The Team Science Readiness Framework for scientific research collaboration.

Introduction: Multidisciplinary research teams need a practical structure for assessing and improving their readiness to collaborate effectively. We developed the Team Science Readiness Framework (TSRF) to address this need. Methods: Team science considerations were initially identified by team science and healthcare experts, including the authors and affiliated collaborators, and were supplemented through a literature review. The framework was iteratively refined, prioritizing practical relevance, robust empirical support, and actionable factors that could be targeted through feasible interventions for improvement or sustainment. Results: The resulting TSRF comprises tangible, evaluable, and actionable considerations for science teams and provides a structure for organizing existing tools and resources. It addresses the research process across three stages: building teams during the early phases of a research project; managing teams while executing the research plan; and sustaining, growing, or gracefully closing teams as individual projects conclude. Discussion: By emphasizing actionable and empirically supported constructs, the TSRF offers a practical approach to evaluating multidisciplinary research-team readiness and guiding interventions throughout the team lifecycle.