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While there are many similarities between IPD and aggregate data meta‐analysis projects, they differ substantially in collaborative, data management and analytical aspects. If done well, the IPD approach can bring substantial improvements to both the quality of the data and the analyses, often increasing statistical power, and leading to more reliable results and more nuanced examinations, for example, those relating to treatment effect modifiers at the participant level (Chapter 7). However, IPD projects incur additional costs in terms of the time, resource and skills required (Chapter 3), and so should not be undertaken lightly. Hence, researchers must give careful consideration to the research question, and whether IPD will add value over existing aggregate data. If IPD are likely to add value, the next phase is to examine the feasibility of obtaining IPD, and to plan and initiate the IPD project, as described in Chapter 3.