This article describes the use and benefits of collaborative health sector research in which program practitioners collaborate with social scientists in applied research projects. It presents an example of its application in a study conducted in Senegal on the interpersonal communication behavior of midwives during family planning consultations. Social science research is often underused by program managers unless the program staff and decision-makers are involved in the research process and the research leads to specific recommendations. The conceptual foundation of the collaborative research approach involves organizational development organizational learning action research process consultation and participatory program evaluation. The methodological framework of collaborative research consists of the following steps: to identify research team members to develop the research methodology to train observers to conduct observations to tabulate and analyze the data to formulate conclusions and program recommendations and to develop a plan to disseminate the results. The manner in which each of these steps was accomplished in the Senegal project is explained to provide an example of its application. Key features of the methodology were the close collaboration between the social scientist and the practitioners in all phases of the research process and the fact that the social scientist assumed the role of facilitator. The Senegal project demonstrated both the usefulness of the collaborative approach in generating information and promoting organizational change as well as constraints arising from the fact that top-level decision-makers were not involved and recommendations remain to be implemented. This study points to the need to focus attention on the process not simply the product of research.