Superu Evidence to Action conference Wellington 2017 EVIDENCE

Superu Evidence to Action conference Wellington 2017 EVIDENCE TO ACTION: Issues, challenges and solutions Sarah Morton, University of Edinburgh www. crfr. ac. uk www. rfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Working to get evidence into action Scotland www. crfr. ac. uk New Zealand @crfrtweets

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City Council of The Hague deliberating in 1636 Jan Antonisz. van Ravesteyn www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

In this talk • What are the problems with getting evidence into action? • How do we understand the E 2 A process? • What do we mean by ‘what works’? • What can we do to improve the use of evidence? www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

What do you think are the main barriers to research use? www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Top 5 barriers to use of evidence • Availability and access to research/improved dissemination (n = 63) • Clarity/relevance/reliability of research findings (n = 54) • Timing/opportunity (n = 42) • Policymaker research skills (n = 26) • Costs (n = 25) Oliver K, et al (2014). www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Top 5 facilitators of evidence use • Availability and access to research/improved dissemination (n = 65) • Collaboration (n = 49) • Clarity/relevance/reliability of research findings (n = 46) • Relationship with policymakers (n = 39) • Relationship with researchers/info staff (n = 37) Oliver K, et al (2014). www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

What’s happening when people use research? www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Research use isn’t straightforward 1) Problem solving: research used to provide evidence to solve policy problems 2) Knowledge-driven: research (often science) drives new technological developments (eg contraceptive pill) 3) Interactive: interactive, non-linear model with many actors communicating with each other 4) Political: research used to lobby for political viewpoints 5) Tactical: research used to delay action, avoid taking responsibility, deflect criticism, maintain prestige or rally academic support 6) Enlightenment: research changes conceptualisation of a problem through slow percolation of ideas in policy and society Carol Weiss (1979) www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Practitioners’ ‘mindlines’ “reps” each other meetings opinion leaders “they say” reading/updates teachers/training www. crfr. ac. uk “the centre” eg govt department practice ual id div ral experience In e n Ge Client’s view infrastructure Adapted from Gabbay J, and May A l BMJ 2004; 329: 1013 @crfrtweets

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Thinking about issues in research use Ten key issues and how we have tried to address them www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Hi! Have you heard this? It’s really going to change how you do things round here. 1. Research does not speak for itself www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Animating research www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

2. Research does not stand alone www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Contextual analysis www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Contextual analysis: Violence against children in Peru www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

3. Research has to be integrated www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Integrating new knowledge through discussion www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Combining different types of knowledge Cur ren t pr acti c e Administrative data Re rch sea www. crfr. ac. uk What should we do? a nd ta o ti lua a Ev Community needs assessment Poli tica l pri oriti e s @crfrtweets

4. It’s not just learning – unlearning matters too www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

5. Using research is often not an event www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

www. crfr. ac. uk cam Med pai ia gn Org ani z refl ation ect al ion s res e F pol arch urthe icy use r cha as nge s gem ent pra ctit with ion ers En wit h L gagem A le en ade t rs En ga Se of r cond ese wa arc ve h h arc Re se Work with Child. Line @crfrtweets

6. Knowledge is often co-produced www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

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7. Not products but process www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Products + processes • KE strategy for every project • Involving research users from the start • More than one mechanism for dissemination www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

8. It’s not all about decisions but often more about framings www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

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9. Leadership support for research creation and use www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

10. Investment www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Sound familiar? www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Complexity and ‘what works’ www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

What’s required to understand ‘what works? ’ • Know – about problems: the nature and formation of social problems • Know – what works: what policies, strategies or interventions will bring about desired outcomes • Know – how (to put into practice): eg knowledge about effective programme implementation • Know – who (to involve): eg getting stakeholder buy-in and building alliances for action • Know – why (requirements of action): relationship between values & policy/practice • Know – whether having any impact: monitoring, evaluation and accountability Adapted from Nutley (2012) Presentation to Campbell Collaboration Colloquium http: //www. sfi. dk/Default. aspx? ID=10712 www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

www. crfr. ac. uk Nutley S, Powell A, Davies H. What Counts as Good Evidence; 2013 @crfrtweets

WAYS OF THINKING ABOUT IMPACT PROCESSES www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Bridging the gap? ? www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

More than two worlds Research producers: Universities Independent evaluators Research institutes, etc The media Audit, inspection, scrutiny Advocacy groups www. crfr. ac. uk Professional bodies Think tanks Research users: Politicians Civil servants Local government Service providers Service users Wider community Lobbyists @crfrtweets

Push knowledge Pull knowledge Universities Linkage and exchange Government, practice, communities www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Three generations system Consider contextual factors, barriers, opportunities and enablers of change relationships Build and take part in relevant networks, identify champions translation www. crfr. ac. uk Targeted and packaged for key audiences @crfrtweets

Research utilisation: What have we learned since 2001? Research use is: • a process, not a product • complex, context specific • beyond simple ‘what works? ’ • where translation, relationships, and systems matter • often long time frames • many kinds of evidence. . . research just one www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

HOW CAN WE IMPROVE E 2 A? www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Individually For researchers: • Network • Build relationships with key research users • Involve them in research and KE throughout • Well planned strategies www. crfr. ac. uk For non-academics: • Plan and systematise research use • Ensure leadership and learning time • Create links with key academics in your field • Link to relevant researchuse initiatives @crfrtweets

Building a system for E 2 A For universities: • Have outward looking research units that aim to engage users • Provide resources to allow for small-scale projects and flexible responses • Employ and value communication, KE, graphic design and events professionals • Recognise and reward engagement as core part of academic roles from students through to senior staff www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Building a system for E 2 A For policy and practice: • Have systems in place to ensure access to wide range of research • Have clear guidelines about research needed for different activities and functions • Have spaces for discursive meetings that allow for consideration of different types of evidence • Build, recognise and reward the skills and roles of knowledge brokers www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

Building a system for E 2 A For research funders and governments: • Shift funding streams towards effective mechanisms • Challenge current paradigm about research quality versus relevance • Rethinking ‘what are universities for? ’ www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets

s. morton@ed. ac. uk www. crfr. ac. uk @crfrtweets