Table 4.

Performance indicators to evaluate CC facilitation of transdisciplinary success

Performance outcome	Performance indicator
Facilitated collaboration within and between participating sitesa	Number of infrastructure types for collaboration made available to initiative members (e.g. web-based, in-person, listserv, funding) Network ties demonstrated across initiative over time Proportion of initiative members who participated in CC-led training activities, webinars, scientific meetings, etc. Number of initiative research sites represented on author teams Number of initiative research sites represented on new grant proposals
Facilitated transdisciplinary integration within site’s research projectsa	Number of CC-led training opportunities that present and promote the science of collaboration Number of CC-led training opportunities to develop integrated theoretical frameworks Number of CC-led training opportunities to develop and/or test novel statistical models Number of CC-led training opportunities to develop and/or test novel intervention models Number of disciplines represented at each CC led- meeting, webinar, training Number and type of assessments conducted throughout the initiative; reports provided back to participating sites
Shaped transdisciplinary science at participating sitesa	Proportion of initiative of investigators that utilized training or expertise provided by the CC to develop or test novel intervention models in their transdisciplinary projects Proportion of initiative of investigators that applied new, disciplinarily-integrated theoretical frameworks to a transdisciplinary project Proportion of initiative members that utilized CC resources (e.g. funding) to participate in training outside of their primary discipline
Increased transdisciplinary scientific productivity at participating sites;a	Number of transdisciplinary publications listing CC members or CC grant number in acknowledgements or as co-authors Proportion of initiative investigators that used initiative data to apply for new grants
Facilitated implementation of research conducted at participating sites	Number of projects fully funded through CC-led RFA process for developmental pilot project awards Number of participating sites represented on initiative’s developmental pilot project awards Number of disciplines represented on new grant proposals (including initiative pilot awards) using initiative data
Decreased administrative burden;	Time between initiative member request and resolution Conference line(s) made available to initiative members
Decreased individual sites’ cost burden;	Central website created and utilized; number of website hits Infrastructure for data sharing developed
Used initiative resources effectively;	Proportion of initiative members that utilized CC data management and analysis expertise Proportion of initiative members that utilized communication infrastructure
Increased efficiency of participating sites	Initiative member satisfaction of listserv and webinar content and frequency

^aIndicates outcome specific to CCs for a multi-site transdisciplinary research initiative.