Will It Work Here? A Decisionmaker's Guide to Adopting Innovations Amy Roussel, PhD, Program Director, RTI International – Presenter Cindy Brach, M.P.P., Senior Health Policy Researcher, AHRQ – Presenter

Polling Question 1 I am a(n): a. Innovator a. Innovator b. Change Agent b. Change Agent c. Experienced Adopter c. Experienced Adopter d. Potential Adopter d. Potential Adopter e. Researcher e. Researcher

Polling Question 2 How familiar are you with the Innovations Exchange? Very familiar Very familiar Somewhat familiar Somewhat familiar Not at all familiar Not at all familiar

Definitions Innovation: A new way of doing things Innovation: A new way of doing things Adoption: The decision to take up an innovation that was developed elsewhere Adoption: The decision to take up an innovation that was developed elsewhere Implementation: Putting that innovation into practice Implementation: Putting that innovation into practice

Conceptual Framework Started with Rogers (Diffusion of Innovations): Started with Rogers (Diffusion of Innovations): – Observability – Relative advantage – Compatibility – Complexity – Trialability

Modifying Rogers’ Framework Adoption as a process, not an event Adoption as a process, not an event Focus on adopting organization, not individual person Focus on adopting organization, not individual person Core attributes involve fit between innovation and organization, not inherent in innovation itself Core attributes involve fit between innovation and organization, not inherent in innovation itself

The Real World Telephone interviews with 13 innovation adopters Telephone interviews with 13 innovation adopters – Variety of settings and innovations In-depth case studies of 4 organizations In-depth case studies of 4 organizations – Variety, again – Asked about failures User testing User testing – Round 1 – 7 testers – Round 2 – 6 testers

Polling Question 3 What aspect of the innovation adoption decision process is the most challenging for you in the VA? Finding a champion Finding a champion Identifying expected benefits Identifying expected benefits Assessing capacity Assessing capacity Assessing compatibility with our organization Assessing compatibility with our organization Making a business case Making a business case Assessing readiness for change Assessing readiness for change