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Definition: Turning evidence into action

You have found good quality evidence in answer to your research question, decided the evidence has direct bearing on your own service setting, and disseminated the evidence to key stakeholders. Now the task of actual implementation begins. This step of the toolkit is designed to help you to select, implement and evaluate a new practice or method. If you feel there may be organisational barriers to implementing change, you may find it useful to review the resources under Question 4 below.

Key Points

  • Implementation is the hardest aspect of getting research into practice.
  • Before acting on evidence, it is important to consider whether the change you are contemplating is in line with the strategic objectives of your organisation and/or the needs of service users.
  • The capacity to act on evidence is not only shaped by your capacity as an individual, but also by that of your organisation. Without organisational encouragement and resources, you will find it harder to turn evidence into positive outcomes.
  • When evidence points to the need for a new practice, it is important that you develop an action plan to implement that new practice.
  • For success, both the new practice and its method of implementation need to be carefully thought through.
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1. What are the criteria for choosing a successful new practice or method?

New practices or methods that have been successfully implemented tend to share a number of common characteristics. The following provides a summary of some of key issues that may assist you in the selection of a new practice or method.

  • Obvious Need: Staff and service users will accept change if the change proposed can be understood as a solution to an existing problem.
  • Clear Benefits: Stakeholders or service users must be convinced that change will result in benefits, e.g. a more efficient or effective service.
  • Congruent Values: New practices or methods that are in line with individual and organisational values, norms and working methods stand a far greater chance of success.
  • Simple: The more complex a new practice/method, the harder it is to implement. Keep things simple and small scale, at least initially.
  • Testable: New practices that can be tested on a small scale and with minimal risk are easier to introduce.
  • Visible: Quickly observable benefits will make change easier to achieve.
  • Adaptable: Being able to adapt a new practice to existing conditions can make it easier to implement.
  • Transferable: A new practice which has applicability to more than one service context or more than one group of service users may prove easier to implement.

Links (online resources):

  • From News to Everyday Use: The Difficult Art of Implementation.
    This document discusses success factors for selecting a new method or practice, and offers a short checklist to support those planning the implementation of new methods. It also references a number of further resources on organisational change and social marketing.

2. What are the criteria for a successful implementation of the new practice?

Once you have selected a new evidence-informed method, you need to think about the process of implementing it. Once again, there are general principles that can make implementation more likely to succeed.

  • Clarity around key aspects of the process: Be clear about what and who needs to change. Target your implementation strategies at the right groups of people, plan the process of change in phases and clearly assess the resource implications of the change you are planning to implement.
  • Early involvement of staff and service users: The people who will be delivering the changes in practice need to be consulted as early as possible in the planning stage. It is a good idea to involve colleagues at all levels and also include people who will be receiving the service.
  • Education and training: A change in practice needs to be accompanied by an effective information, education and training plan.
  • Resources: Sufficient resources will increase the chances of successful implementation.
  • Timely communication: Keeping people informed about the process and progress of the implementation is an important way to establish and maintain buy-in for the change process.

Links (online resources):

3. What are key steps to evaluating evidence-informed practice?

When you are planning to implement a new practice, factor in from the beginning an effective outcome-focused evaluation. Only by doing this can you know whether your evidence-informed changes have worked. In order to plan an effective evaluation, you must first be clear about the purpose of the evaluation. This might include:

  • Assessing whether objectives have been achieved
  • Assessing the outcome for people using the services
  • Learning from successes and mistakes

The evaluation process needs to be proportionate to the service change you are planning. Don’t make the evaluation so intensive it diverts resources from actually implementing the change. There are six key steps in an evaluation cycle:

  • Setting measurable outcomes
  • Selecting indicators and identifying sources of evidence
  • Planning the evaluation process
  • Choosing methods and collecting and recording data
  • Analysing data and presenting results
  • Reflecting on practice and sharing findings

The resources in this section offer specific guidance on outcome-focused evaluation for social services.

Links (online resources):

  • Evaluate the Outcome
    This resource is part of an evidence-informed practice model developed by Sheffield City Council and will assist you in identifying, setting and measuring intervention outcomes as part of reflective practice.
  • How to gather research evidence to monitor and evaluate your service
    Part Two of Think Research, a downloadable guide, supplemented by online resources that sets out principles for using research evidence to select and monitor social services. This section discusses what evaluation is and why it is important; what information we should collect and how we should collect it; how we can analyse the information we have; and how we can use information to influence and change policy and practice.
  • Quick Guide to Evaluation
    This resource aims to help plan and evaluate work in health and social care.

Further Reading (offline resources):

  • Outcome-focused evaluation
    Module five of The Evidence Guide: Using Research and Evaluation in Social Care and Allied Professions (2006) examines the purpose of evaluation, setting indicators and measuring outcomes, planning and choosing tools. The Evidence Guide is produced by Barnardo’s, What Works for Children? & the Centre for Evidence-Based Social Services. It is available for purchase from Barnardo's

4. What if your organisation is not ready or able to make changes to practice?

Whatever scale of practice change you’re considering, be prepared to respond to challenges and resistance to change. Make sure you present your messages in terms that make sense to practitioners and that take account of constraints.

Focus on the gains, including any saved resources, staff development opportunities, links to new policies or legislation and potential positive publicity. And make it clear that your message is informed by the high-quality, reliable evidence you have gathered.

If change is still proving difficult, you may feel there are broader organisational issues you need to identify and tackle. Some relevant sources of guidance on change management in support of evidence-informed social services are identified in this section.

Links (online resources):

  • A systematic approach to implementing change
    This resource describes some traps that people fall into as they look for ways to improve clinical practice. Though this resource focuses on implementing change in health care, it outlines messages that can be useful for social care.
  • From News to Everyday Use: The Difficult Art of Implementation.
    This document discusses success factors for selecting a new method or practice, and offers a short checklist to support those planning the implementation of new methods. It also references a number of further resources on organisational change and social marketing.
  • Is Research Working for You?
    This self-assessment tool looks at organisational, not individual capacity to use research. It asks about the organisation's ability to acquire, assess, adapt and apply research.
  • What do we mean by implementation?
    This resource has been developed by the University of Carolina National Implementation Research Network. The mission of the NIRN is to close the gap between science and service by improving the science and practice of implementation in relation to evidence-based programs and practices.

Further Reading (offline resources):

  • Firm Foundations
    Firm Foundations: A Practical Guide to Organisational Support for the use of Research Evidence is aimed at anyone with an organisation-wide remit for improving practice in social services. It is available for purchase from Research in Practice.
  • Adapting and Applying Evidence
    Module four of The Evidence Guide: Using Research and Evaluation in Social Care and Allied Professions (2006) contains detailed information about the SCAM model, writing summaries of evidence and ways to ensure your writing is clear and easy to understand. The Evidence Guide is produced by Barnardo's, What Works for Children? and the Centre for Evidence-Based Social Services. It is available for purchase from Barnardo's
  • Leading Evidence-Informed Practice: a handbook
    This handbook focuses on what it takes to lead a successful drive towards more evidence-informed work. This handbook identifies what makes some people such effective leaders in increasing the influence that evidence has on practice. It contains theory, guidance and practical exercises to help develop effective leadership actions and behaviours. The materials are supported by an audio-CD of lessons from people who have successfully led a drive for evidence-informed practice.

5. Are you aware of the ways in which evidence has been successfully applied in specific social service sectors?

Understanding how evidence can impact positively on practice is important in promoting the individual use of research and in fostering an organisational culture that supports it.

Links (online resources):