In today’s data-rich world, the ability to design sound research and analyse data effectively is critical to achieving high-impact outcomes. That’s why La Trobe University established the Statistics Consultancy Platform: to provide expert, accessible statistical support that helps industry partners deliver stronger outcomes and practical applications.
When good ideas need better data design
Poor study design or incorrect data interpretation can undermine even the most promising projects. The Statistics Consultancy Platform helps by offerings tailored support at every stage of a project.
The need for the platform emerged from a recurring problem among students and researchers: sound ideas were falling short due to poor study design or statistical missteps.
“We had a lot of students come to the end of their research projects only to discover their data was unpublishable due to errors in their study design or analysis,” says Dr Christopher Adda, Director of Research Infrastructure at La Trobe.
“Grant applications were being knocked back for similar reasons. That’s why we originally set up the platform, and we’ve since expanded our services to cater to a much broader range of potential partners.”
Fast, flexible, and expert-driven support
Now, the platform offers a range of services to enhance research quality and help projects deliver practical impact. From refining grant proposals to interpreting complex datasets, the platform provides expert support on a cost-per-hour basis to make sure the statistical foundations of a project are solid from the outset. It includes assistance with: study design, survey and questionnaire development; data collection methods; sample size calculations; statistical modelling; data analysis; and, communicating findings. The team also delivers training and workshops in statistical concepts, tools, and techniques.
The platform supports a range of collaboration models for business, government, and not-for-profit organisations looking to strengthen research design, improve evaluation methods, or solve data challenges without needing to build that capability in-house. The platform offers the flexibility to explore formal collaboration arrangements with a statistician whose expertise aligns with the needs of the industry or research partners. This may involve engaging a statistician as a committed collaborator on Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF), and other National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) grant applications, or assigning a statistician to work with a team on a specific project for a period. Other options include one-on-one consultancy, participating in customised training, or co-authoring academic publications.
A defining feature of the platform is its cross-disciplinary expertise. Staff work with partners across health, science, business, education, and the humanities, tailoring their approach to meet the statistical and data-driven needs of each field. The team includes a full-time statistician and a pool of specialists with deep knowledge in areas like clinical trials, predictive modelling, and cohort studies.
Responsiveness is another key advantage. In one instance, the team delivered a complete statistical design analysis in just a few days.
“One of our clients was working on an application and needed the statistical design analysis to be done yesterday – we managed to turn that around within a week,” says Dr Adda.
Trusted by leading partners
The Statistics Consultancy Platform has already demonstrated its value across a wide range of industries and applications, supporting projects that span from healthcare to environmental modelling.
In the clinical space, the platform has worked closely with GenesisCare on cancer trials, supporting both protocol design and data analysis. Meanwhile, for utility company Coliban Water, the team developed predictive models to forecast dam flows based on rainfall data.
The platform also collaborates across La Trobe’s broader infrastructure. In a project with a large multinational company, they combined expertise from the proteomics and metabolomics platform, plus the bioimaging platform, to deliver a single, integrated report. “We can work across multiple platforms, tap into all that diverse expertise, and come back with a single report for a client,” says Dr Adda.
One long-standing collaboration is with Dr Tony Weir, Orthodontist and Senior Clinical Lecturer, University of Adelaide.
Our research group has used La Trobe’s Statistics Consultancy platform extensively since 2022. The platform has provided advice, excellent communication, and the precise material we require to drive our research into the literature, and in a most timely manner.
Ultimately, the Statistics Consultancy Platform drives better decisions, clearer insights, and stronger outcomes – and the true value lies in the people behind the service.
“Our team really know what they’re doing,” says Dr Adda. “They can offer intellectual contribution to projects and open our clients’ eyes to new possibilities.”
For more information and to explore collaboration opportunities, visit La Trobe’s Statistics Consultancy Platform.
