The impact assessment method helps you to analyse the cognitive impact of information.

It comprises of a 7 item scale developed from an extensive literature review. The scale includes: 

  • no impact 
  • reassurance (I was more confident) 
  • confirmation (I was doing the right thing) 
  • practice improvement (clinical decision making was enhanced) 
  • recall (I recalled something I’d forgotten) 
  • learning (I learned something new or updated my knowledge) 
  • other 

The tool has been used by the team to test information gained through: 

  • hand held devices
  • evidence summaries  
  • alerts by email
  • information for patients

The impact assessment method was developed by the Canadian team, Roland Grad and Pierre Pluye from McGill University and published A New Impact Assessment Method to Evaluate Knowledge Resources in 2005.

Page last reviewed: 15 June 2021