Focus@will claims to use ‘scientifically designed music’ to make your brain up to four times more conducive to productivity. It’s a new music streaming service and app that uses a short survey to profile you and your ‘thinker’ type to provide curated pieces of music, designed to help you focus.

How could this help us as researchers? Its merit is obvious for those occasions, like writing proposals, discussion guides and reports, when focus is key. But equally, we could also take it into co-creation or ideation sessions. Often, when a group of clients or consumers get together, we ask them to get their heads down and work at being creative. Some will find it harder than others, so a tailored music backdrop that promises to increase productivity and creativity could be just the ticket for more inspired thinking.