Campbell Process and Implementation Methods Subgroup 2010-09 Report, page 1
The Process and Implementation Methods Subgroup (PIMS)
Annual Progress Report 2009 - 2010
Convenors: Margaret Cargo and Karin Hannes
Working Group Members: Patricia Rogers, Michael Saini, James Thomas
The group has not provided formal advice and guidance on methodological issues (core function #1) or training on methodological issues (core function #2). The group will be in a stronger position to make contributions to these areas in 2011 by building on findings of the empirical review of child and youth C2 reviews (n=26).
Core function #3: Helping to monitor and facilitate improvements in the quality of C2 reviews.
Findings from the review of C2 reviews will be fed back to the C2 Methods group to improve the quality of future protocol submissions and completed reviews.
Core function #4: Contributions to serving as a forum for discussion of methodological issues
Contributions to serving as a forum for discussion of methodological issues include one plenary address and two workshops at the 2009 JBI Biennial International Convention
Ripples to Revolution with two additional workshops accepted at the 2010 Joint Colloquium.
Topics addressed include critically appraising process and implementation in systematic reviews, rigor in qualitative research, information retrieval and assessing process, implementation and intervention theory in C2 reviews.
Core function #5: Conducting empirical research on methodological issues relevant to the conduct of systematic reviews
The team has focused its effort over the last year on conducting an empirical study of completed child and youth C2 reviews (n=26) to inform the development of methodological guidance for process, implementation and intervention theory. This work has led to the development a conceptual framework to guide the review, a comprehensive data extraction tool and instruction guide. The tool will be adapted into a reviewer checklist and critical appraisal tools for primary studies and systematic reviews. Additionally, five critical appraisal tools addressing process, implementation and intervention theory were reviewed across a core set of dimensions.
Core function #6: Ensuring the subgroup functions as part of the C2
The group is collaborating with the C2 Information Retrieval Group (Anne Wade and David
Pickup) on information retrieval issues related to process and implementation. The group has developed a working document identifying search terms and definitions related to process and implementation in the major databases utilised by C2 reviewers. The Colloquium will provide opportunity for a face-to-face meeting with Merete Konnerup and explore collaboration with the User’s Group.
Governance and Communication : The PIMS has administrative support from the Joanna
Briggs Institute including web hosting and maintenance. The group has produced the first

Campbell Process and Implementation Methods Subgroup 2010-09 Report, page 2 issue of its bi-annual newsletter, which will be distributed at the Joint Colloquium in Denver.
A platform has been developed for the webpage; presentations, working documents, newsletters and related resources will be accessible through the web page in the forthcoming month. The team secured research development funding to conduct an empirical review of
26 child and youth reviews aimed at identifying how issues related to implementation and intervention theory are addressed by reviewers.
Challenges : Progress is a bit of a challenge with limited funding. Hannes submitted a grant to the Flemish Research Council to establish a research network to support group activities; the grant was not successful. The group uses skype for regular conferencing across 4 countries and although it is inexpensive, the quality of the connection is not always great which can make communication challenging.