The small things in life can tell us much about how the world is changing. Whether it’s commuters carrying bottles of water. Or the papers left on trains at the end of a journey.

What might such tell-tale signs of cultural change be, when it comes to public involvement? Is it the fact that public involvement now appears higher up on a meeting agenda? Or that the ‘patient’ speaker takes the platform before lunch and not after it?

I like to think that one of them is the extent to which public involvement is now becoming the subject of ‘scientific posters;’ deservedly so.

Here’s a great one produced by Bournemouth University Clinical Research Unit. It shows how public involvement influenced and changed the design and delivery of a research project in osteoarthritis.

I like the clear layout, its visual nature, the good mix of narrative and graphics, interspersed with patient quotes. It is also honest about what went well and what was more challenging – as someone said to me recently, it is just as valuable to share bad practice as it is to spread good practice.  All in all, a good learning tool for others.

You can read the accompanying paper – entitled ‘More than just ticking the box’ – for this study on ‘Research Engagement and Involvement’ here.

My thanks and congratulations to Helen Allen and Lisa Gale-Andrew  and the team at the  innovative Bournemouth University Clinical Research Unit .  The Unit even has a rather cool photo competition you can vote in.

The good thing about these posters is that they are beginning to infiltrate scientific conferences and elsewhere – truly getting the message out and across.

There’s nothing wrong with being a poster child.