Fourth Annual National Knowledge Brokering Workshop held in Halifax on October 24 and 25, 2005

1. Self-Assessment Tool
Exploring Organizational Capacity to
Use Research

2. Self-Assessment Tool
Overview
the context
the CHSRF tool
relevance to knowledge brokers
group work
final thoughts

3. Context: Research Use
Efforts to help healthcare organizations
develop ―research-informed‖ culture
Often relies on identifying leaders who can
promote organizational/cultural change
However
leaders are only a part of the equation …

4. Limitations of Leadership
―…the search for leaders might actually divert
our attention from a deeper need—the need to
understand why it is that those institutions find
it so hard to evolve in the first place…‖
Senge, P. (1998). Towards an ecology of leadership: An emerging systems
theory of leadership, and profound organizational change. Cambridge, MA: MIT
Sloan School

5. If Not Leaders, Then What?
The Foundation‟ focuses on several key dimensions of
organizational capacity to use research.
Acquiring: Can you find and obtain the findings you need?
Assessing: Can you assess research findings to ensure they are
reliable, relevant, and applicable to you?
Adapting: Can you adapt the research to make it „work‟ in the
local context?
Applying: Do you have skills, structures, processes, and culture
to promote and use research findings in decision-making?

6. How Does the
Self-Assessment Tool fit in?
CHSRF’s self-assessment tool is NOT:
A test you take that gives you a “score” to compare
yourself to like organizations
A diagnostic tool that identifies “symptoms” in your
organization, and appropriate “cures”
Something that provides “the answer” to a specific
problem.
• So what is the tool and what does it do?

7. How Does the
Self-Assessment Tool fit in?
CHSRF’s self-assessment tool IS:
A resource for individuals who would like to advance the
role of evidence in their organization
A tool to structure a discussion around research use
priorities and needs
A way to clarify needs and establish priorities
Support for resource allocation decisions

8. Background
Purpose: to help health service and policy
organizations evaluate their capacity to use
research results, in addition to more common
forms of evidence, when making management
and policy decisions
Developed in 2000/ 2001
Iterative process

9. History
Tool used sporadically from 2000 – 2003
Usability and responsiveness assessment
(2003-2004)
Tool adopted by others
Revisions (2005)
Re-launch (Today)

10. Usability Assessment
34 organizations recruited from 4 health sectors
including:
Long-term care facilities
Government departments and branches
Community and public health organizations
NGOs

11. Some Key Messages
“The tool was useful in bringing about discussion of research
within organization, bi-directionally among levels, including
research utilization and awareness of local context” (Long-term
care facility)
“One group came to the new (to them) realization that not only
can research be used for clinical practice decisions but also to
help organizations work more effectively.” (Hospital)
“The discussion … was extraordinarily valuable beyond your
research project, in terms of having a better understanding of how
things work at the corporate end of things.” (NGO).

12. The Self-Assessment Tool for
Knowledge Brokers?
To be effective, knowledge brokers need to
understand all communities they serve and
bridge.

13. How can the Self-Assessment Tool
support knowledge brokers?
Use the tool to:
facilitate dialogue
identify needs
tailor support

14. Facilitating the dialogue
Setting aside the appropriate time
Need time dedicated to an open and engaging
discussion
Identifying the right group
? someone influential
? someone enthusiastic about using evidence

15. Identifying needs
Four key dimensions of organizational capacity
to use research
Acquiring
Assessing
Adapting
Applying
Identify areas where capacity development is
warranted

16. Tailoring support
Support capacity
development efforts
Build on strengths
while supporting
weaknesses
Bring down barriers
through facilitating
factors

17. Now
YOUR Turn

18. Facilitating the dialogue:
How do we launch the dialogue?
Getting the topic on the agenda
Creating an open / unthreatening environment
Who is the right group?
Group composition
Group size
Group dynamics
Barriers / challenges?
Ideas / approaches?

20. Identifying needs:
Understanding the 4 A’s (acquiring, assessing, adapting,
applying)
How do we get an accurate depiction of the
situation?
All voices heard
Balance between „necessity‟ and „nice to have‟
Barriers / challenges?
Ideas / approaches?

22. Tailoring support
How do we prioritize support?
Internal resources versus external resources
capacity development efforts
How do we make use of what exists?
Ensuring appropriate individuals within the organizations
recognize existing resources / services
When do we re-assess?
Barriers / challenges?
Ideas / approaches?