| Step | Considerations or tasks |
|---|---|
| Prepare | • Commence planning in conjunction with guideline development* • Identify need by consulting with stakeholders, or collecting or analyzing data • Select GItool that best addresses identified problem* • Schedule and budget for 6 mo to 2 yr • Partner with professional groups or researchers, or acquire research funding • Resources required include staff (coordinator, graphic designer, editor, implementation expert) and operations (printing, communication, dissemination, travel reimbursement, conduct of systematic reviews, licenses) • Establish a multidisciplinary Steering Committee of 10–15 individuals along with an administrative and clinical lead, plus relevant target users • Specify expectations; ask individuals to declare conflicts of interest • Others may be involved on Steering Committee or as needed (e.g., patients or advocacy groups, professional societies, informatics experts, public relations or marketing, technical writers) |
| Plan | • Steering Committee launch meeting • Make decisions about format (i.e., paper or electronic, stand-alone or in guideline) and content (i.e., sources, length, graphics)* • Use voting, rating or other consensus techniques for decision-making |
| Collect data | • Identify existing GItools that could be adapted • Collect data from various sources (i.e., guideline, review of published research) |
| Develop a draft | • Organize, synthesize and format collected data • Refer to existing GItools as exemplars and to GItool Framework (14) to describe objectives, methods, evidence, evaluation and instructions |
| Engage target users | • Consult with target users e.g., interviews, focus groups, survey) • Incorporate target user feedback • Steering Committee review meeting • Incorporate Steering Committee feedback |
| Pilot-test with target users | • Consult with target users e.g., interviews, focus groups, observation, survey) • Gather and summarize feedback on use and impact • Incorporate target user feedback |
| Final review and approval | • Steering committee review meeting • Incorporate Steering Committee feedback • Final approval by Steering Committee, or other internal or external groups |
| Editorial | • Proof, edit, translate to lay language, add graphics, refine layout |
| Endorsement | • Acquire endorsement by one or more professional bodies |
| Implementation | • Options include: dissemination by others (health regions, funders, professional societies; presentation at conferences or webinars; membership newsletters or email; websites or social media; distribute print material; mention of GItools in published guidelines; journal publications; local champions; incentives such as compensation, credits for continuing professional development or accreditation |
| Evaluate use and impact | • Conduct interviews, focus groups, observation, survey • Build survey into GItool or website for prospective evaluation • Engage others to more rigorously evaluate GItool use and impact |
*Steps or considerations that varied among participants and may require further research.