Table 1.

The six Stages of Engagement

Stages of Engagement	Description
Stage 1: initial contact	Initial contact between client and consult service representative Consult meeting is scheduled Request for consult form is sent before the consult meeting
Stage 2: consultation meeting	Includes discussing project and specific needs of the individual or organization Meeting summary including recommended next steps is provided Consult meeting satisfaction form is sent 2 weeks post initial meeting
Stage 3: follow-up	Specific service need identified Information provided to individual or organization (sample forms, articles, contact information, etc.)
Stage 4: planning	Necessary courses of action to complete project tasks are identified
Stage 5: implementation	Implementation of project tasks
Stage 6: completion	Project completed Long-term follow-up service is sent 6 months to 1 year following project completion

To effectively track the progress of research projects, a 6-level “Stages of Engagement” model was developed to allow the consult team to assess where the client is in their project and to determine which steps in the research process the client has completed from the point of initial contact (stage 1) to research project completion (stage 6).