The GRADE living map: the interactive and living index of GRADE content. A statement by the GRADE guidance group

The Grading of Recommendation Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach supports evidence syntheses, practice guidelines, health technology assessments, and health policies. As the number, type, and scope of GRADE publications have expanded and sciences advances, users have faced growing challenges in identifying official GRADE materials and utilizing the most current methods. To address this problem, we developed the interactive GRADE Living Map (GLM), a hierarchical, interactive, and continuously updated repository of official outputs.

We identified eligible publications through (i) the Cochrane training website on GRADE, (ii) an OVID-MEDLINE search, (iii) iterative review by the writing group, and (iv) feedback from the GRADE Guidance Group (G3). We designed the taxonomic hierarchy of the map branching following a combined deductive-inductive approach. All records were iteratively reviewed and classified by currency, publication type, and official standing as GRADE content.

The GLM categorizes articles into the GRADE Repository (current material) and the GRADE Archive (for historical traceability and transparency). As of May 2026, the GLM contains 154 unique GRADE citations organized into six major thematic areas (topics): ''Principles of GRADE,'' ''Assessment of Certainty in the Evidence,'' ''Evidence-to-Decision Process,'' ''Presentation and Dissemination of Evidence,'' ''Methodological Foundations,'' and ''Application to Specific Contexts.'' Each topic further branches into multiple hierarchical levels. We also classified 88 GRADE-related articles.

The GLM is a comprehensive and dynamic systematization of GRADE's and related output. By distinguishing current from outdated materials and mapping content across themes, the GLM serves as both a navigational tool and a quality safeguard. Integrated with the GRADE Book and the INGUIDE (International Guideline Training and Certification Programme) program, the GLM strengthens the accessibility of official GRADE material.