How Do You Report Science That Doesn’t Deliver?

We talk a lot about impact at Shared Science, but what can you do when a project’s predicted impact doesn’t materialise?

In 2024, we were asked to help communicate just such a result. A promising precision agriculture project – part of the SFFF-funded N-Vision programme – explored whether testing for potentially mineralisable nitrogen in soils could help dairy farmers optimise fertiliser use. The concept worked in principle, but the real-world costs currently outweigh the returns for farmers.

So, what can you say when a project doesn’t deliver the breakthrough it hoped for? Do you really say it best when you say nothing at all? 🎶

1. You don’t brush it under the carpet

When a project has already had some coverage, stakeholders will wonder what happened. Ignoring the outcome risks eroding trust in the science, the programme, and the institutions behind it.

Instead, we wrote a clear, accurate media article explaining the results: that while the science showed promise, the economics didn’t stack up yet. The article was picked up by the targeted media outlet, helping close the loop with audiences and reinforcing the value of open, honest reporting.

2. You find the story

The project didn’t achieve its original goals, but it still advanced the science. The data confirmed that potentially mineralisable nitrogen testing can improve nitrogen use efficiency. It helped researchers understand where the testing works, and where the real-world constraints lie. And it raised valuable new questions for future research, like how to reduce testing costs, or better predict soil variability.

That’s not failure, that’s progress.

3. You recognise the value for stakeholders

Good communication still delivered value for everyone involved:

• The principal researcher gained more experience working with a science communicator to create the story and was able to report the media result as an impact for his CRI. The follow up also prompted him to revisit the project and think about the next steps.
• Partners Ravensdown and MPI were able to share the article in their communications, demonstrating transparency and the value of their R&D investments to their stakeholders.
• The media outlet could close the loop on the earlier story and show readers they report on latest research developments.
• The story maybe contributed to public awareness of the realities of science: iterative, challenging, and driven by learning as much as success.

In the end, the project still contributed to our shared body of knowledge, and that’s worth reporting.

Ready to turn your research outcomes into compelling stories? Get in touch, or follow our work on LinkedIn