The Confidence Trap in Clinical Trials: When Knowing Just Enough Becomes Dangerous
When confidence outpaces competence in clinical research,
October 23, 2025
Mindset Matters
Mindset is often overlooked during trial planning, but it plays a critical role in how teams perform—especially under pressure. These articles explore how behavioral science can help trial sponsors and CROs improve study delivery by shaping how teams and sites think, learn, and act.
Why Mindset Matters in Clinical Research
Clinical trials professionals face a host of challenges: for some, it’s the complexity in protocol design, for many it’s lagging enrollment rates, and for others it’s the site burden that’s inherent to change management.
June 8, 2025
The Compounding Power of Training: Early Investment Yields Exponential Returns
The compounding benefits of effective training cannot be overstated. When clinical research associates (CRAs) and site staff are thoroughly prepared, they engage more deeply with the trial protocols, ask more insightful questions, and more proactively anticipate challenges.
April 10, 2025
Embracing Change and Intentionally Living ‘a Life of Why
I was recently invited to deliver a keynote presentation on embracing change. The audience was more than a 100 healthcare improvement and clinical trial professionals who had each committed to participate in a year-long collaborative.
February 1, 2025
Can We Predict Trial Success? From ‘Feasibility’ to Predictive ‘Readiness’
What learning science has taught us about the drivers and predictors of change—and applying those to clinical research practice. This article was first posted November 11, 2024 in Applied Clinical Trials
November 11, 2024
Optimism’s Hidden Costs: How the ‘Planning Fallacy’ Undermines Trial Success
Trial sponsors don’t miss timelines because they’re careless. They miss them because they’re human. Behavioral science calls it the planning fallacy.
October 14, 2024
Prioritizing People: Why ‘I-Frame’ Interventions are Key to Trial Success
We talk a lot about processes and platforms in clinical trials. But in the end, success comes down to understanding and supporting the needs of the people conducting the trial.
September 9, 2024
Rethinking Training: The Benefits of Embracing ‘Desirable Difficulties’
Four strategies for implementing this approach in clinical trial staff and site training. Brian S. McGowan, PhD, FACEHP, Chief Learning Officer and Co-Founder, ArcheMedX, Inc. If you were to
August 23, 2024
Understanding Heuristics and Biases in Clinical Trial Decision-Making
We all like to believe trial decisions are purely rational. But behavioral science says otherwise. Trial teams rely on mental shortcuts, or heuristics, to make complex decisions faster. These shortcuts can be helpful in the moment, but they also introduce risk.
June 7, 2024
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