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Knowledge Mobilization Practice Tools and Resources

Below are tools and resources to expand your learning and build your capacity and capability for knowledge mobilization. Have any feedback on our resources or ideas for new resources? Please contact us, we’d love to hear from you!
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Knowledge Mobilization Practice Tools and Resources

Knowledge Mobilization Action Planning (KMap) Tool

This tool will help guide you through your project’s knowledge mobilization (KM) goals and activities to create a KM plan. It can be used at any stage of a project, including in the development of a grant application.

How to Cite: Kastner M, Makarski J. Diabetes Action Canada Knowledge Mobilization-Implementation Science Program. (2024). The Knowledge Mobilization Action Planning (KMap) Tool. Available at: https://diabetesaction.ca.

KMap Tool

Commonly Used Knowledge Mobilization Practice Tools

Below is a listing of commonly used and published knowledge mobilization practice tools, organized by knowledge mobilization activity. If you have any questions or would like support in using these tools, please send us a Request for Consultation

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Implementation

Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF)
  • Determinant framework
  • Commonly used to identify barriers and facilitators to behaviour change in implementation efforts
  • Can be used as a planning tool pre-implementation or as an evaluation tool
  • Useful for informing the design of implementation strategies to facilitate behaviour change
  • Michie S, Johnston M, Abraham C, Lawton R, Parker D, Walker A. Making psychological theory useful for implementing evidence-based practice: a consensus approach. Quality & safety in health care. 2005 Feb;14(1):26.
  • A Guide to using the Theoretical Domains Framework of behaviour change to investigate implementation problems: Atkins L 2017
  • Workshop exploring the Theoretical Domains Framework in behaviour change research: KT Canada and OHRI Workshop presentation and materials  
The Health Equity Implementation Framework
  • An implementation (determinant) framework that also assesses heath equity determinants
  • It is a combination of the i-PARIHS (Integrated-Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services) determinant framework and the Health Care Disparities Framework
  • Its use may identify and address factors that promote or impede implementation of novel treatments in addition to eliminating healthcare disparities
  • Woodward EN, Matthieu MM, Uchendu US, Rogal S, Kirchner JE. The health equity implementation framework: proposal and preliminary study of hepatitis C virus treatment. Implementation Science. 2019 Dec;14:1-8.
  • The Health Equity Implementation Framework article: Woodward EN, 2019
  • A more practical guide to incorporating health equity domains in implementation determinant frameworks: Woodward EN 2021

Implementation, Evaluation

Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research 2.0 (CFIR 2.0)
  • Determinant framework
  • One of most common frameworks that provides a structure for understanding and analyzing contextual factors 
  • Provides a practical guide to systematically assess potential barriers and facilitators (determinants) prior to implementation
  • Commonly used to determine the impact of an intervention, considering why an intervention does or does not work
  • The “CFIR Outcomes Addendum” offers conceptual distinctions between types of outcomes for use with CFIR, which can help researchers consider which outcomes are most appropriate to evaluate their research
  • Damschroder LJ, Reardon CM, Widerquist MA, Lowery J. The updated Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research based on user feedback. Implementation science. 2022 Oct 29;17(1):75.
  • Updated CFIR: Damschroder LJ 2022  
  • CFIR Outcomes Addendum:  Outcomes Addendum: Damschroder LJ 2022
  • CFIR Guide – includes information for how to use CFIR to evaluate an implementation or design an implementation study: CFIR Guide

Sustainability

The Dynamic Sustainability Framework (DSF)
  • Provides a foundation for research, policy and practice that supports development and testing of falsifiable hypotheses and continued learning to advance the implementation, transportability, and impact of health services research
  • Involves continued learning and problem solving, ongoing adaptation of interventions with a primary focus on fit between interventions and multi-level contexts, and expectations for ongoing improvement as opposed to diminishing outcomes over time
  • Chambers DA, Glasgow RE, Stange KC. The dynamic sustainability framework: addressing the paradox of sustainment amid ongoing change. Implementation science. 2013 Dec;8(1):1-1.
  • Chambers DA 2013
Program Sustainability Assessment Tool (PSAT)
  • A reliable instrument for assessing the capacity for program sustainability of various public health and other programs
  • Identifies a set of eight organizational and contextual domains that can help build the capacity for maintaining a program over time
  • Luke DA, Calhoun A, Robichaux CB, Elliott MB, Moreland-Russell S. Peer reviewed: the program sustainability assessment tool: a new instrument for public health programs. Preventing chronic disease. 2014;11.
  • Stoll S, Janevic M, Lara M, Ramos-Valencia G, Stephens TB, Persky V, Uyeda K, Ohadike Y, Malveaux F. Peer reviewed: A mixed-method application of the program sustainability assessment tool to evaluate the sustainability of 4 pediatric asthma care coordination programs. Preventing chronic disease. 2015;12.
  • PSAT online resource: PSAT website

Implementation, Sustainability

Exploration, Preparation, Implementation, Sustainment (EPIS)
  • A framework that provides a phased and multilevel approach to implementation
  • Highlights key phases that guide and describe the implementation process and enumerates common and unique factors within and across levels of outer context (system) and inner (organizational) context across phases, factors that bridge outer and inner context, and the nature of the innovation or practice being implemented and the role of innovation/practice developers
  • Moullin JC, Dickson KS, Stadnick NA, Rabin B, Aarons GA. Systematic review of the exploration, preparation, implementation, sustainment (EPIS) framework. Implementation Science. 2019 Dec;14(1):1-6.
  • 2019 Foundational paper: Moullin JC 2019
  • EPIS Implementation Framework website:  EPIS Framework online

Scalability

Intervention Scalability Assessment Tool (ISAT)
  • Fills an important gap in applied scalability assessment
  • Developed to help practitioners, policymakers, program managers and researchers determine the scalability of a discrete health program or intervention
  • Supports policymakers and practitioners to make systematic assessments of the suitability of health interventions for scale-up
  • A decision support tool for policymakers and practitioners when selecting health interventions
  • Can also be used by researchers in the design of research to fill important evidence gaps
  • Milat A, Lee K, Conte K, Grunseit A, Wolfenden L, Van Nassau F, Orr N, Sreeram P, Bauman A. Intervention Scalability Assessment Tool: A decision support tool for health policy makers and implementers. Health research policy and systems. 2020 Dec;18:1-7.
  • ISAT publication: Milat A 2020
  • The online ISAT resource Hub: ISAT resources  

Dissemination, Implementation, Sustainability, Integrated KT

Knowledge-to-Action Model (KTA)
  • A process model (also known as a planned action framework) that explains the key elements/steps to the knowledge to action process 
  • Comprised of an “action cycle” around a knowledge creation ‘funnel”
  • Provides a structured approach that includes a seven-phase action cycle to move knowledge into practice
  • Graham ID, Logan J, Harrison MB, Straus SE, Tetroe J, Caswell W, Robinson N. Lost in knowledge translation: time for a map?. Journal of continuing education in the health professions. 2006 Dec;26(1):13-24
  • Foundational paper: Graham ID 2006
  • Webinar by Dr. ID Graham explaining the KTA model: KTA cycle with Dr. Ian Graham (ACCORDS Research)
  • Integrating Ethics and the KTA cycle: a CIHR resource

Evaluation, Implementation, Dissemination, Sustainability, Scalability

Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance (RE-AIM) Framework
  • Overall goal: encourage program planners, evaluators, researchers, policymakers, and others to pay more attention to essential program elements (including external validity) that can improve the sustainable adoption and implementation of effective, generalizable, and evidence-based interventions
  • Guides the planning and evaluation of programs according to the five key RE-AIM outcomes: Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, Maintenance
  • The Practical Implementation Sustainability Model (PRISM) is an extension of RE-AIM and includes key multilevel contextual factors relevant to program implementation
  • Glasgow RE, Harden SM, Gaglio B, Rabin B, Smith ML, Porter GC, Ory MG, Estabrooks PA. RE-AIM planning and evaluation framework: adapting to new science and practice with a 20-year review. Frontiers in public health. 2019 Mar 29;7:64.
  • 1999 Foundational paper (Glasgow RE, Vogt TM, Boles SM, 1999): Evaluating the public health impact of health promotion interventions: the RE-AIM framework  
  • Evolution and Application of RE-AIM – Use of the RE-AIM Framework: Translating Research to Practice with Novel Applications and Emerging Directions (Research Topic Series in “Frontiers in Public Health”): RE-AIM series overview and articles
  • RE-AIM website:  RE-AIM.org