What happens when workshops are used as a mechanism for knowledge exchange? A realist evaluation of the Research to Reality Programme in North East of England

Introduction Since the 1930s, classic studies within the human relations movement, identified involvement and participation, as keystones for ensuring engagement and ownership in successful change initiatives. To this day we adhere to these principles, often providing workshops to facilitate information sharing, discussion, brokering relationships and involvement of key stakeholder groups. This paper will explore under what conditions for like workshops, might provide the necessary and sufficient conditions for knowledge exchange and the limitations to what might be achieved. Background Six local authority-led workshops – the Research to Reality Programme – brought together researchers, local health and wellbeing policy leads and practitioners to share their experiences and understanding of effective strategies for improving health and applying this knowledge locally. Topics included cross-cutting issues such as: alcohol misuse, childhood obesity; and work and health. Methods Using a realist approach, 42 semi-structured interviews with workshop participants and the planning team were carried out at approximately one month post workshop with some repeat interviews to explore longitudinal developments. Key documents were thematically analysed and observational data gathered in the workshops. Findings and Conclusions Data collection and analysis is ongoing and will be completed in early 2011. Early findings suggest that participants found discussions informative and interesting and valued sharing stories of practice across the region (i.e. permitted knowledge exchange) but that knowledge to action (informing and changing practice) in light of the workshops was more challenging. Participants offer a variety of attitudinal, organisational and contextual explanations for this. Conclusions are drawn about the conditions under which workshops as mechanisms for knowledge exchange (and knowledge to action) may be more likely to succeed.