Improving impact assessment efficiency: Connecting research and practice in times of change

The current push towards increased efficiency in impact assessment (IA) creates new opportunities for research to inform future practice. This includes investigating approaches for gaining efficiency at various stages of IA conduct and reporting, and for evaluating their feasibility, utility and how they may be applied without compromising IA quality and effectiveness. This article highlights some potential areas for such research to help address current efficiency issues and needs in IA practice. • Enhancing IA efficiency will require innovation in future IA conduct and reporting. • This presents new opportunities for research to inform and improve IA practice. • This article suggests areas for future research that span various IA components.