CAPTURE’s IAB met for the third time on May 17 and 18, 2011, with nine members in attendance. The objectives for the meeting were: 

1. To update the IAB on progress to date
2. To engage the IAB in discussion about priorities going forward
3. To engage the IAB in discussion about business models for sustainability

The bulk of the two-day meeting was devoted to the discussion of what CAPTURE should do in the time remaining in its current funding mandate, and what business model it should adopt to pursue future sustainability. The IAB discussed in depth the prospects and risks of a number of business scenarios, and offered their perspective on CAPTURE’s priorities going forward.
While IAB members were not required to reach consensus in the feedback or advice they provided to CAPTURE, there were some consistent themes that arose from their discussions. Feedback included: 

• CAPTURE should continue to position itself as a leader in supporting an expanded evidence paradigm in public health.
• CAPTURE can’t do it all right now – the project needs to focus on what it can deliver within the next few months to show its value.
• CAPTURE must clearly articulate the niche that it fills and what it will provide in that niche, and develop a strong business case to enable it to show its value and market itself to potential funders.
• It is essential to continue to offer the “public good” – a baseline of services that are freely-available to all users.
• CAPTURE should continue its affiliation with a university. There may also be opportunities to build partnerships with other centres beyond the host institution.
• CAPTURE should consider partnering with a technology company to help build the platform and develop the data collection and aggregation features that represent the unique value-add.

The IAB also provided advice on CAPTURE’s operational focus to March 31, 2012:

• Market the assets that have already been created – focus on populating the repository with tacit knowledge and “making it sing.”
• Undertake a few pilot projects to demonstrate synthesis of learning and use these to develop proof of concept messaging and help build its business case.

This meeting marked the last time that the IAB will meet as a group to provide CAPTURE with formal input and advice. However, CAPTURE’s leadership will continue consulting with IAB members on an ad hoc basis throughout the remainder of its initial mandate.