Table 1 Four-stage approach to the realist evaluation of communities of practice
From: A realist evaluation of the role of communities of practice in changing healthcare practice
Stage | Activities | Analysis | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
1. Theory | • Systematic review of the literature • Semi-structured interviews with sponsors and facilitators of CoPs • Formulate CMO configurations | • Qualitative -- Identify themes and categorise as outcomes, mechanisms, and contextual factors • Formulate potential CMO configurations | Provide the theoretical basis for the realist evaluation |
2. Hypotheses generation | • Generate hypotheses based on CMO configurations | Rephrase CMO configurations into hypotheses | Formulate hypotheses to be tested during stage three |
3. Observation | • Online survey of CoP members | Quantitative -- • Identify CMO configurations that occur with regularity • Social Network Analysis | Test and accept, reject, or modify hypotheses Examine structure of professional and social relationships and flow of information and knowledge within the CoP |
4. Program specification | • Review analysis from stage three | Refine theorised CMO configurations based on testing of hypotheses | Specify CMO configurations that explain how, when and why CoPs improve healthcare practice |