Evaluation and Continuous Improvement

To ensure success of our institute, we implement Performance Monitoring and Evaluation Plans. The plans track and assess processes, outputs and outcomes to support continuous program improvement and demonstration of outcomes, impact and innovation. The institute’s evaluation team uses a participatory evaluation approach to work with each program to design and implement individual program evaluation plans to assess the extent to which the implementation of strategies is achieving expected outcomes.

Our approach to evaluation and continuous quality improvement (CQI) draws on theories of CQI (e.g., Plan-Do-Study-ACT), team science, and the Translational Science Benefits Model (TSBM) framework to develop a theory-driven, evidence-based approach, known as Wisdom-driven Evaluation and Continuous Quality Improvement (WE-CQI).

Each program evaluation and CQI plan consists of a:

  • Workplan that guides implementation of program strategies and activities linked to aims
  • Logic Model that maps program activities, outputs and outcomes
  • Evaluation Implementation Plan that outlines methods, metrics and timelines
  • Dashboard of metrics linked to each program aim to document the extent to which aims are being attained
  • Dissemination Plan for sharing and using the data with various audiences
  • Action Plan for documenting findings and changes made to program strategies and activities to improve efforts over time
Objectives of the BU CTSI’s Evaluation Plan
  1. Implement formative and summative evaluation activities using mixed methods that emphasize participatory approaches that actively involve audiences and stakeholder groups in the development of evaluation processes and interpretation of real-time data to guide operational and strategic management.
  2. Use well-defined metrics to measure success of individual programs and the overall institute.
  3. Conduct analyses of research productivity, influence and impact of investigators to demonstrate contributions.
  4. Implement utilization-focused evaluation methods that integrate the ongoing use of evaluation findings into the institute’s governance structure for effective continuous improvement and identifying promising/best practices.
  5. Conduct meta-evaluation to assess the quality of evaluation methods and its associated data using the national standards set by the Joint Committee on Standards for Evaluation (JCSSE) so that its practice is appropriately guided and audiences can examine its findings.
  6. Actively engage in national CTSA network evaluation activities to advance strong evaluation practices.
Joint Committee on Standards for Evaluation (JCSSE)
American Evaluation Guiding Principles for Evaluator Practice
Evaluation Guidelines for Clinical and Translational Science Awards