Mechanisms and their effectiveness to increase the use of research for decision-making. A presentation of Christian Dagenais.

1. WHAT IS THE STATE OF
RESEARCH ON KT ?
MECHANISMS AND THEIR EFFECTIVENESS
TO INCREASE THE USE OF RESEARCH FOR
DECISION-MAKING
Langer L, Tripney J, Gough D (2016)
Breckon, J., & Dodson, J. (2016)
A presentation by Christian Dagenais

2. CONTEXT
Research: One of the factors influencing
policy decisions and practice
Question: What interventions are most
effective in improving and sustaining
the use of research?
Literature: focus on processes, but now
also available data on effectiveness
Approach:
1) Review of Systematic Reviews in KT
2) Scoping review in social sciences

3. METHOD
REViEW 1 REVIEW 2
Review of
systematic reviews
in the field of
evidence-informed
decision making
(EIDM)
Scoping review of
published research in
social science journals
(psychology, sociology,
management, etc.)

4. BEHAVIOR CHANGE
ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE
LEARNING
MOTIVATION
Several existing social science
theories and knowledge are directly
related to common KT issues
This knowledge could be useful to
better understand how to encourage
the use of research

5. AWARENESS
MUTUAL
AGREEMENT
ACCESS AND
COMMUNICATION
INTERACTIONS EXPERTISE
STRUCTURES
AND PROCESSES
M4
M1 M2 M3
M5
M6

6. REVIEW #1
SYNTHESIS OF 23 SYSTEMATIC REVIEWS
RELIABILITY AND RELEVANCE FROM MODERATE TO HIGH

7. THE MOST FREQUENTLY
EXAMINED MECHANISMS
ACCESS AND
COMMUNICATION
EXPERTISE
M3 M5
INTERACTIONS
STRUCTURES ET PROCESSES
M4
M6 MAJORITY OF KT
INTERVENTIONS
TARGETED
HEALTH
PROFESSIONALS

8. RELIABLE EFFICIENCY
EVIDENCE
EVIDENCE TO BE
INTERPRETED WITH
CAUTION
NO EVIDENCE OF
EFFECTIVENESS

9. MECHANISM
Building awareness for, and positive attitudes
towards, EIDM
M1
EXAMPLES OF M1 INTERVENTIONS:
Involve decision makers in designing a research
project to understand the value of the process
and outcomes
Questioning decision-makers on issues on which they
would like to obtain research-based advice

10. MECHANISM
Building awareness for, and positive attitudes
towards, EIDM
M1
Effectiveness cannot be determined
Only used in multiple interventions, and therefore
impossible to attribute the results to this specific
mechanism
Lack of evidence in systematic reviews

11. MECHANISM
Building agreement on policy-relevant
questions and fit-for-purpose evidence
M2
EXAMPLES OF M2 INTERVENTIONS:
Create an agreement between researchers and decision-
makers on the applicability and usefulness of evidence
(collaboration)
Ask users to evaluate the relevance of the data according
to their needs, values and organizational standards and
policies

12. MECHANISM
Building agreement on policy-relevant
questions and fit-for-purpose evidence
M2
Effectiveness cannot be determined
Only used in multiple interventions, and therefore
impossible to attribute the results to this specific
mechanism
Lack of evidence in systematic reviews

13. MECHANISM
Providing communication of, and access to,
evidence
M3
EXAMPLES OF M3 INTERVENTIONS:
Research communication strategies
Systematic reviews database
Analyzed data directories

14. Interventions of dissemination and access to
research results are effective only if they include
strategies to enhance
to use evidence!
MECHANISM
Providing communication of, and access to,
evidence
M3
FOR INSTANCE: A DOCUMENTARY
WATCH COMBINED WITH CUSTOMIZED
AND TARGETED MESSAGES ACCORDING
TO THE PROFILE OF THE USER
USERS' MOTIVATION

15. MECHANISM
Facilitating interactions between decision-
makers and researchers
M4
EXAMPLES OF M4 INTERVENTIONS:
Knowledge brokering / Communities of practice /
Joint educational meetings

16. MECHANISM
Facilitating interactions between decision-
makers and researchers
M4
No evidence of effectiveness in using research as it is
impossible to establish a causal link
FOR EXAMPLE, JOURNAL CLUBS WOULD IMPROVE ATTITUDES
TO RESEARCH THROUGH JOINT DISCUSSIONS BETWEEN
PARTICIPANTS
Some evidence that "lighter" approaches (rather than
intensive interactions) would have a positive effect.
INFLUENCE ON THE MOTIVATION TO USE!

17. MECHANISM
Facilitating interactions between decision-
makers and researchers
M4
This mechanism suffers from a lack of conceptual
clarity that hampers overall effectiveness.
What constitutes an interaction, a relationship of
trust?
What is the purpose of the interaction precisely?
What theory of change is developed to support the
assumption that interaction will promote the use of
research?
Reviews of this mechanism do not specify what an
"effective" interaction is and how trust relationships
are built ...

18. MECHANISM
Developping skills to access and make sense of
evidence
M5
EXAMPLES OF M5 INTERVENTIONS:
Develop the skills needed for evidence-informed
decision-making
Provide training to learn how to identify, evaluate,
synthesize and / or integrate evidence into practice

19. MECHANISM
Developping skills to access and make sense of
evidence
M5
However, this mechanism is ineffective if it is
part of a multiple intervention in which the
educational component is "diluted" ....
USER TRAINING IS EFFECTIVE TO IMPROVE
THE USE OF RESEARCH
IF INTERVENTION PERMITS TO IMPROVE
CAPABILITIES OF ONE PART BUT ALSO THE
MOTIVATION (ATTITUDES FAVORABLE TO USE)

20. MECHANISM
Influencing decision-making structures and
processes
M6
EXAMPLES OF M6 INTERVENTIONS:
Strategies to change structures and processes of how
individuals, teams or organizations make decisions
Creation of an "on-demand evidence" or "evidence
hotlines" service to formalize access
Organizational change to include supervision, training
on the use of research

21. MECHANISM
Influencing decision-making structures and
processes
M6
This mechanism is always intertwined with other
mechanisms, which limits the possibility of
demonstrating a causal link on the use of research
M3 M5ACCESS &
COMMUNICATION
EXPERTISE
Some evidence on the effectiveness of
M6 in combination with

22. REVIEW #2
SCOPING REVIEW
OF 67 RELEVANT INTERVENTIONS FOR BETTER
UNDERSTANDING EVIDENCE-INFORMED
DECISION-MAKING

23. POSSIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS
OF SOCIAL SCIENCES
MAKING ADVOCACY OF EVIDENCE-INFORMED
DECISION-MAKING
Inspired by effective awareness campaigns to support behavior
change
COMMUNICATING EFFECTIVELY A MESSAGE
Based on literature in communication: "Framing of messages,
tailoring communication including audience segmentation, and
regular use of reminders"
DESIGNING ATTRACTIVE AND CONVIVIAL PLATFORMS
FOR ACCESSING KNOWLEDGE
Based on "information design" techniques. Design mobile
applications

24. Increases range, ease of use and appeal
EXPLOIT THE POTENTIAL OF ONLINE AND MOBILE
TECHNOLOGIES
ESTABLISH INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORKS
The establishment of new managers could encourage structural
changes in decision-making (eg accreditation processes, NICE
guidelines)
USING BEHAVIORAL TECHNIQUES
Understand the influence of behavioral factors (eg, cognitive
overloads) on individual decision-making processes. Use
techniques to reduce cognitive bias

25. Incorporate techniques to develop motivation to use evidence in
research communication efforts
KEY MESSAGES
For instance: framing of study findings, tailoring & targeting of communication
Strengthen motivation also in strategies to improve access to research
For instance: improving the visual appearance of documentary vigils and linking them to
personal mobile devices
Strengthen the capacities of stakeholders for the use of research
For instance: improve the duration and frequency of training and integrate knowledge on
the principles of adult learning.

26. KEY MESSAGES
Develop and implement professional standards that include the use of
research
Acting on institutional frameworks to support evidence-informed
decision-making
For instance: institutions such as NICE and processes such as accreditation
This could support behavior change and promote the concept of evidence-informed
decision-making
Formalize and integrate interventions into existing decision-making
processes and structures
For instance: providing an "evidence-on-demand" service or directly facilitating the use
of research through financial incentives or decision-making tools

27. Langer, L., Tripney, J., & Gough, D. (2016). The Science of
Using Science: Researching the Use of Research
Evidence in Decision-Making. London: EPPI-Centre.
Social Science Research Unit, UCL Institute of Education,
University College London.
Breckon, J., & Dodson, J. (2016). Using Evidence. London:
Alliance for Useful Evidence.