolling.
Animations
Bring your research to life with motion and voice
From character-led storytelling to narrated explainers, our bespoke animations help communicate research findings in an engaging animated video format.
Explore other creative research communication formats
Curious about other creative ways of turning research into engaging formats?
Over the years, clients have asked us to explore more experimental approaches to research communication. We’ve designed custom formats including comics, newspapers, postcards, bookmarks, and even infinity leaflets. We also support projects to develop their unique visual identity and online presence. If you have an idea (or want help shaping one), get in touch to explore ideas and see if we can support.
How we work
Every project is designed around your research, your audience, and the impact you want to achieve. We combine strategic planning, creative design, and audience insight to ensure your findings are clear, engaging and actionable.
Our outputs are fully bespoke — no templates, no fixed house styles. Each format is tailored to your project, so no two outputs look or feel the same.
We also offer guidance, resources and training to help your team communicate research effectively now and in the future.
Case studies
GreenPole
Objective: support an interdisciplinary research team from four universities across three Scandinavian countries to cement their project’s identity and develop their outreach and engagement skills.
We designed a tailored training programme and worked together to create their branding guidelines. The GreenPole team is in the research phase and we are running workshops to enable them to communicate their findings in the future.
“My favourite aspects of the “Creating a policy brief workshop” were the interactive parts because we learn with one another.
Also getting tangible outputs such as the template is very valuable and will help our outreach and dissemination as a project.”
Nils Droste, Project Coordinator, GreenPole, Lund University
Queen Mary University of London – SBM Research Insights
Objective: showcase the ground-breaking work of researchers committed to addressing business and societal challenges related to social justice, sustainability, and good governance.
The School of Business and Management (SBM) briefs are aimed at policymakers, industry and practitioners who can use these insights to inform their decisions.
We’re designing and co-developing the first ten briefs and website assets, and a template so researchers can create future dissemination materials.
“The editing and design process was very smooth and Research Retold was always responsive to our comments and requests for changes. I look forward to working with you again!”
Tessa Wright, School of Business and Management, Queen Mary University of London
Petitioning Parliament
Objective: communicate the findings of a research project on petitioning Parliament in twentieth-century Britain.
We created a visual summary, report and other materials, designed to appeal to MPs, officials, parliamentary staff, think tanks, NGOs, campaign professionals, and other policy audiences.
“I had produced a report for the Petitions Committee in the UK Parliament and wanted something that communicated it in a quicker and more effective manner, thinking of busy politicians and officials. Research Retold produced a fantastic brief, accompanied by useful material that I could easily integrate into social media.
Throughout the process, they ensured they understood which key messages I wanted to focus on. I was impressed with their professionalism and how they built in feedback to fully understand what I was after for my audience. It’s been a true delight working with them.”
Prof Cristina Leston-Bandeira, Professor of Politics, University of Leeds
Better Connect – Impact Report
Objective: demonstrate this not-for-profit’s transformative impacts to funders, partners and the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector.
Better Connect’s report shows how its funded programmes enable people to move into employment or training and get the support they need to thrive. Using data, stories and other evidence, it also highlights its unique role in enabling partners to become more impactful, resilient and sustainable. We edited and designed the report and social media assets.
“Working with the team at Research Retold has been great! They really listened to what we wanted, took feedback on board and ultimately created something fantastic. The team are clearly very talented and enthusiastic about what they do and we are excited to continue to work with them on future projects.”
Hannah Prole, Impact Manager, Better Connect
Who we work with
We work with individual researchers and research teams in universities, government departments and NGOs across disciplines to turn research into engaging formats.
Trusted by researchers and evaluators across disciplines:
