The Science behind Mimir
It's simple - data plays a crucial role in sports performance. Since the invention of the heart rate monitor in the 1970s, the field has evolved—driven by evidence. Tracking, analytics, and data interpretation have primarily focused on physiological metrics. But performance isn’t just physical - this is where we are different.
At AIMS, we explore the psychological and environmental factors that shape athlete development and performance. By integrating cognitive and behavioural insights with traditional performance data, we provide a more complete picture—helping coaches and athletes unlock their full potential.
Research Evidence: The Foundation of Our Software
At the heart of our cutting-edge sports psychology software is a foundation of rigorous research and evidence-based methodologies. We take immense pride in ensuring that every algorithm, analysis, and insight we provide is backed by validated scientific studies. Unlike competitors who rely on untested models, our solutions have undergone years of development, testing, and refinement with real athletes in real sporting environments. This dedication to scientific integrity guarantees that our software delivers meaningful, actionable insights that drive performance improvement.
A Commitment to Validity and Evidence-Based Insights
Our software is built on research that has been meticulously tested and validated to ensure its accuracy, reliability, and relevance in high-performance sport. We never use unproven or speculative data—only methodologies that have withstood the scrutiny of academic research and real-world application. By leveraging validated psychological and performance metrics, we empower coaches with trustworthy data that enhances decision-making, fosters athlete development, and optimises team dynamics.
One of the most ground-breaking areas of our research is in psychological team climate—a domain that has been a decade in the making. Our latest findings reveal a strong relationship between psychological climate and coach-identified performance, allowing coaches to predict performance fluctuations before they happen. This insight is transformative, offering a proactive approach to managing team performance in real-time.
Psychological Team Climate: A Decade of Research in Your Hands
Our software is the first of its kind to collect and analyse team psychological climate data from athletes. Psychological climate in sport refers to the collective perception of an athlete's training and competitive environment, shaped by team culture, coaching styles, and interpersonal dynamics. Since 2015, our research has meticulously identified key positive and negative factors that influence psychological climate within teams, providing a powerful tool for enhancing athlete experience and performance.
Key Findings and Impact
- Predictive Performance Insights: Our latest research demonstrates strong correlations between psychological climate scores and fluctuations in team performance. This means that coaches can anticipate and address dips in performance before they impact results.
- Validated Metrics: We have undertaken extensive development and validation studies to ensure our psychological climate measures are robust, reliable, and applicable across different sporting disciplines.
- Actionable Data for Coaches: Through our software, coaches receive real-time insights into team functioning within the environments that they engineer, develop and maintain, allowing them to make informed adjustments to maximise performance outcomes.
- Enhanced Athlete Experience: By fostering a positive psychological climate, teams can improve communication, resilience, motivation and confidence—key components for sustained success in sport.
The Research Behind the Science
The development of our psychological climate measure is underpinned by leading academic research, including:
- Smith, S. M., & Bedwell, J. R. (2023). Exploring the developmental practice environment experiences of high-performing athletes. International Journal of Physical Education, Fitness and Sports, 12(4), 01-15.
- Smith, S. M., Brown, H., & Cotterill, S. T. (2022). Implementing and evaluating the practice environment model using action research. International Sport Coaching Journal, 9(1), 100-110.
- Smith, S. M., Cotterill, S. T., & Brown, H. (2020). An interpretative phenomenological analysis of coach perceptions in the practice environment. The Sport Psychologist, 34(4), 257-267.
- Smith, S. M., Cotterill, S. T., & Brown, H. (2020). An interpretative phenomenological analysis of performance influencing factors within the practice environment. Journal of Physical Education and Sport, 20(4), 1646-1657.
- Smith, S. M., Cotterill, S. T., & Brown, H. (2019). A case study of factors influencing performance in the practice environment. Case Studies in Sport and Exercise Psychology, 3(1), 33-40.