Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, S113-750 Bannatyne Ave, Winnipeg, Manitoba, R3E 0W3, Canada.
Implement Sci. 2010 Jun 16;5:47. doi: 10.1186/1748-5908-5-47.
Maps and mapping tools through geographic information systems (GIS) are highly valuable for turning data into useful information that can help inform decision-making and knowledge translation (KT) activities. However, there are several challenges involved in incorporating GIS applications into the decision-making process. We highlight the challenges and opportunities encountered in implementing a mapping innovation as a KT strategy within the non-profit (public) health sector, reflecting on the processes and outcomes related to our KT innovations.
A case study design, whereby the case is defined as the data analyst and manager dyad (a two-person team) in selected Ontario Early Year Centres (OEYCs), was used. Working with these paired individuals, we provided a series of interventions followed by one-on-one visits to ensure that our interventions were individually tailored to personal and local decision-making needs. Data analysis was conducted through a variety of qualitative assessments, including field notes, interview data, and maps created by participants. Data collection and data analysis have been guided by the Ottawa Model of Research Use (OMRU) conceptual framework.
Despite our efforts to remove all barriers associated with our KT innovation (maps), our results demonstrate that both individual level and systemic barriers pose significant challenges for participants. While we cannot claim a causal association between our project and increased mapping by participants, participants did report a moderate increase in the use of maps in their organization. Specifically, maps were being used in decision-making forums as a way to allocate resources, confirm tacit knowledge about community needs, make financially-sensitive decisions more transparent, evaluate programs, and work with community partners.
This project highlights the role that maps can play and the importance of communicating the importance of maps as a decision support tool. Further, it represents an integrated knowledge project in the community setting, calling to question the applicability of traditional KT approaches when community values, minimal resources, and partners play a large role in decision making. The study also takes a unique perspective--where research producers and users work as dyad-pairs in the same organization--that has been under-explored to date in KT studies.
通过地理信息系统（GIS）绘制地图和使用制图工具，可将数据转化为有价值的信息，从而帮助决策和知识转化（KT）活动。然而，将 GIS 应用程序纳入决策过程中存在若干挑战。我们强调了在非营利（公共）卫生部门实施制图创新作为 KT 策略所遇到的挑战和机遇，并反思了与我们的 KT 创新相关的流程和结果。
采用案例研究设计，将选定的安大略省早期学习中心（OEYC）的数据分析师和经理二人组定义为案例。我们与这对二人合作，提供了一系列干预措施，然后进行一对一访问，以确保我们的干预措施针对个人和当地的决策需求进行了个性化定制。通过各种定性评估（包括现场笔记、访谈数据和参与者创建的地图）进行数据分析。数据收集和数据分析一直遵循渥太华研究利用模式（OMRU）概念框架的指导。
尽管我们努力消除与 KT 创新（地图）相关的所有障碍，但我们的研究结果表明，个人层面和系统层面的障碍都给参与者带来了巨大的挑战。虽然我们不能声称我们的项目与参与者使用地图的增加之间存在因果关系，但参与者确实报告说，他们在组织中使用地图的频率有所增加。具体而言，地图正被用于决策论坛，以分配资源，确认对社区需求的隐性知识，使对财务敏感的决策更加透明，评估方案以及与社区合作伙伴合作。
该项目强调了地图可以发挥的作用，以及将地图作为决策支持工具进行交流的重要性。此外，它代表了社区环境中一个综合的知识项目，质疑当社区价值观、有限的资源和合作伙伴在决策中发挥重要作用时，传统 KT 方法的适用性。该研究还从独特的角度——研究生产者和用户在同一组织中作为二人组合作——探讨了迄今为止在 KT 研究中探讨不足的问题。
