Did you have an impact? A theory-based method for planning and evaluating knowledge-transfer and exchange activities in occupational health & safety

Kramer DM, Wells RP, Carlan N, Aversa T, Bigelow P, Dixon S, McMillan K. Did you have an impact? A theory-based method for planning and evaluating knowledge-transfer and exchange activities in occupational health & safety. International Journal of Occupational Safety and Ergonomics 2013;19(1)41-62.

Few evaluation tools are available to assess knowledge-transfer and exchange interventions. The objective of this paper is to develop and demonstrate a theory-based knowledge-transfer and exchange method of evaluation (KEME) that synthesizes 3 theoretical frameworks: the promoting action on research implementation of health services (PARiHS) model, the transtheoretical model of change, and a model of knowledge use. It proposes a new term, keme, to mean a unit of evidence-based transferable knowledge. The usefulness of the evaluation method is demonstrated with 4 occupational health and safety knowledge transfer and exchange (KTE) implementation case studies that are based upon the analysis of over 50 pre-existing interviews. The usefulness of the evaluation model has enabled us to better understand stakeholder feedback, frame our interpretation, and perform a more comprehensive evaluation of the knowledge use outcomes of our KTE efforts.