UNSW PRAxIS Lab
Bridging Research and Reality: Where Practice Meets Implementation Science
At the PRAxIS (Practice x Implementation Science) Lab, we address the "last research mile challenge” - transforming cutting-edge research into real-world solutions. Our focus is on ensuring evidence-based solutions drive meaningful change in organisations and society.
Vision
Mission
How we create impact
Systematic Research Translation
We facilitate strategic partnerships between academic experts, industry practitioners, and leading research institutes. Through this collaborative approach, we identify high-potential research and accelerate its adoption in real-world settings. Our process converts complex academic insights into actionable, practical strategies, empowering community and organisational end-users to:
- Implement innovative solutions to critical challenges
- Make informed decisions grounded in evidence
- Stay at the forefront of advancements through applied research insights
Implementation Science Products and Services
We pioneer the application of Implementation Science into diverse business and societal contexts. Through our portfolio of practice-oriented and Implementation Science research, we offer:
- Customised methodologies and frameworks for effective research and digital implementation
- Digital tools that streamline the adoption of evidence-based practices
- Research partnership that guides practitioners through complex implementation journeys
- Training programs for both practitioners and academics designed to build robust implementation capabilities
Collaborate with us
For general enquiries, please contact Associate Professor Yenni Tim via praxis@unsw.edu.au
For Practitioners
We partner with forward-thinking organisations and practitioners facing complex implementation challenges. Our collaborations will support you through:
- Navigating barriers to change
- Evaluating organisational readiness and context
- Planning necessary adaptations for your unique environment
- Ensuring sustainable value creation
Submit a short enquiry here.
For Research Institutes and Researchers
We form alliances with top-tier research institutes and teams with promising research outcomes. Together, we:
- Identify high-potential research with significant real-world applications
- Bridge the gap between theoretical insights and practical implementation
- Amplify the impact of academic research in organisational and societal contexts
Contact us to find out more.
Catalyst
by PRAxIS
The PRAxIS Catalyst initiative supports ambitious interdisciplinary research agendas. By systematically guiding initial collaborations between organisations, research institutes, and academic experts, Catalyst helps transform complex organisational and societal challenges into clearly articulated, research-oriented opportunities. Through structured support informed by Implementation Science, Catalyst ensures that initial exploratory efforts produce tangible outcomes and progress into impactful, large-scale projects.
Catalyst achieves this through four structured components (ACTS):
- Action Catalyst: Supporting the formulation of complex challenges into actionable, disciplinary components.
- Collaboration Catalyst: Strategically facilitating interdisciplinary collaboration between problem owners and academic experts.
- Translation Catalyst: Guiding academic teams to effectively translate research into practical, implementable solutions.
- Synergy Catalyst: Synthesising outcomes and impacts to provide robust evidence supporting progression to larger-scale collaborations and sustained partnerships.
Catalyst Sessions
PRAxIS
Co-lab Program
The PRAxIS Co-lab Program establishes localised, co-branded collaboration laboratories ("co-labs") in partnership with businesses, governments, and communities. These entities offer shared ownership, ensuring that PRAxIS research expertise is directly aligned with local priorities and challenges through joint efforts in designing and implementing tailored, research-driven solutions.
Objectives
- Translate research into practical, sustainable solutions.
- Build local skills and innovation capabilities.
- Strengthen partnerships and foster long-term impact with co-created research-driven solutions.
Approach
A four-phase process: Discovery, Co-Design, Launch, and Continuous Evaluation.
Potential Co-lab Domains
- Generative AI Responsible Implementation
- Social Inclusion Programs
- Digital Resilience
- Digital Health Innovation Implementation
For more information on the Co-lab services and offerings, see the brochure below.
Our research and partners
1. Implementation Science for Value Creation and Transformation
We use Implementation Science methods and tools to drive organisational change and create value in rapidly evolving business environments. Our research in this theme focuses on translating cutting-edge academic insights into practical strategies for organisational transformation, particularly in the face of disruptive technologies.
Featured Project:
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- Develop comprehensive Implementation Science roadmaps for the strategic deployment of generative AI tools.
- Support the full implementation lifecycle, from deployment and integration to evaluation/impact assessment and sustainment with continuous improvement (including customised training and interventions).
- Leverage interdisciplinary expertise in information systems, corporate governance, organisational change, leadership, and operations management to address the multifaceted factors that influence successful AI implementation.
- Example: A genAI impact assessment project funded by a government utility agency and AI integration research in partnership with national disability homes
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- Collaboration with an IT solutions company with 250 employees.
- Conducts field experiments on AI autonomy and delegation impact on organisational decision-making and efficiency outcomes.
- Generates insights for balancing AI-driven automation with human oversight.
- Provides strategies for responsible AI management and resource optimisation.
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- Collaboration with two major Australian financial services organisations in insurance and banking
- Design and deliver research informed organisational interventions that strengthen effective and responsible AI use
- Create tools and frameworks that help organisations assess current practice and improve maturity in both efficiency and responsibility
2. Implementation Science for Societal Advancement and Access to Opportunities
We apply Implementation Science techniques to address societal challenges and improve access to vital services and opportunities through digital solutions. Our work in this theme focuses on empowering communities in need to access public services, healthcare, education, and other opportunities critical to societal well-being.
Featured Project:
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- Partnership with SingHealth – one of the largest health clusters in Singapore.
- Explored the implementation of a mobile application to promote effective chronic disease management, specifically the integration of health and social care to support patients with multiple chronic conditions.
- Developed critical insights into the design-reality gaps common in healthcare, which have been disseminated to SingHealth to inform the future design and implementation of digital health solutions within their existing healthcare practices. The findings were also presented at a successful public seminar, in collaboration with the National University of Singapore (NUS) Behavioural and Implementation Science Interventions (BISI), which drew over 150 practitioners from across the Asia Pacific region.
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- Partnership with OOXii Global, a social enterprise dedicated to making vision care accessible to underserved communities worldwide by providing fast vision test kits and affordable glasses.
- Supports scalable digital services to deliver affordable vision care solutions by integrating socially inclusive design and digital implementation frameworks.
- Addresses critical health equity challenges by adopting innovative vision testing and dispensing technology to improve access to prescription glasses.
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- Partners: Non-Profit and Charity Organisations in Australia and Singapore.
- Developed frameworks for inclusive digital solutions tailored for underserved populations, targeting senior citizens and individuals with special needs.
- Provided actionable strategies to help organisations create accessible, inclusive technologies that bridge digital equity gaps and promote long-term engagement with digital services.
3. Implementation Science for Digital Resilience and Sustainability
We adopt a range of Implementation Science techniques, toolkits, and models to enhance digital resilience, strengthening the capacity of organisations and communities to withstand acute and chronic shocks, such as natural disasters, pandemics, cyber threats, and climate-driven disruptions. We also promote digital sustainability by empowering organisations and communities to effectively leverage digital solutions for achieving long-term sustainability outcomes, while ensuring that their digital capacities remain robust and effective over time.
Featured Project:
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- Collaboration with the UNSW Digital Grid Futures Institute.
- Creating a prescriptive framework for effective cyber risk management in renewable energy network implementation.
- Translating the latest cyber risk and energy system modelling techniques into actionable strategies for optimising renewable energy deployment.
Our research outputs
Our mission is to bridge the gap between academic insight and real-world impact. We believe that the true value of research lies in its application, and the most impactful research is that which transforms lives and organisations. PRAxIS Lab is dedicated to facilitating this transformation.
Associate Professor Yenni Tim
Founding Director of PRAxIS
Our team
The PRAxIS Lab, led by Associate Professor Yenni Tim, brings together a diverse, world-class team of experts from across the globe, united by a shared passion for bridging the gap between research and real-world impact. Our team members come from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds, including but not limited to:
- Systems Design and Implementation
- Data Science and AI
- Public Health
- Operation Management
- Risk Modelling
- Corporate Governance
- Change Management
- Leadership
Our team of experts is organised into three interrelated research themes, each led by a Theme Lead:
- Resilience and Sustainability Theme: Develops solutions for long-term organisational and community resilience, enabling sustainable practices in complex environments.
- Organisational Innovation Theme: Leverages emerging technologies to drive organisational change and create value across both business and government sectors, adapting to evolving challenges and opportunities.
- Social Impact Theme: Enhances access to opportunities and drives societal progress by advancing public services, healthcare, and education for improved community wellbeing.
- Resilience and Sustainability
- Organisational Innovation
- Social Impact
Latest updates
The challenges of implementing new technology safe
At the launch of UNSW’s PRAxIS Lab, experts discussed how to implement emerging technologies while prioritising ethics and equity
UNSW PRAxIS (Practice x Implementation Science) Lab
Highlights from the official launch of the UNSW PRAxIS (Practice x Implementation Science) Lab (unsw.to/praxis), a research lab dedicated to research implementation and technology transfer
PRAxIS Lab Directors Shine at TEDxUNSW Event
Our lab directors were recently invited to showcase the power of Implementation Science at TEDxUNSW, captivating an audience of 273 participants. The presentation, which highlighted the critical role of Implementation Science in bridging the gap between research and real-world impact, was met with overwhelming enthusiasm.
Innovations in Behavioural and Implementation Science for Healthcare
Our lab director, Associate Professor Yenni Tim, and lab member, Professor Ng Chirk Jenn, were invited as speakers for a webinar on “Making Digital Health Interventions Work: The Key Challenges and Solutions.” This event, hosted by the National University of Singapore (NUS) Behavioural and Implementation Science Interventions (BISI) in June 2024, drew over 150 practitioners from across the Asia Pacific region.