How to Assess the Impact of Research?

"At a time of growing emphasis on both the use of research and accountability, it is important for research funders, researchers and other stakeholders to monitor and evaluate the extent to which research contributes to better action for health, and find ways to enhance the likelihood that beneficial contributions are realized."

This research describes Contribution Mapping, "a novel approach to research monitoring and evaluation that aims to assess contributions instead of impacts. The approach focuses on processes and actors and systematically assesses anticipatory efforts that aim to enhance contributions, so-called alignment efforts. The approach is designed to be useful for both accountability purposes and for assisting in better employing research to contribute to better action for health."

This kind of mapping describes how research and knowledge utilisation processes evolve through a three-phase process map that includes the main actors, activities, and alignment efforts during research formulation, production, and knowledge extension (e.g., dissemination and utilisation). "The approach focuses on the actors involved in, or interacting with, a research project (the linked actors) and the most likely influential users, who are referred to as potential key users. In the first stage, the investigators of the assessed project are interviewed to develop a preliminary version of the process map and first estimation of research-related contributions. In the second stage, potential key-users and other informants are interviewed to trace, explore and triangulate possible contributions. In the third stage, the presence and role of alignment efforts is analyzed and the preliminary results are shared with relevant stakeholders for feedback and validation. After inconsistencies are clarified or described, the results are shared with stakeholders for learning, improvement and accountability purposes."

The article details the stages in contribution mapping through outlining steps of each phase. The final step, "Sharing results for learning, improvement and accountability", includes the following possibilities: "The way the resulting maps are used depends on the purpose of Contribution Mapping. For accountability purposes, the key outcomes, inputs and external factors are identified and shared. For learning purposes, the key lessons are identified by analyzing single cases or comparing multiple cases. If Contribution Mapping is employed for improvement purposes, the results could inform the formulation and execution of plans for improvement."

The creators of contribution mapping expect the method will be a tool for learning and improvement purposes and will allow those involved in research and utilisation to take responsibility for the actions within their reach.