A shared terminology for implementation research impact: Global Impact Analytics Framework (GIAF) Glossary

Area of Science:

• Implementation Science
• Health Services Research
• Impact Analytics

Background:

• Implementation research faces challenges due to inconsistent terminology across theories, models, and frameworks.
• Lack of a common vocabulary hinders comparative impact analysis, especially in the process/throughput phase.
• The Global Impact Analytics Framework (GIAF) Toolkit aims to standardize terminology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop the GIAF Glossary for disambiguating implementation research terms relevant to impact analysis.
• To document the creation and adoption of agreed-upon definitions within the GIAF Taxonomy and Checklists.

Main Methods:

• Employed an ontoterminology approach and Technology Readiness Level adapted for implementation sciences.
• Conducted a scoping review, developed an inventory of terms, and assessed definitions for clarity.
• Utilized an iterative process involving expert panel consensus and 10 years of real-world usability testing across 35 project evaluations.

Main Results:

• The final GIAF Glossary contains 189 terms, with 72% of definitions developed specifically for this study.
• 12% of definitions were adopted verbatim, and 16% were adapted from existing published sources.
• The GIAF Glossary is available in Supplement 3.

Conclusions:

• Existing definitions for implementation research terms are often ambiguous or vague, impacting evaluation and impact analysis.
• The study successfully combined ontoterminology and Technology Readiness Level-IS methodologies.
• The GIAF Glossary, part of the GIAF Toolkit, offers clear, consensus-based definitions to enhance communication and understanding in implementation research and impact analysis globally.