research action plan examples

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Richard Sagor wrote in his book “ Guiding School Improvement with Action Research: ASCD ” that educators and practitioners inevitably find action research as an empowering experience. It is defined as a disciplined process of inquiry conducted by and for those taking action. Also, it helps educators and other professionals to be more effective at what they prioritize about their work. Thus, action research has a positive and beneficial effect for many working professionals. What are the things you need to do in writing a research action plan ? In this article, we have some downloadable plan samples to guide you. Keep on reading!

Research Action Plan

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A research action plan is an effective tool to guide professionals such as educators, scientists, artists, designers, medical practitioners, researchers, and many others in planning for change and development of their work. This is like a vision board for them as they will paint a clear picture on their current work status, future goals, and plans in a certain period of time in the future. 

Writing a well-detailed plan can be a frustrating task for some people but consider this as a helpful step in building the framework of your future aspirations in your work. Below are some helpful tips in writing an effective action plan : 

What are your specific desired goals and outcomes? Reflect seriously on contemplating on the things you want to achieve in your projects or your overall work. Identify something that appears to be worthy and meaningful for you personally that will also help in improving your skills and competencies. 

Before you make a list of the important steps for your plan , you need to gather essential data and analyze what you really need to initiate improvement in your various tasks and projects. Then, make a structured list of the steps that will help you in achieving your desired goals.

The third step is focusing on performing the integral tasks that you need to include in your plan for your research work. Avoid doing some unnecessary things that may lessen your productivity and efficiency. Also, you need to always meet the deadlines of your tasks or projects to satisfy your manager or team leader and bring more valuable contributions to your team or department.

Finally, you can now visualize all the significant points for your plan. Make sure to evaluate it as well to avoid any mistakes or confusion in your part.

Some examples of an action plan are an outline of goals, objectives, measurements, action steps and responsibilities for each step. 

The parts of the action plan are goals and objectives, data collection and analysis, vision statement, solutions, and evaluation.

An article explained that action research creates knowledge based on enquiries conducted within specific and often practical contexts. As articulated earlier, the purpose of action research is to learn through action that then leads on to personal or professional development.

The five steps in strategic planning are strategic positioning, prioritizing objectives, plan development, plan implementation, plan revision.

Melissa Steginus said “Your action plan is your roadmap. It helps you get the wheels in motion, and it steers you toward long-term success: consistent, intentional practice. This is your path to creating and sustaining healthy habits that fuel you to keep going.” Therefore, a comprehensive research action plan is a beneficial tool to guide you in attaining your research goals, objectives, and desired outcomes.To help you in this matter, here are some of our downloadable and printable action plan samples available in different kinds of formats. Simply click the templates in this article and start downloading now!

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Linking Research to Action: A Simple Guide to Writing an Action Research Report

What Is Action Research, and Why Do We Do It?

Action research is any research into practice undertaken by those involved in that practice, with the primary goal of encouraging continued reflection and making improvement. It can be done in any professional field, including medicine, nursing, social work, psychology, and education. Action research is particularly popular in the field of education. When it comes to teaching, practitioners may be interested in trying out different teaching methods in the classroom, but are unsure of their effectiveness. Action research provides an opportunity to explore the effectiveness of a particular teaching practice, the development of a curriculum, or your students’ learning, hence making continual improvement possible. In other words, the use of an interactive action-and-research process enables practitioners to get an idea of what they and their learners really do inside of the classroom, not merely what they think they can do. By doing this, it is hoped that both the teaching and the learning occurring in the classroom can be better tailored to fit the learners’ needs.

You may be wondering how action research differs from traditional research. The term itself already suggests that it is concerned with both “action” and “research,” as well as the association between the two. Kurt Lewin (1890-1947), a famous psychologist who coined this term, believed that there was “no action without research; no research without action” (Marrow, 1969, p.163). It is certainly possible, and perhaps commonplace, for people to try to have one without the other, but the unique combination of the two is what distinguishes action research from most other forms of enquiry. Traditional research emphasizes the review of prior research, rigorous control of the research design, and generalizable and preferably statistically significant results, all of which help examine the theoretical significance of the issue. Action research, with its emphasis on the insider’s perspective and the practical significance of a current issue, may instead allow less representative sampling, looser procedures, and the presentation of raw data and statistically insignificant results.

What Should We Include in an Action Research Report?

The components put into an action research report largely coincide with the steps used in the action research process. This process usually starts with a question or an observation about a current problem. After identifying the problem area and narrowing it down to make it more manageable for research, the development process continues as you devise an action plan to investigate your question. This will involve gathering data and evidence to support your solution. Common data collection methods include observation of individual or group behavior, taking audio or video recordings, distributing questionnaires or surveys, conducting interviews, asking for peer observations and comments, taking field notes, writing journals, and studying the work samples of your own and your target participants. You may choose to use more than one of these data collection methods. After you have selected your method and are analyzing the data you have collected, you will also reflect upon your entire process of action research. You may have a better solution to your question now, due to the increase of your available evidence. You may also think about the steps you will try next, or decide that the practice needs to be observed again with modifications. If so, the whole action research process starts all over again.

In brief, action research is more like a cyclical process, with the reflection upon your action and research findings affecting changes in your practice, which may lead to extended questions and further action. This brings us back to the essential steps of action research: identifying the problem, devising an action plan, implementing the plan, and finally, observing and reflecting upon the process. Your action research report should comprise all of these essential steps. Feldman and Weiss (n.d.) summarized them as five structural elements, which do not have to be written in a particular order. Your report should:

• Describe the context where the action research takes place. This could be, for example, the school in which you teach. Both features of the school and the population associated with it (e.g., students and parents) would be illustrated as well.
• Contain a statement of your research focus. This would explain where your research questions come from, the problem you intend to investigate, and the goals you want to achieve. You may also mention prior research studies you have read that are related to your action research study.
• Detail the method(s) used. This part includes the procedures you used to collect data, types of data in your report, and justification of your used strategies.
• Highlight the research findings. This is the part in which you observe and reflect upon your practice. By analyzing the evidence you have gathered, you will come to understand whether the initial problem has been solved or not, and what research you have yet to accomplish.
• Suggest implications. You may discuss how the findings of your research will affect your future practice, or explain any new research plans you have that have been inspired by this report’s action research.

The overall structure of your paper will actually look more or less the same as what we commonly see in traditional research papers.

What Else Do We Need to Pay Attention to?

We discussed the major differences between action research and traditional research in the beginning of this article. Due to the difference in the focus of an action research report, the language style used may not be the same as what we normally see or use in a standard research report. Although both kinds of research, both action and traditional, can be published in academic journals, action research may also be published and delivered in brief reports or on websites for a broader, non-academic audience. Instead of using the formal style of scientific research, you may find it more suitable to write in the first person and use a narrative style while documenting your details of the research process.

However, this does not forbid using an academic writing style, which undeniably enhances the credibility of a report. According to Johnson (2002), even though personal thoughts and observations are valued and recorded along the way, an action research report should not be written in a highly subjective manner. A personal, reflective writing style does not necessarily mean that descriptions are unfair or dishonest, but statements with value judgments, highly charged language, and emotional buzzwords are best avoided.

Furthermore, documenting every detail used in the process of research does not necessitate writing a lengthy report. The purpose of giving sufficient details is to let other practitioners trace your train of thought, learn from your examples, and possibly be able to duplicate your steps of research. This is why writing a clear report that does not bore or confuse your readers is essential.

Lastly, You May Ask, Why Do We Bother to Even Write an Action Research Report?

It sounds paradoxical that while practitioners tend to have a great deal of knowledge at their disposal, often they do not communicate their insights to others. Take education as an example: It is both regrettable and regressive if every teacher, no matter how professional he or she might be, only teaches in the way they were taught and fails to understand what their peer teachers know about their practice. Writing an action research report provides you with the chance to reflect upon your own practice, make substantiated claims linking research to action, and document action and ideas as they take place. The results can then be kept, both for the sake of your own future reference, and to also make the most of your insights through the act of sharing with your professional peers.

Feldman, A., & Weiss, T. (n.d.). Suggestions for writing the action research report . Retrieved from http://people.umass.edu/~afeldman/ARreadingmaterials/WritingARReport.html

Johnson, A. P. (2002). A short guide to action research . Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon.

Marrow, A. J. (1969). The practical theorist: The life and work of Kurt Lewin . New York, NY: Basic Books.

Tiffany Ip is a lecturer at Hong Kong Baptist University. She gained a PhD in neurolinguistics after completing her Bachelor’s degree in psychology and linguistics. She strives to utilize her knowledge to translate brain research findings into practical classroom instruction.

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How to write a research plan: Step-by-step guide

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30 January 2024

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Today’s businesses and institutions rely on data and analytics to inform their product and service decisions. These metrics influence how organizations stay competitive and inspire innovation. However, gathering data and insights requires carefully constructed research, and every research project needs a roadmap. This is where a research plan comes into play.

Read this step-by-step guide for writing a detailed research plan that can apply to any project, whether it’s scientific, educational, or business-related.

• What is a research plan?

A research plan is a documented overview of a project in its entirety, from end to end. It details the research efforts, participants, and methods needed, along with any anticipated results. It also outlines the project’s goals and mission, creating layers of steps to achieve those goals within a specified timeline.

Without a research plan, you and your team are flying blind, potentially wasting time and resources to pursue research without structured guidance.

The principal investigator, or PI, is responsible for facilitating the research oversight. They will create the research plan and inform team members and stakeholders of every detail relating to the project. The PI will also use the research plan to inform decision-making throughout the project.

• Why do you need a research plan?

Create a research plan before starting any official research to maximize every effort in pursuing and collecting the research data. Crucially, the plan will model the activities needed at each phase of the research project .

Like any roadmap, a research plan serves as a valuable tool providing direction for those involved in the project—both internally and externally. It will keep you and your immediate team organized and task-focused while also providing necessary definitions and timelines so you can execute your project initiatives with full understanding and transparency.

External stakeholders appreciate a working research plan because it’s a great communication tool, documenting progress and changing dynamics as they arise. Any participants of your planned research sessions will be informed about the purpose of your study, while the exercises will be based on the key messaging outlined in the official plan.

Here are some of the benefits of creating a research plan document for every project:

Project organization and structure

Well-informed participants

All stakeholders and teams align in support of the project

Clearly defined project definitions and purposes

Distractions are eliminated, prioritizing task focus

Timely management of individual task schedules and roles

Costly reworks are avoided

• What should a research plan include?

The different aspects of your research plan will depend on the nature of the project. However, most official research plan documents will include the core elements below. Each aims to define the problem statement , devising an official plan for seeking a solution.

Specific project goals and individual objectives

Ideal strategies or methods for reaching those goals

Required resources

Descriptions of the target audience, sample sizes , demographics, and scopes

Key performance indicators (KPIs)

Project background

Research and testing support

Preliminary studies and progress reporting mechanisms

Cost estimates and change order processes

Depending on the research project’s size and scope, your research plan could be brief—perhaps only a few pages of documented plans. Alternatively, it could be a fully comprehensive report. Either way, it’s an essential first step in dictating your project’s facilitation in the most efficient and effective way.

• How to write a research plan for your project

When you start writing your research plan, aim to be detailed about each step, requirement, and idea. The more time you spend curating your research plan, the more precise your research execution efforts will be.

Account for every potential scenario, and be sure to address each and every aspect of the research.

Consider following this flow to develop a great research plan for your project:

Define your project’s purpose

Start by defining your project’s purpose. Identify what your project aims to accomplish and what you are researching. Remember to use clear language.

Thinking about the project’s purpose will help you set realistic goals and inform how you divide tasks and assign responsibilities. These individual tasks will be your stepping stones to reach your overarching goal.

Additionally, you’ll want to identify the specific problem, the usability metrics needed, and the intended solutions.

Know the following three things about your project’s purpose before you outline anything else:

What you’re doing

Why you’re doing it

What you expect from it

Identify individual objectives

With your overarching project objectives in place, you can identify any individual goals or steps needed to reach those objectives. Break them down into phases or steps. You can work backward from the project goal and identify every process required to facilitate it.

Be mindful to identify each unique task so that you can assign responsibilities to various team members. At this point in your research plan development, you’ll also want to assign priority to those smaller, more manageable steps and phases that require more immediate or dedicated attention.

Select research methods

Once you have outlined your goals, objectives, steps, and tasks, it’s time to drill down on selecting research methods . You’ll want to leverage specific research strategies and processes. When you know what methods will help you reach your goals, you and your teams will have direction to perform and execute your assigned tasks.

Research methods might include any of the following:

User interviews : this is a qualitative research method where researchers engage with participants in one-on-one or group conversations. The aim is to gather insights into their experiences, preferences, and opinions to uncover patterns, trends, and data.

Field studies : this approach allows for a contextual understanding of behaviors, interactions, and processes in real-world settings. It involves the researcher immersing themselves in the field, conducting observations, interviews, or experiments to gather in-depth insights.

Card sorting : participants categorize information by sorting content cards into groups based on their perceived similarities. You might use this process to gain insights into participants’ mental models and preferences when navigating or organizing information on websites, apps, or other systems.

Focus groups : use organized discussions among select groups of participants to provide relevant views and experiences about a particular topic.

Diary studies : ask participants to record their experiences, thoughts, and activities in a diary over a specified period. This method provides a deeper understanding of user experiences, uncovers patterns, and identifies areas for improvement.

Five-second testing: participants are shown a design, such as a web page or interface, for just five seconds. They then answer questions about their initial impressions and recall, allowing you to evaluate the design’s effectiveness.

Surveys : get feedback from participant groups with structured surveys. You can use online forms, telephone interviews, or paper questionnaires to reveal trends, patterns, and correlations.

Tree testing : tree testing involves researching web assets through the lens of findability and navigability. Participants are given a textual representation of the site’s hierarchy (the “tree”) and asked to locate specific information or complete tasks by selecting paths.

Usability testing : ask participants to interact with a product, website, or application to evaluate its ease of use. This method enables you to uncover areas for improvement in digital key feature functionality by observing participants using the product.

Live website testing: research and collect analytics that outlines the design, usability, and performance efficiencies of a website in real time.

There are no limits to the number of research methods you could use within your project. Just make sure your research methods help you determine the following:

What do you plan to do with the research findings?

What decisions will this research inform? How can your stakeholders leverage the research data and results?

Recruit participants and allocate tasks

Next, identify the participants needed to complete the research and the resources required to complete the tasks. Different people will be proficient at different tasks, and having a task allocation plan will allow everything to run smoothly.

Prepare a thorough project summary

Every well-designed research plan will feature a project summary. This official summary will guide your research alongside its communications or messaging. You’ll use the summary while recruiting participants and during stakeholder meetings. It can also be useful when conducting field studies.

Ensure this summary includes all the elements of your research project . Separate the steps into an easily explainable piece of text that includes the following:

An introduction: the message you’ll deliver to participants about the interview, pre-planned questioning, and testing tasks.

Interview questions: prepare questions you intend to ask participants as part of your research study, guiding the sessions from start to finish.

An exit message: draft messaging your teams will use to conclude testing or survey sessions. These should include the next steps and express gratitude for the participant’s time.

Create a realistic timeline

While your project might already have a deadline or a results timeline in place, you’ll need to consider the time needed to execute it effectively.

Realistically outline the time needed to properly execute each supporting phase of research and implementation. And, as you evaluate the necessary schedules, be sure to include additional time for achieving each milestone in case any changes or unexpected delays arise.

For this part of your research plan, you might find it helpful to create visuals to ensure your research team and stakeholders fully understand the information.

Determine how to present your results

A research plan must also describe how you intend to present your results. Depending on the nature of your project and its goals, you might dedicate one team member (the PI) or assume responsibility for communicating the findings yourself.

In this part of the research plan, you’ll articulate how you’ll share the results. Detail any materials you’ll use, such as:

Presentations and slides

A project report booklet

A project findings pamphlet

Documents with key takeaways and statistics

Graphic visuals to support your findings

• Format your research plan

As you create your research plan, you can enjoy a little creative freedom. A plan can assume many forms, so format it how you see fit. Determine the best layout based on your specific project, intended communications, and the preferences of your teams and stakeholders.

Find format inspiration among the following layouts:

Written outlines

Narrative storytelling

Visual mapping

Graphic timelines

Remember, the research plan format you choose will be subject to change and adaptation as your research and findings unfold. However, your final format should ideally outline questions, problems, opportunities, and expectations.

• Research plan example

Imagine you’ve been tasked with finding out how to get more customers to order takeout from an online food delivery platform. The goal is to improve satisfaction and retain existing customers. You set out to discover why more people aren’t ordering and what it is they do want to order or experience. 

You identify the need for a research project that helps you understand what drives customer loyalty . But before you jump in and start calling past customers, you need to develop a research plan—the roadmap that provides focus, clarity, and realistic details to the project.

Here’s an example outline of a research plan you might put together:

Project title

Project members involved in the research plan

Purpose of the project (provide a summary of the research plan’s intent)

Objective 1 (provide a short description for each objective)

Objective 2

Objective 3

Proposed timeline

Audience (detail the group you want to research, such as customers or non-customers)

Budget (how much you think it might cost to do the research)

Risk factors/contingencies (any potential risk factors that may impact the project’s success)

Remember, your research plan doesn’t have to reinvent the wheel—it just needs to fit your project’s unique needs and aims.

Customizing a research plan template

Some companies offer research plan templates to help get you started. However, it may make more sense to develop your own customized plan template. Be sure to include the core elements of a great research plan with your template layout, including the following:

Introductions to participants and stakeholders

Background problems and needs statement

Significance, ethics, and purpose

Research methods, questions, and designs

Preliminary beliefs and expectations

Implications and intended outcomes

Realistic timelines for each phase

Conclusion and presentations

How many pages should a research plan be?

Generally, a research plan can vary in length between 500 to 1,500 words. This is roughly three pages of content. More substantial projects will be 2,000 to 3,500 words, taking up four to seven pages of planning documents.

What is the difference between a research plan and a research proposal?

A research plan is a roadmap to success for research teams. A research proposal, on the other hand, is a dissertation aimed at convincing or earning the support of others. Both are relevant in creating a guide to follow to complete a project goal.

What are the seven steps to developing a research plan?

While each research project is different, it’s best to follow these seven general steps to create your research plan:

Defining the problem

Identifying goals

Choosing research methods

Recruiting participants

Preparing the brief or summary

Establishing task timelines

Defining how you will present the findings

Should you be using a customer insights hub?

Do you want to discover previous research faster?

Do you share your research findings with others?

Do you analyze research data?

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Research Action Plan

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Action Research: What it is, Stages & Examples

The best way to get things accomplished is to do it yourself. This statement is utilized in corporations, community projects, and national governments. These organizations are relying on action research to cope with their continuously changing and unstable environments as they function in a more interdependent world.

In practical educational contexts, this involves using systematic inquiry and reflective practice to address real-world challenges, improve teaching and learning, enhance student engagement, and drive positive changes within the educational system.

This post outlines the definition of action research, its stages, and some examples.

Content Index

What is action research?

Stages of action research, the steps to conducting action research, examples of action research, advantages and disadvantages of action research.

Action research is a strategy that tries to find realistic solutions to organizations’ difficulties and issues. It is similar to applied research.

Action research refers basically learning by doing. First, a problem is identified, then some actions are taken to address it, then how well the efforts worked are measured, and if the results are not satisfactory, the steps are applied again.

It can be put into three different groups:

• Positivist: This type of research is also called “classical action research.” It considers research a social experiment. This research is used to test theories in the actual world.
• Interpretive: This kind of research is called “contemporary action research.” It thinks that business reality is socially made, and when doing this research, it focuses on the details of local and organizational factors.
• Critical: This action research cycle takes a critical reflection approach to corporate systems and tries to enhance them.

All research is about learning new things. Collaborative action research contributes knowledge based on investigations in particular and frequently useful circumstances. It starts with identifying a problem. After that, the research process is followed by the below stages:

Stage 1: Plan

For an action research project to go well, the researcher needs to plan it well. After coming up with an educational research topic or question after a research study, the first step is to develop an action plan to guide the research process. The research design aims to address the study’s question. The research strategy outlines what to undertake, when, and how.

Stage 2: Act

The next step is implementing the plan and gathering data. At this point, the researcher must select how to collect and organize research data . The researcher also needs to examine all tools and equipment before collecting data to ensure they are relevant, valid, and comprehensive.

Stage 3: Observe

Data observation is vital to any investigation. The action researcher needs to review the project’s goals and expectations before data observation. This is the final step before drawing conclusions and taking action.

Different kinds of graphs, charts, and networks can be used to represent the data. It assists in making judgments or progressing to the next stage of observing.

Stage 4: Reflect

This step involves applying a prospective solution and observing the results. It’s essential to see if the possible solution found through research can really solve the problem being studied.

The researcher must explore alternative ideas when the action research project’s solutions fail to solve the problem.

Action research is a systematic approach researchers, educators, and practitioners use to identify and address problems or challenges within a specific context. It involves a cyclical process of planning, implementing, reflecting, and adjusting actions based on the data collected. Here are the general steps involved in conducting an action research process:

Identify the action research question or problem

Clearly define the issue or problem you want to address through your research. It should be specific, actionable, and relevant to your working context.

Review existing knowledge

Conduct a literature review to understand what research has already been done on the topic. This will help you gain insights, identify gaps, and inform your research design.

Plan the research

Develop a research plan outlining your study’s objectives, methods, data collection tools, and timeline. Determine the scope of your research and the participants or stakeholders involved.

Collect data

Implement your research plan by collecting relevant data. This can involve various methods such as surveys, interviews, observations, document analysis, or focus groups. Ensure that your data collection methods align with your research objectives and allow you to gather the necessary information.

Analyze the data

Once you have collected the data, analyze it using appropriate qualitative or quantitative techniques. Look for patterns, themes, or trends in the data that can help you understand the problem better.

Reflect on the findings

Reflect on the analyzed data and interpret the results in the context of your research question. Consider the implications and possible solutions that emerge from the data analysis. This reflection phase is crucial for generating insights and understanding the underlying factors contributing to the problem.

Develop an action plan

Based on your analysis and reflection, develop an action plan that outlines the steps you will take to address the identified problem. The plan should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART goals). Consider involving relevant stakeholders in planning to ensure their buy-in and support.

Implement the action plan

Put your action plan into practice by implementing the identified strategies or interventions. This may involve making changes to existing practices, introducing new approaches, or testing alternative solutions. Document the implementation process and any modifications made along the way.

Evaluate and monitor progress

Continuously monitor and evaluate the impact of your actions. Collect additional data, assess the effectiveness of the interventions, and measure progress towards your goals. This evaluation will help you determine if your actions have the desired effects and inform any necessary adjustments.

Reflect and iterate

Reflect on the outcomes of your actions and the evaluation results. Consider what worked well, what did not, and why. Use this information to refine your approach, make necessary adjustments, and plan for the next cycle of action research if needed.

Remember that participatory action research is an iterative process, and multiple cycles may be required to achieve significant improvements or solutions to the identified problem. Each cycle builds on the insights gained from the previous one, fostering continuous learning and improvement.

Explore Insightfully Contextual Inquiry in Qualitative Research

Here are two real-life examples of action research.

Action research initiatives are frequently situation-specific. Still, other researchers can adapt the techniques. The example is from a researcher’s (Franklin, 1994) report about a project encouraging nature tourism in the Caribbean.

In 1991, this was launched to study how nature tourism may be implemented on the four Windward Islands in the Caribbean: St. Lucia, Grenada, Dominica, and St. Vincent.

For environmental protection, a government-led action study determined that the consultation process needs to involve numerous stakeholders, including commercial enterprises.

First, two researchers undertook the study and held search conferences on each island. The search conferences resulted in suggestions and action plans for local community nature tourism sub-projects.

Several islands formed advisory groups and launched national awareness and community projects. Regional project meetings were held to discuss experiences, self-evaluations, and strategies. Creating a documentary about a local initiative helped build community. And the study was a success, leading to a number of changes in the area.

Lau and Hayward (1997) employed action research to analyze Internet-based collaborative work groups.

Over two years, the researchers facilitated three action research problem -solving cycles with 15 teachers, project personnel, and 25 health practitioners from diverse areas. The goal was to see how Internet-based communications might affect their virtual workgroup.

First, expectations were defined, technology was provided, and a bespoke workgroup system was developed. Participants suggested shorter, more dispersed training sessions with project-specific instructions.

The second phase saw the system’s complete deployment. The final cycle witnessed system stability and virtual group formation. The key lesson was that the learning curve was poorly misjudged, with frustrations only marginally met by phone-based technical help. According to the researchers, the absence of high-quality online material about community healthcare was harmful.

Role clarity, connection building, knowledge sharing, resource assistance, and experiential learning are vital for virtual group growth. More study is required on how group support systems might assist groups in engaging with their external environment and boost group members’ learning. 

Action research has both good and bad points.

• It is very flexible, so researchers can change their analyses to fit their needs and make individual changes.
• It offers a quick and easy way to solve problems that have been going on for a long time instead of complicated, long-term solutions based on complex facts.
• If It is done right, it can be very powerful because it can lead to social change and give people the tools to make that change in ways that are important to their communities.

Disadvantages

• These studies have a hard time being generalized and are hard to repeat because they are so flexible. Because the researcher has the power to draw conclusions, they are often not thought to be theoretically sound.
• Setting up an action study in an ethical way can be hard. People may feel like they have to take part or take part in a certain way.
• It is prone to research errors like selection bias , social desirability bias, and other cognitive biases.

LEARN ABOUT: Self-Selection Bias

This post discusses how action research generates knowledge, its steps, and real-life examples. It is very applicable to the field of research and has a high level of relevance. We can only state that the purpose of this research is to comprehend an issue and find a solution to it.

At QuestionPro, we give researchers tools for collecting data, like our survey software, and a library of insights for any long-term study. Go to the Insight Hub if you want to see a demo or learn more about it.

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Frequently Asked Questions(FAQ’s)

Action research is a systematic approach to inquiry that involves identifying a problem or challenge in a practical context, implementing interventions or changes, collecting and analyzing data, and using the findings to inform decision-making and drive positive change.

Action research can be conducted by various individuals or groups, including teachers, administrators, researchers, and educational practitioners. It is often carried out by those directly involved in the educational setting where the research takes place.

The steps of action research typically include identifying a problem, reviewing relevant literature, designing interventions or changes, collecting and analyzing data, reflecting on findings, and implementing improvements based on the results.

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Free 10+ research action plan templates in pdf | ms word, 1. research action plan template, 2. strategic research action plan, 3. organization research action plan, 4. research and action support plan template, 5. research action plan example, 6. national research action plan, 7. engaged research action plan, 8. strategic research action plan in pdf, 9. hr research action plan, 10. national research action plan in pdf, 11. research action plan in doc, 5 steps to create the research action plan, why do you need the research action plan, what are things required in the research action plan, how does the research action plan works, why is it necessary to have a research action plan, plan templates.

The Research Action Plan is finding out the solutions not only for the existing problems in the research but also the newly developed issues in it. It is through the plan that the process of the research become quiet simple. The research process plan have in it the solutions through which the researcher solves the arising problems in the study. With these plan you’ll be prepared to take some strong actions.

Step 1: Identification of the Objective of Plan

Step 2: generating focus questions in plan, step 3: mention data collection method, step 4: mention techniques to collect data, step 5: process and analyse data collected, more in plan templates.

Aesthetic Project Research Paper Template

Qualitative research template, research design plan template, college research template, health research template, simple keyword research template, research template for middle school, research template for elementary students, basic research paper layout template, professional research project template.

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Top 7 Research Action Plan Templates with Samples and Examples

Yajur Sharma

Today, every business relies heavily on analysis and data from different sources to make informed decisions about their product or service. These analytics directly influence how companies inspire innovation and strive to stay competitive.

However, you don't just miraculously get this data; it requires carefully constructed and in-depth research, and every successful research project requires a roadmap. RESEARCH ACTION PLAN is that roadmap for your research needs. 

Research action plans provide a solution to an existing project or problem and to a new study. Businesses, scientific organizations, academics, government, technology sectors, and others commonly employ these action plans. 

Whether you are planning to launch a new product or looking to improve an existing one, you require research about the market, target audience, competitors, etc. Without a set action plan, this process is like stepping out in the wild without the appropriate tools for survival or heading for a trip without GPS. You'd probably be lost without it. 

Also, explore our top 7 Action Plan Project Management Templates to ensure that every project journey is achievable

Research Action Plan Templates

There is no set standard when it comes to drafting a research action plan. However, there are certain sections which are included in almost all plans. One of the sections is Introduction. This contains the information on why the research is being conducted and the ways it will affect the industry or sector. The next section could be the statement of the problem, followed by methodology, analysis of data, etc. 

Generally, this is a concise document that is used to get approval for a thesis or business proposal. It illustrates fresh ideas and concepts on a specific endeavor. To help you draft a research action plan that resonates with your unique requirements, SlideTeam has put together these best 7 PowerPoint Templates for the research action plan. These pre-designed slides are 100% editable and customizable and can be used for multiple industries and sectors. These can be employed for market research, academic student research, covid-19 data, and more. 

Follow this link to learn more about the research program plan and share valuable points with your peers. 

These PowerPoint Templates comprehensively showcase complex information with the help of graphics like icons, tables, charts, etc. 

Let’s explore our top 7 templates now!

Template 1: Action Plan for Conducting Effective Marketing Research

Transform your marketing strategy with pin-pointed, research-backed information using our PPT Template on an action plan for effective marketing research. It includes key components like tasks, descriptions, timetables, responsible person, and status. Given in a tabular format, it enhances the visual appeal of the template and offers clarity. Key tasks covered in the slide are competitor analysis, surveys, creatives, communication, and campaign analysis. This template ensures an organized and efficient process for conducting detailed marketing research to enhance overall marketing efforts. Download now!

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD!

Template 2: Plan of Action for Academic Student Research Proposal

This PPT Slide showcases an organized way of developing a research proposal. It includes elements such as beginning the topic, understanding the research area, background of the study, significance, and previous research experience. Each of these elements is highlighted with unique icons to offer clarity and enhance the visual appeal of the slide. This works as a guide that enables students to craft their research proposals effectively. Download now!

Template 3: Research Action Plan

The mentioned PowerPoint Template in 14 slides on the research action plan includes all the vital information required to carry out successful research. It highlights slides like steps to write an effective action plan, a strategic research action plan for COVID-19 data, a start-up business, a new product, and more. The bundle also includes icon slides, which make the presentation visually appealing and understandable. Grab this PPT Template today!

Template 4: Steps to Write an Effective Research Action Plan

Crafting an effective research plan can transform the path of your work. On that note, we bring you this PowerPoint Template highlighting the process of starting an action plan to improve development processes. It works as a guide for professionals by depicting information on setting clear goals and objectives, listing the required steps to achieve them, performing tasks and meeting deadlines, and lastly, visualizing and evaluating the plan. Employ this template for an engaging presentation, ensuring that a structured and strategic approach is followed to achieve the desired outcomes. Download now!

Template 5: Strategic Research Action Plan for COVID-19 Data

The given slide outlines a wide range of strategic research action plans for COVID-19 data. It stresses developing diagnostic tools, survey instruments to prevent health diseases, and information on advanced treatments and vaccines. This PowerPoint Template also features several priorities and cross-cutting strategies, like partnering, supporting, and investing, to ensure a positive approach to managing and reducing the impact of COVID-19. Grab this template today!

Template 6: Research Action Plan for the Development of a New Product

This PPT Template showcases a range of activities for a new product launch, focusing on swift and innovative development. The template features detailed information on product definition, prototyping, detailed design, validation, and testing. The aim of designing this template is to allow organizations to streamline their development operations, making sure that each phase is planned and executed to launch the product successfully and in a timely manner. Grab this template for an impactful presentation to key stakeholders and senior management.

Template 7: Research Action Plan for Start-Up Business

This PowerPoint Template showcases a detailed analysis plan for setting up your business by focusing on and gathering the needed information about your customers' thinking and buying patterns. The slide features key stages of the start-up journey, such as the generation of an idea, feasibility assessment, planning, fulfilling required formalities, and launch and post-launch support. The aim of designing this template is to guide entrepreneurs to systematically assess the concept of their business, understand how the market functions, and make calculated decisions to increase their chances of success in today’s competitive times. Grab this today!

Final Thoughts

These research action plan templates offer a versatile toolkit for researchers of all levels. By employing these professionally curated slides, you can streamline the presentation process and enhance data visualization. These templates provide the much-needed headstart and structure to carry out your research work effectively. Use these resources to elevate your research presentations and leave a lasting impression. 

PS: Whether you are an experienced researcher or new in the research world, employ our ready-to-use research program templates now to communicate your ideas professionally!

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Action Plan Template for Research

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• Visualize and track research goals, KPIs, tasks, and deadlines all in one place
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Benefits of a Research Action Plan Template

• A guide for organizing your research
• Instructions for setting up a research study
• Suggestions for tracking and analyzing your research
• Suggestions for taking action based on your findings

Main Elements of a Action Plan Template for Research

• A timeline for the project
• Names and contact information for the research team
• Research questions and hypotheses to be tested
• Methodologies to be used
• Resources needed for the project
• Plans for data collection and analysis

How to Use a Research Action Plan Template

1. clarify the objectives., 2. gather resources and materials., 3. set timelines and milestones., 4. assign tasks accordingly, related action plan templates.

• Procurement Action Plan Template
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• School Improvement Action Plan Template
• Diversity And Inclusion Action Plan Template
• Asthma Action Plan Template

Related Templates

• Action Plan Template for Accounts Receivable
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• Action Plan Template for Behavior
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Developing an Action Research Plan

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This part of the module asks you to build upon some of the ideas you have already generated as you continue to put yourself in the role of scholar, by developing a sample action research project. Read back through the notes you made when brainstorming your problem of practice and while reading research related to this area of inquiry. Then write an action research proposal with the components below. 

• Introduction: Problem Statement - You have already defined a “problem of practice” within your own teaching. Consider whether you want to redefine or refine any of the ideas you brainstormed earlier. Then write a short paragraph pulling your description of the problem, explanation of how it relates to expectations you and others have about teaching and learning in your program, and why this problem is important. 
• What is the background of this topic or focus and why is that background important to understand?
• What is the context of previous work that has been done on this topic? 
• To what else does the topic relate? 
• How can I situate my study within related professional literature? 
• What is the theoretical framework that I bring to this study? 
• What are the areas of research and specific research studies that relate to my study? 
• What are related professional references (research, theory, and/or practice) that inform me? 
• How do learners explain their choice of pronouns following a series of role play activities? 
• Does their reflection on pronoun choice impact their language use in later activities? 
• Action Plan - This includes a description of the instruction that will accompany your action research project. This should be as detailed as possible and can include the materials and lesson plans to be used.  

As you complete the plan, consider what kinds of resources you would need to carry out this work. What would be the most difficult part for you? 

You can use an app such as Trello or Miro to create a project board to organize your action plan into more discrete tasks and activities. 

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Action Research

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Understanding and analyzing your actions is vital for self-improvement. It would help if you recognized how your actions affect your future. Examining your progress is called action research. This method applies to psychology, marketing, and education. Action research is used by teachers to find solutions to problem areas or formulate research plans for factors that need improvement. The results of action research are useful to the participants since it helps them better themselves for the next tasks. This research has guaranteed relevance because the researchers get to decide what the focus of the study is. They are also the ones who will make use of the results.

Every action someone makes has a ripple effect on the future. One small act of kindness can lead to great fortunes. Likewise, any lousy act can turn into something terrible. A person’s mistakes are what makes him who he is today. Ziad K. Abdelnour even said, “Never erase your past. It shapes who you are today and will help you to be the person you’ll be tomorrow.” For one to grow as a person, one needs to be able to recognize one’s mistakes and learn from them. Perhaps you need to create an action plan or conduct action research to help yourself out.

The Power of Three

Not all types of research are useful for all fields; some are effective only on specific studies. Luckily, action research can serve many disciplines. Although most applicable to educational research settings, the action research design works for an endless variation of studies. This research approach can also be used by individuals or by groups of researchers. The difference in researchers also signifies a difference in purpose.

Reflective Practitioner When an individual practitioner decides to look into his way of teaching, he unconsciously analyzes his actions to improve the instruction. The more he studies himself, the more he masters the science and process of it all.

Large-Scale Progress In education, as the school progresses, the students progress with it. That is why many schools continuously seek ways to strengthen their instruction to build schoolwide improvement. When instructors come together to fix a single issue, organizational growth is bound to occur.

Professional Culture Medical and educational professionals don’t always agree on particular methods. Sometimes they need to do what they think is appropriate. The only important thing is that they lean towards the same organizational goal . With their differing approaches, they can share their own discoveries to their colleagues, making for more holistic improvement.

13+ Action Research Examples

The best way to improve yourself is by analyzing your actions and making adjustments along the way. This is a research method called action research. To help you further understand what action research is, here are multiple action research examples you can check out.

1. Research Action Plan Template

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Size: 63 KB

2. Research Corrective Action Plan Template

Size: 26 KB

3. Research Project Action Plan Template

Size: 32 KB

4. Sample Action Research Example

Size: 260 KB

5. Action Orientation Research Example

Size: 296 KB

6. Art Article Action Research Example

Size: 179 KB

7. Basic Action Research Example

Size: 327 KB

8. Five Phases of Action Research Example

Size: 61 KB

9. Standard Action Research Example

Size: 182 KB

10. Action Research in Teacher Education Example

Size: 263 KB

11. Action Research Support Notes Example

Size: 441 KB

12. Handbook for Action Research Example

13. Action Research in PDF

Size: 52 KB

14. Action Research for Professional Development Example

Size: 25 KB

Segments of a Cycle

Action research is an approach that lets an individual study one’s action to help enhance their basic skills and knowledge of a given task or topic. There is a cycle that this research follows to make continuous improvements to a group or individual. As with any research projects, there are steps you need to follow to accomplish your project goals.

1. Selecting Focus

The action research cycle begins with identifying an area that you think needs improvement. Only the researcher can assess if the research focus is worth the time. The outcome of the focus should be the betterment of a practitioner’s work. Thus, picking the right center is extremely important.

2. Clarifying Theories

The next step is figuring out what approach works best for the problem area. You can try out different methods to solve your problem. This way, you can identify what process flow you are going to follow for the duration of the research. Studying various methods, beliefs, and theories can help you decide what you feel is most effective.

3. Collecting data

Your data should be valid and reliable to guarantee improvement. That is why it would be wrong to just stick to one source of data. If you can find various academic references to answer any of your questions, you should utilize them. This way, you can match the right technique with the unique qualities your research holds.

4. Analyzing Data

When conducting data analysis , you need not use complex calculations and statistical methods; you just need to examine the data you have collected. In studying the patterns and trends in your research data, you just need to answer two questions. What story does the data tell? Why is the story executed this way?

In a day, teachers face more students than fellow teachers. That’s why, given a chance to speak with their colleagues, teachers make share their discoveries from their research. This way, they get to express organizational knowledge they think is useful for other teachers while gaining insight as well.

The last step of the research action plan is, of course, to take action. This part is where teachers make their lesson plans . This part is satisfying to teachers because they feel they have gotten wiser with every piece of knowledge they have uncovered.

Everyone should learn from their mistakes. With every trial and error is a new way of looking at things. You just need to be vigilant with all your actions and know that there is always a better way of doing things. Once you’ve refined your skills, you are sure to become a master.

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Blog Beginner Guides What is an Action Plan & How to Write One [With Examples]

What is an Action Plan & How to Write One [With Examples]

Written by: Danesh Ramuthi Oct 26, 2023

An action plan is a meticulously structured strategy that pinpoints specific steps, tasks and resources vital to turning a goal into reality. It is extremely useful in any project management. 

Crafting an action plan is like plotting a route for a cross-country journey. It’s the strategic map that outlines every step, decision and pitstop needed to reach your ultimate destination.

With a well-thought-out action plan, you’re not just shooting in the dark; you’re making informed, purposeful strides towards your goals. Dive deep with our guide and witness real-world examples that will inspire and guide you.

Need a tool to kickstart your planning? Try out the Venngage business plan maker and explore their extensive collection of action plan templates .

Click to jump ahead: 

What is the purpose of an action plan?

When to develop an action plan, 7 components of a actions plan, 15 action plan examples.

• How to Write an action plan?

Final thoughts

An action plan serves as a strategic tool designed to outline specific steps, tasks and goals necessary to achieve a particular objective.

Its primary purpose is to provide a clear roadmap and direction for individuals, teams or organizations to follow in order to efficiently and effectively accomplish their goals. 

Action plans break down complex projects into manageable, actionable components, making it easier to track progress and stay on course.

Moreover, action plans play a crucial role in fostering accountability and coordination among team members. By assigning responsibilities and deadlines for each task or milestone, they ensure that everyone involved is aware of their roles and the overall timeline, reducing confusion and enhancing teamwork. 

Additionally, action plans help in resource allocation, budgeting and risk management by enabling stakeholders to identify potential challenges and plan for contingencies. 

Overall, the purpose of an action plan is to transform abstract goals into concrete actions, making them more achievable and measurable while ensuring that the resources and efforts are aligned with the desired outcomes.

Developing an action plan is crucial when you’re looking to achieve a specific goal or outcome. Here are instances when you should consider developing an action plan:

• Start of an organization : Ideally, an action plan should be developed within the first six months to one year of the start of an organization. This initial plan lays the groundwork for the future direction and growth of the entity.
• Project initiation : At the start of any project, an action plan helps to clearly define the tasks, responsibilities, and timelines.
• Goal setting : Whenever you or your organization sets a new goal. Action plans transform these goals from abstract ideas into concrete steps.
• Strategic planning : For long-term visions and missions, action plans break down the journey into manageable pieces, each with its timeline and responsible parties.
• Performance improvement : If there are areas where performance is lacking, whether it’s personal or organizational, an action plan can outline the steps needed to elevate performance.

An action plan is a detailed outline that breaks down the steps necessary to achieve a specific goal. Here are the typical components of an action plan.

1. Objective or Goal

The cornerstone of your action plan is the objective or goal. This should be a clear and concise statement outlining the desired outcome or result. Having a well-defined objective provides a direction and purpose to the entire plan, ensuring all tasks and actions are aligned towards achieving this singular aim.

2. Tasks or Actions

Once the objective is set, the next step is to list down the specific tasks or actions required to achieve this goal. These tasks should be broken down into detailed steps, ensuring no essential activity is overlooked. The granularity of these tasks can vary based on the complexity of the goal.

3. Set deadline

For each task or action, set a realistic and achievable deadline. This timeline ensures that the plan stays on track and that momentum is maintained throughout the execution. It also allows for monitoring progress and identifying potential delays early.

4. Resources needed to complete the project

It’s crucial to recognize and list the resources you’ll need to complete the tasks. This can encompass financial resources, human resources, equipment, technological tool, marketing planning software or any other assets. Identifying these early ensures that there are no bottlenecks during execution due to a lack of necessary resources.

5. Person responsible

Assign a person or a team for each task. This designation ensures accountability and clarity. When individuals are aware of their responsibilities, it reduces overlap, confusion and ensures that every task has someone overseeing its completion.

6. Potential barriers or challenges

Every plan will face challenges. By anticipating potential barriers or obstacles, you can be better prepared to address them. This proactive approach ensures smoother execution and less reactionary problem-solving.

7. Measurement of key performance indicators (KPIs)

Determine how you’ll measure the success of each task or the plan overall. KPIs are tangible metrics that allow you to gauge progress and determine whether you’re moving closer to your goals and objectives. They offer a quantifiable means to evaluate success.

Action plans serve as blueprints, guiding the steps and resources needed to achieve a specific goal. 

They come in various formats, tailored to different scenarios and objectives. Here, we present a range of action plan examples that cater to diverse purposes and situations. 

From business strategies to simple task lists, these examples illustrate the versatility and importance of well-structured planning.

Business action plan example

A business action plan is essentially a strategy roadmap, meticulously tailored for realizing broader business objectives. By crafting a solid action plan, businesses can channel their resources, manpower and strategies in a direction that harmonizes with their larger vision.

Key to this plan is the identification and alignment of steps that resonate with the company’s comprehensive strategy, ambitions of growth and aspirations for operational enhancements. 

While this might entail a myriad of specific steps based on unique business goals, some common elements include setting clear key performance indicators (KPIs), undertaking a thorough SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) analysis to grasp the current business landscape and establishing a timeline to keep track of progress.

Furthermore, allocating responsibilities to team members or individuals ensures that every aspect of the strategy has a dedicated focus. Budgeting, essential to the success of the action plan, ensures that every initiative is financially viable and sustainable. 

Regular reviews and iterations based on feedback and changing market dynamics keep the action plan agile and relevant.

Related: 5 Steps to Create an Actionable Employee Development Plan [with Templates & Examples]

Company action plan example

A comprehensive company action plan serves as the strategic linchpin, ensuring a coherent and coordinated approach to realizing organizational goals. Central to this plan is the incorporation of rigorous market research and analysis, which provides insights into consumer behaviors, market trends and potential opportunities. 

Equally vital is the focus on product development and procurement, ensuring that the offerings align with market demands and stand out in terms of quality and relevance. 

Alongside, adept legal and financial management safeguards the company’s interests, ensuring compliance with regulations and prudent fiscal oversight.

Moreover, the essence of any successful company action plan lies in its sales and marketing strategies. These define how the products or services are positioned and promoted in the market, ensuring visibility and engagement with the target audience. 

However, while acquisition is crucial, retention plays an equally significant role. Hence, impeccable customer service and nurturing relationships become indispensable components, fostering loyalty and ensuring that clients remain ambassadors for the brand long after the initial transaction.

Related: 30+ Project Plan Examples to Visualize Your Strategy (2023)

Sales action plan example

A well-structured sales action plan serves as the backbone for systematic and efficient progress. Central to this plan is the identification and utilization of the most effective sales channels, whether they are direct, online or through third-party avenues. 

Clarity on the products and services on offer, combined with their unique selling propositions, facilitates tailored and resonant sales pitches. 

Budget considerations ensure that resources are judiciously allocated, balancing the act between expenditures and potential returns. This financial prudence is complemented by setting realistic sales projections, which act as both a motivational target and a yardstick for success.

Timelines, or proposed deadlines, infuse the process with a sense of urgency, ensuring that the momentum of the sales drive is maintained. 

However, the true measure of the action plan’s efficacy lies in its key performance indicators (KPIs). These metrics, be it lead conversion rates or customer retention figures, serve as tangible markers, highlighting the plan’s strengths and signaling areas that might require recalibration to increase sales.

Corrective action plan example

The essence of a corrective action plan lies in its meticulous structure, tailored to address and rectify deviations or inefficiencies identified within an organization. At its core, each action item serves as a focal point, detailing specific areas or processes that require intervention. 

Accompanying each action item is a clear description that provides a comprehensive understanding of the issue at hand. 

However, merely identifying a problem isn’t enough; delving deep into its origins through root cause analysis ensures that solutions target the fundamental issues, rather than just addressing superficial symptoms. 

This analysis then paves the way for defining the corrective action, a tangible step or series of steps designed to mitigate the identified problem and prevent its recurrence.

Besides, to ensure the plan’s effectiveness, assigning a responsible person to each action item is paramount. This individual or team is entrusted with the task’s execution, ensuring accountability and focus. 

The status of each action keeps stakeholders informed about the progress, be it in the planning phase, ongoing, or completed. 

Lastly, setting a due date for each corrective action introduces a sense of urgency and purpose, ensuring that issues are addressed in a timely manner, minimizing disruptions and maximizing operational efficiency.

Simple action plan example

A simple action plan strips away the layers of complexity, offering a concise and direct approach to achieving a goal or addressing an issue. This type of plan is characterized by its straightforward structure, devoid of extraneous details, yet powerfully effective in its clarity. 

It is specifically designed for tasks or objectives that don’t necessitate elaborate strategies or multi-layered approaches.

The core components of a simple action plan usually include a clear statement of the task or objective at hand, followed by a sequence of actions or steps to be taken. 

Each step is described succinctly, ensuring that anyone involved has a clear understanding of what is expected. Responsibilities are defined clearly, with each task allocated to an individual or a team, ensuring accountability. Timelines might be integrated, providing a clear framework for completion, even if they’re just broad milestones. 

Regular check-ins or assessments, although minimal, might be incorporated to monitor progress. 

The beauty of a simple action plan lies in its agility and adaptability, making it particularly suited for individual projects, short-term tasks or situations where a rapid response is required.

How to write an action plan?

Creating an effective action plan is a foundational step towards turning aspirations into tangible results. It provides a clear roadmap, ensuring that each step taken aligns with the overall objective.

Whether you’re aiming to enhance a business process or achieve a personal goal, a well-drafted action plan can be your guiding light. Here’s key steps on how you can craft one:

• Step 1: Establish SMART goals: Initiating with a goal that is specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound ensures you have a clear and focused endpoint in sight. Smart goals serves as the cornerstone for your entire strategic blueprint.
• Step 2: Determine necessary tasks: Decompose your overarching objective into smaller, actionable tasks. This modular approach not only makes the mission less daunting but also provides a sequential pathway to goal attainment.
• Step 3: Assign essential resources: Depending on the tasks at hand, designate necessary resources, be they human, financial or technological. This ensures that every activity has the backing it needs for successful execution.
• Step 4: Prioritize tasks by importance: Not all tasks hold equal weight. Determine the hierarchy of tasks based on their impact on the goal and their time sensitivity. This allows for a systematic progression.
• Step 5: Outline timelines and key markers: With tasks in hand, set clear deadlines for each. Introduce milestones, which act as periodic check-ins, ensuring you’re on track and allowing for celebrations of smaller victories.
• Step 6: Oversee and modify your strategy blueprint: As you progress, there will invariably be learnings and challenges. Regularly review your plan to make necessary adjustments, ensuring its relevance and effectiveness.
• Step 7: Consider ready-to-use templates: If starting from scratch feels overwhelming, lean on structured templates to guide your planning. There’s plenty of business plan softwares and platforms such as  Venngage that offer a plethora of action plan templates , tailored to various needs, which can significantly streamline the process.

An action plan is more than just an action steps, it’s a strategic blueprint that bridges the gap between aspirations and realizations. 

Through this comprehensive guide, I’ve walked you through the purpose, ideal timings, core components, and practical examples of action plans across various domains. 

Leveraging tools of project management , you can track progress, assign tasks and ensure every team member stays on the same page. 

It’s not just about setting goals, but about strategically planning every step, ensuring tasks completed align with the larger project goals. 

Remember, success isn’t just about having goals but about charting the right course to achieve them

And if you’re looking to supercharge your planning efforts, don’t miss out on the Venngage business plan maker. 

Dive into their extensive collection of action plan templates and make your strategic planning both efficient and effective. 

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Action plan for action research

An Action Research Plan for school including pre, during and final implementation

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• What Is Action Research? | Definition & Examples

What Is Action Research? | Definition & Examples

Published on January 27, 2023 by Tegan George . Revised on January 12, 2024.

Table of contents

Types of action research, action research models, examples of action research, action research vs. traditional research, advantages and disadvantages of action research, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about action research.

There are 2 common types of action research: participatory action research and practical action research.

• Participatory action research emphasizes that participants should be members of the community being studied, empowering those directly affected by outcomes of said research. In this method, participants are effectively co-researchers, with their lived experiences considered formative to the research process.
• Practical action research focuses more on how research is conducted and is designed to address and solve specific issues.

Both types of action research are more focused on increasing the capacity and ability of future practitioners than contributing to a theoretical body of knowledge.

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Action research is often reflected in 3 action research models: operational (sometimes called technical), collaboration, and critical reflection.

• Operational (or technical) action research is usually visualized like a spiral following a series of steps, such as “planning → acting → observing → reflecting.”
• Collaboration action research is more community-based, focused on building a network of similar individuals (e.g., college professors in a given geographic area) and compiling learnings from iterated feedback cycles.
• Critical reflection action research serves to contextualize systemic processes that are already ongoing (e.g., working retroactively to analyze existing school systems by questioning why certain practices were put into place and developed the way they did).

Action research is often used in fields like education because of its iterative and flexible style.

After the information was collected, the students were asked where they thought ramps or other accessibility measures would be best utilized, and the suggestions were sent to school administrators. Example: Practical action research Science teachers at your city’s high school have been witnessing a year-over-year decline in standardized test scores in chemistry. In seeking the source of this issue, they studied how concepts are taught in depth, focusing on the methods, tools, and approaches used by each teacher.

Action research differs sharply from other types of research in that it seeks to produce actionable processes over the course of the research rather than contributing to existing knowledge or drawing conclusions from datasets. In this way, action research is formative , not summative , and is conducted in an ongoing, iterative way.

As such, action research is different in purpose, context, and significance and is a good fit for those seeking to implement systemic change.

Action research comes with advantages and disadvantages.

• Action research is highly adaptable , allowing researchers to mold their analysis to their individual needs and implement practical individual-level changes.
• Action research provides an immediate and actionable path forward for solving entrenched issues, rather than suggesting complicated, longer-term solutions rooted in complex data.
• Done correctly, action research can be very empowering , informing social change and allowing participants to effect that change in ways meaningful to their communities.

Disadvantages

• Due to their flexibility, action research studies are plagued by very limited generalizability  and are very difficult to replicate . They are often not considered theoretically rigorous due to the power the researcher holds in drawing conclusions.
• Action research can be complicated to structure in an ethical manner . Participants may feel pressured to participate or to participate in a certain way.
• Action research is at high risk for research biases such as selection bias , social desirability bias , or other types of cognitive biases .

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

• Normal distribution
• Degrees of freedom
• Null hypothesis
• Discourse analysis
• Control groups
• Mixed methods research
• Non-probability sampling
• Quantitative research
• Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Research bias

• Rosenthal effect
• Implicit bias
• Cognitive bias
• Selection bias
• Negativity bias
• Status quo bias

Action research is conducted in order to solve a particular issue immediately, while case studies are often conducted over a longer period of time and focus more on observing and analyzing a particular ongoing phenomenon.

Action research is focused on solving a problem or informing individual and community-based knowledge in a way that impacts teaching, learning, and other related processes. It is less focused on contributing theoretical input, instead producing actionable input.

Action research is particularly popular with educators as a form of systematic inquiry because it prioritizes reflection and bridges the gap between theory and practice. Educators are able to simultaneously investigate an issue as they solve it, and the method is very iterative and flexible.

A cycle of inquiry is another name for action research . It is usually visualized in a spiral shape following a series of steps, such as “planning → acting → observing → reflecting.”

Sources in this article

We strongly encourage students to use sources in their work. You can cite our article (APA Style) or take a deep dive into the articles below.

George, T. (2024, January 12). What Is Action Research? | Definition & Examples. Scribbr. Retrieved September 18, 2024, from https://www.scribbr.com/methodology/action-research/

Cohen, L., Manion, L., & Morrison, K. (2017). Research methods in education (8th edition). Routledge.

Naughton, G. M. (2001).  Action research (1st edition). Routledge.

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How to Write an Action Plan: Step-by-Step (Examples)

By Status.net Editorial Team on November 9, 2023 — 9 minutes to read

An action plan is a detailed roadmap of the necessary steps you need to take to achieve a specific goal or objective. It’s like a GPS that guides you from your starting point to your desired destination. Creating an action plan helps you break down a large goal into smaller, more manageable tasks, which makes the goal feel less overwhelming.

To start, you should first identify your end goal and be as specific as possible. For example, if you want to increase sales for your business, set a target like “Increase sales by 20% within the next six months.” This will give you a clear vision of what you want to achieve and make it easier to measure your progress.

Next, list the necessary actions or tasks required to reach your goal. These can be further divided into smaller tasks that are easy to understand and implement. For example, to increase sales, you could:

• Improve your online presence by revamping your website, optimizing it for search engines, and posting regularly on social media platforms.
• Reach out to potential clients through email campaigns and cold calls.
• Offer promotions or discounts to incentivize new customers to try your product or service.

Now, it’s time to set a timeline for each task. Deadlines will enable you to monitor your progress and stay on track. Assign realistic due dates for each task, and if needed, break them down into smaller milestones.

To ensure your action plan’s success, make sure to assign responsibility for each task. If you’re working with a team, delegate tasks according to each team member’s strengths, skills, and workload. This will help ensure everyone knows what their responsibilities are, and they are held accountable.

Lastly, always monitor your progress and evaluate your action plan’s effectiveness. Regularly review the tasks you’ve accomplished, and make note of the tasks that were challenging or required more time than anticipated. This self-assessment will help you improve your action plan and make necessary adjustments as you work towards your goal.

Example Action Plan

Goal : Increase sales by 20% within the next 6 months (By January 1st, 2025)

Actions : 1. Improve online presence a) Revamp website design – Due October 15th b) Optimize website for SEO – Due November 1st c) Post regularly on social media (1x/week min) – Ongoing

2. Reach out to potential clients a) Create email marketing campaign – Due September 15th b) Start cold calling campaign (10 calls/day) – Start October 1st

3. Offer promotions a) Design promotion flyers – Due September 1st b) Run month-long 20% off sale – October 1-31st

Monitoring : – Check website analytics weekly – Track new clients monthly – Evaluate sales figures monthly – Adjust plan as needed at monthly meetings

Responsibilities : – John to revamp website – Susan to handle social media – Michael to create promotions – Jennifer to manage outreach campaigns

Steps to Creating a Powerhouse Action Plan

First, identify your goal . Be specific about what you want to achieve and set a time frame for accomplishing it. This will help keep your efforts focused and prevent you from getting overwhelmed by smaller tasks. For example, instead of “increase sales”, choose “increase sales by 20% in the next six months”.

Next, break your goal down into smaller, manageable tasks . Create a list of activities or steps that must be completed in order to reach your goal. If your goal is to Increase sales by 20%, some tasks might be:

• Research your target market
• Develop a marketing strategy
• Improve product offerings
• Train your sales team

Assign a deadline and responsible party for each task on your list. This will help ensure that all tasks are completed on time and that everyone knows their role in achieving the goal. Make sure to set realistic timelines for each task, taking into consideration the resources and time available.

Here’s an example:

• Research your target market – due in one week – assigned to Jane (marketing specialist)
• Develop a marketing strategy – due in two weeks – assigned to marketing team

Monitor your progress regularly. Keep track of your progress by using tools such as calendars, project management software, or a simple spreadsheet. Regularly assess whether you’re on track to meet your goal and adjust your action plan if needed. For example, if a task is taking longer than expected, you may need to reassign resources or revise the deadline.

Celebrate your milestones and learn from setbacks . Along the way, take the time to acknowledge and celebrate your successes, as well as learn from any setbacks or challenges. This will help maintain motivation and encourage continuous improvement.

Finally, communicate your action plan to all stakeholders involved, such as employees, investors, or clients. Clear communication ensures everyone understands the goal, their responsibilities, and the expectations for the project.

Defining Clear and Smart Goals

Specific goals.

When creating your action plan, start by setting specific goals. These are clear, well-defined goals that leave no room for ambiguity. You should know exactly what needs to be accomplished and how you plan to achieve it. For example, instead of aiming for “increasing sales,” set a goal like “increase sales by 15% over the next six months.”

Measurable Goals

Your goals should be measurable so that you can track your progress and know when you’ve achieved them. This involves identifying quantifiable indicators that will help you determine your progress. For instance, if your goal is to increase sales, a measurable component can be the number of units sold or the amount of revenue generated within a specific timeframe.

Achievable Goals

When setting goals, make sure they are achievable and realistic based on your current resources and constraints. Consider your team’s capabilities, time, and budget. Unattainable goals may negatively impact your motivation and morale. For example, if you have a small team with limited resources, setting a goal to double your company’s size within a month might be unrealistic. Instead, aim for a modest yet challenging growth rate that can be achieved with your available resources.

Relevant Goals

Your action plan goals should also be relevant to your organization’s mission and vision. These are goals that align with your overall strategic plan and contribute to its long-term success. Relevant goals ensure that your efforts are focused on high-impact areas and avoid unnecessary distractions. For example, if your business is focused on sustainability, a relevant goal might be to reduce your company’s carbon footprint by 20% in the next year.

Time-bound Goals

Finally, ensure that your goals are time-bound, meaning they have a deadline for completion. Deadlines keep your team accountable and help maintain a sense of urgency, which is crucial for staying on track and achieving your objectives. A clear timeframe also allows you to measure your progress and adjust your plans as needed. For instance, you could set a goal to expand your customer base by 10% within the next quarter.

Assigning Roles and Responsibilities

When creating an action plan, it’s important to assign roles and responsibilities to your team members. This helps ensure tasks are completed efficiently and everyone is clear about their duties. Here’s how to do it effectively:

• First, identify the necessary tasks to achieve your goal. Be specific about what needs to be done and break it down into smaller steps if needed. For example, if your action plan involves promoting a new product, tasks could include designing promotional materials, creating social media posts, and reaching out to potential partners.
• Next, evaluate the skills and expertise of your team members. Consider their strengths, weaknesses, and past experiences with similar projects. This will help you match team members with tasks that best suit their abilities. For instance, someone with graphic design expertise should be responsible for creating promotional materials.
• Once you’ve determined which team members are best suited for each task, clearly communicate their roles and responsibilities. This can be done through a project management tool, an email, or a team meeting. Make sure everyone is aware of their duties and the deadlines for each task.
• Keep track of everyone’s progress, and hold regular check-ins to see how each team member is doing with their assigned tasks.
• Be open to adjusting your action plan and roles as necessary. Sometimes, unforeseen challenges can arise and require you to modify your plan.

Creating a Time Frame

When working on your action plan, it’s important to establish a realistic time frame for achieving your goals. This helps you stay on track and prioritize tasks effectively. We will walk you through the process of creating a time frame for your action plan.

• First, break down your primary goal into smaller, manageable tasks. Think of these tasks as stepping stones that will lead you toward your overall objective. For example, if your goal is to start a new business, your tasks might include researching your target market, establishing a budget, and developing a marketing strategy.
• Next, assign a deadline to each task. Deadlines should be specific and set in stone but make sure to be flexible enough to adjust as necessary. Use a calendar or planner to visualize your timeline, marking important dates and milestones. For example, you could set a four-month deadline for completing market research and a six-month deadline for securing initial funding.
• To keep yourself accountable, set reminders or notifications for important deadlines. This can be done using digital tools like smartphone apps or traditional methods, such as sticky notes on your workspace. Regularly reviewing your progress and adjusting your time frame when needed will help you stay on track.
• Lastly, consider any external factors that might impact your time frame. Are there seasonal events, holidays, or industry-specific deadlines that could affect your ability to complete tasks? Factor in these considerations as you build your timeline.

Resource Allocation

When creating an action plan, resource allocation plays a major role. You’ll need to determine the resources required for each task and how they’ll be distributed among team members. This usually includes time, budget, and human resources.

• Start by estimating the time each task will take. Break tasks down into smaller chunks and allocate a specific deadline to each. This will help you prioritize tasks and balance workloads for your team members. For example, if designing a marketing campaign takes four weeks, divide it into weekly tasks like conducting market research, creating promotional materials, and setting up advertisements.
• Next, determine the budget needed to complete your project. Identify any expenses such as salaries, equipment, software, and project-related costs like travel. Create a budget for each task to avoid overspending, and allocate funds accordingly. Using our marketing campaign example, allocate separate budgets for market research tools, graphic design tools, and advertising platforms.
• Lastly, allocate human resources to tasks based on their skills and expertise. Delegate responsibilities to your team members, ensuring that everyone has a clear understanding of their role in the project. If needed, identify additional hires or outside consultants to fill gaps in your team’s expertise. For instance, if your team lacks graphic design experience, consider hiring a graphic designer or outsourcing the work to a design agency.
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21 Action Research Examples (In Education)

Dave Cornell (PhD)

Dr. Cornell has worked in education for more than 20 years. His work has involved designing teacher certification for Trinity College in London and in-service training for state governments in the United States. He has trained kindergarten teachers in 8 countries and helped businessmen and women open baby centers and kindergartens in 3 countries.

Learn about our Editorial Process

Chris Drew (PhD)

This article was peer-reviewed and edited by Chris Drew (PhD). The review process on Helpful Professor involves having a PhD level expert fact check, edit, and contribute to articles. Reviewers ensure all content reflects expert academic consensus and is backed up with reference to academic studies. Dr. Drew has published over 20 academic articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education and holds a PhD in Education from ACU.

Action research is an example of qualitative research . It refers to a wide range of evaluative or investigative methods designed to analyze professional practices and take action for improvement.

Commonly used in education, those practices could be related to instructional methods, classroom practices, or school organizational matters.

The creation of action research is attributed to Kurt Lewin , a German-American psychologist also considered to be the father of social psychology.

Gillis and Jackson (2002) offer a very concise definition of action research: “systematic collection and analysis of data for the purpose of taking action and making change” (p.264).

The methods of action research in education include:

• conducting in-class observations
• taking field notes
• surveying or interviewing teachers, administrators, or parents
• using audio and video recordings.

The goal is to identify problematic issues, test possible solutions, or simply carry-out continuous improvement.

There are several steps in action research : identify a problem, design a plan to resolve, implement the plan, evaluate effectiveness, reflect on results, make necessary adjustment and repeat the process.

Action Research Examples

• Digital literacy assessment and training: The school’s IT department conducts a survey on students’ digital literacy skills. Based on the results, a tailored training program is designed for different age groups.
• Library resources utilization study: The school librarian tracks the frequency and type of books checked out by students. The data is then used to curate a more relevant collection and organize reading programs.
• Extracurricular activities and student well-being: A team of teachers and counselors assess the impact of extracurricular activities on student mental health through surveys and interviews. Adjustments are made based on findings.
• Parent-teacher communication channels: The school evaluates the effectiveness of current communication tools (e.g., newsletters, apps) between teachers and parents. Feedback is used to implement a more streamlined system.
• Homework load evaluation: Teachers across grade levels assess the amount and effectiveness of homework given. Adjustments are made to ensure a balance between academic rigor and student well-being.
• Classroom environment and learning: A group of teachers collaborates to study the impact of classroom layouts and decorations on student engagement and comprehension. Changes are made based on the findings.
• Student feedback on curriculum content: High school students are surveyed about the relevance and applicability of their current curriculum. The feedback is then used to make necessary curriculum adjustments.
• Teacher mentoring and support: New teachers are paired with experienced mentors. Both parties provide feedback on the effectiveness of the mentoring program, leading to continuous improvements.
• Assessment of school transportation: The school board evaluates the efficiency and safety of school buses through surveys with students and parents. Necessary changes are implemented based on the results.
• Cultural sensitivity training: After conducting a survey on students’ cultural backgrounds and experiences, the school organizes workshops for teachers to promote a more inclusive classroom environment.
• Environmental initiatives and student involvement: The school’s eco-club assesses the school’s carbon footprint and waste management. They then collaborate with the administration to implement greener practices and raise environmental awareness.
• Working with parents through research: A school’s admin staff conduct focus group sessions with parents to identify top concerns.Those concerns will then be addressed and another session conducted at the end of the school year.
• Peer teaching observations and improvements: Kindergarten teachers observe other teachers handling class transition techniques to share best practices.
• PTA surveys and resultant action: The PTA of a district conducts a survey of members regarding their satisfaction with remote learning classes.The results will be presented to the school board for further action.
• Recording and reflecting: A school administrator takes video recordings of playground behavior and then plays them for the teachers. The teachers work together to formulate a list of 10 playground safety guidelines.
• Pre/post testing of interventions: A school board conducts a district wide evaluation of a STEM program by conducting a pre/post-test of students’ skills in computer programming.
• Focus groups of practitioners : The professional development needs of teachers are determined from structured focus group sessions with teachers and admin.
• School lunch research and intervention: A nutrition expert is hired to evaluate and improve the quality of school lunches.
• School nurse systematic checklist and improvements: The school nurse implements a bathroom cleaning checklist to monitor cleanliness after the results of a recent teacher survey revealed several issues.
• Wearable technologies for pedagogical improvements; Students wear accelerometers attached to their hips to gain a baseline measure of physical activity.The results will identify if any issues exist.
• School counselor reflective practice : The school counselor conducts a student survey on antisocial behavior and then plans a series of workshops for both teachers and parents.

Detailed Examples

1. cooperation and leadership.

A science teacher has noticed that her 9 th grade students do not cooperate with each other when doing group projects. There is a lot of arguing and battles over whose ideas will be followed.

So, she decides to implement a simple action research project on the matter. First, she conducts a structured observation of the students’ behavior during meetings. She also has the students respond to a short questionnaire regarding their notions of leadership.

She then designs a two-week course on group dynamics and leadership styles. The course involves learning about leadership concepts and practices . In another element of the short course, students randomly select a leadership style and then engage in a role-play with other students.

At the end of the two weeks, she has the students work on a group project and conducts the same structured observation as before. She also gives the students a slightly different questionnaire on leadership as it relates to the group.

She plans to analyze the results and present the findings at a teachers’ meeting at the end of the term.

2. Professional Development Needs

Two high-school teachers have been selected to participate in a 1-year project in a third-world country. The project goal is to improve the classroom effectiveness of local teachers. 

The two teachers arrive in the country and begin to plan their action research. First, they decide to conduct a survey of teachers in the nearby communities of the school they are assigned to.

The survey will assess their professional development needs by directly asking the teachers and administrators. After collecting the surveys, they analyze the results by grouping the teachers based on subject matter.

They discover that history and social science teachers would like professional development on integrating smartboards into classroom instruction. Math teachers would like to attend workshops on project-based learning, while chemistry teachers feel that they need equipment more than training.

The two teachers then get started on finding the necessary training experts for the workshops and applying for equipment grants for the science teachers.

3. Playground Accidents

The school nurse has noticed a lot of students coming in after having mild accidents on the playground. She’s not sure if this is just her perception or if there really is an unusual increase this year.  So, she starts pulling data from the records over the last two years. She chooses the months carefully and only selects data from the first three months of each school year.

She creates a chart to make the data more easily understood. Sure enough, there seems to have been a dramatic increase in accidents this year compared to the same period of time from the previous two years.

She shows the data to the principal and teachers at the next meeting. They all agree that a field observation of the playground is needed.

Those observations reveal that the kids are not having accidents on the playground equipment as originally suspected. It turns out that the kids are tripping on the new sod that was installed over the summer.

They examine the sod and observe small gaps between the slabs. Each gap is approximately 1.5 inches wide and nearly two inches deep. The kids are tripping on this gap as they run.

They then discuss possible solutions.

4. Differentiated Learning

Trying to use the same content, methods, and processes for all students is a recipe for failure. This is why modifying each lesson to be flexible is highly recommended. Differentiated learning allows the teacher to adjust their teaching strategy based on all the different personalities and learning styles they see in their classroom.

Of course, differentiated learning should undergo the same rigorous assessment that all teaching techniques go through. So, a third-grade social science teacher asks his students to take a simple quiz on the industrial revolution. Then, he applies differentiated learning to the lesson.

By creating several different learning stations in his classroom, he gives his students a chance to learn about the industrial revolution in a way that captures their interests. The different stations contain: short videos, fact cards, PowerPoints, mini-chapters, and role-plays.

At the end of the lesson, students get to choose how they demonstrate their knowledge. They can take a test, construct a PPT, give an oral presentation, or conduct a simulated TV interview with different characters.

During this last phase of the lesson, the teacher is able to assess if they demonstrate the necessary knowledge and have achieved the defined learning outcomes. This analysis will allow him to make further adjustments to future lessons.

5. Healthy Habits Program

While looking at obesity rates of students, the school board of a large city is shocked by the dramatic increase in the weight of their students over the last five years. After consulting with three companies that specialize in student physical health, they offer the companies an opportunity to prove their value.

So, the board randomly assigns each company to a group of schools. Starting in the next academic year, each company will implement their healthy habits program in 5 middle schools.

Preliminary data is collected at each school at the beginning of the school year. Each and every student is weighed, their resting heart rate, blood pressure and cholesterol are also measured.

After analyzing the data, it is found that the schools assigned to each of the three companies are relatively similar on all of these measures.

At the end of the year, data for students at each school will be collected again. A simple comparison of pre- and post-program measurements will be conducted. The company with the best outcomes will be selected to implement their program city-wide.

Action research is a great way to collect data on a specific issue, implement a change, and then evaluate the effects of that change. It is perhaps the most practical of all types of primary research .

Most likely, the results will be mixed. Some aspects of the change were effective, while other elements were not. That’s okay. This just means that additional modifications to the change plan need to be made, which is usually quite easy to do.

There are many methods that can be utilized, such as surveys, field observations , and program evaluations.

The beauty of action research is based in its utility and flexibility. Just about anyone in a school setting is capable of conducting action research and the information can be incredibly useful.

Aronson, E., & Patnoe, S. (1997). The jigsaw classroom: Building cooperation in the classroom (2nd ed.). New York: Addison Wesley Longman.

Gillis, A., & Jackson, W. (2002). Research Methods for Nurses: Methods and Interpretation . Philadelphia: F.A. Davis Company.

Lewin, K. (1946). Action research and minority problems. Journal of SocialIssues, 2 (4), 34-46.

Macdonald, C. (2012). Understanding participatory action research: A qualitative research methodology option. Canadian Journal of Action Research, 13 , 34-50. https://doi.org/10.33524/cjar.v13i2.37 Mertler, C. A. (2008). Action Research: Teachers as Researchers in the Classroom . London: Sage.

• Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 23 Achieved Status Examples
• Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 25 Defense Mechanisms Examples
• Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 15 Theory of Planned Behavior Examples
• Dave Cornell (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/dave-cornell-phd/ 18 Adaptive Behavior Examples

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 23 Achieved Status Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Ableism Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 25 Defense Mechanisms Examples
• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd/ 15 Theory of Planned Behavior Examples

2 thoughts on “21 Action Research Examples (In Education)”

Where can I capture this article in a better user-friendly format, since I would like to provide it to my students in a Qualitative Methods course at the University of Prince Edward Island? It is a good article, however, it is visually disjointed in its current format. Thanks, Dr. Frank T. Lavandier

Hi Dr. Lavandier,

I’ve emailed you a word doc copy that you can use and edit with your class.

Best, Chris.

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• Open access
• Published: 18 September 2024

Toward a roadmap for sustainable lean adoption in hospitals: a Delphi study

• Maria M. Van Zyl-Cillié 1 , 2 ,
• Desirée H. van Dun 2 &
• Hanneke Meijer 1  

BMC Health Services Research volume  24 , Article number:  1088 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

The benefits of lean adoption in healthcare include improved process efficiency and quality of patient care. However, research indicates that lean implementation in healthcare, and specifically hospitals, is often not sustained. Furthermore, there is a need for maturity models that guide lean implementation, specifically in hospitals. This study develops a prescriptive maturity model named the Sustaining of Lean Adoption in Hospitals Roadmap (SOLAR) that acts as a practical guideline for the sustainable adoption of lean in hospitals.

The SOLAR has three theoretical foundations, namely lean implementation success factors in hospitals, implementation science, and change management theory. A systematic literature review was conducted to determine the lean implementation success factors in hospitals as the first building block. Secondly, practices from implementation science were used to create the action items in the SOLAR. Ten change steps were elicited from change management theory as the third theoretical building block of the roadmap. We refined the roadmap through three Delphi rounds that verified its useability in hospitals.

The final SOLAR consists of four maturity phases (prepare, plan, experiment and learn, and sustain) and includes action items for each phase related to the hospital’s strategy, resources, engaging of people, and culture. The action items and change management steps shown in the SOLAR are not intended as an exhaustive list but provide guidelines on aspects hospitals must consider when they aim to adopt lean sustainably.

Conclusions

The strong theoretical base of the SOLAR enables hospitals to safely experiment and learn which implementation methods are best suited to their unique environment. The SOLAR is, therefore, an actionable guideline that informs both academics and practitioners involved in lean adoption in hospitals. This roadmap can guide future retrospective longitudinal or action research.

Peer Review reports

Hospitals, also called inpatient care services, experience many operational challenges. Delivering healthcare services efficiently whilst improving the flow and reducing patients’ waiting time is one of these challenges [ 1 ]. Lean management, which originated in the manufacturing industry, has proven to drive improved efficiencies in the healthcare sector in general and in hospitals in particular [ 2 ] as well as improved quality of patient care and overall performance gains [ 3 ]. Many hospitals have implemented lean in recent years due to these benefits. Lean implementation requires a complete change in organisational culture and thinking, but adopting lean tools does not ensure that the implementation is sustainable or has been adopted as part of the organisation’s culture. This is confirmed by several researchers, like Van Rossum et al. [ 4 ] who argued that lean implementation in healthcare organisations is not always maintained. In the healthcare environment, lean adoption is only seen as successful if the implementation thereof permanently improves the quality of service and patient satisfaction [ 5 ]. Van Beers et al. [ 3 ] further argued that lean implementation in hospitals often does not achieve the desired results and is a lengthy process. Indeed, Akugizibwe and Clegg [ 6 ], observed that healthcare providers (such as hospitals) struggle to sustain the success achieved after initial lean implementation.

Implementing continuous improvement interventions such as lean, Total Quality Management and Six Sigma, is often challenging due to the organisational change management process it requires [ 7 ]. In addition, such implementations are complicated due to, amongst other things, the complexity of healthcare organisations [ 8 , 9 , 10 ]. These complexities include the typical organisational structures of hospitals where different units often function in isolation as their own profit and loss entities, with little motivation for functioning across silos. In addition, hospitals have strict hierarchical structures [ 11 ] and not all stakeholders involved in a patient’s journey (such as physicians) are employed by the hospital, making it difficult to ensure that they buy into the hospital’s lean journey.

Models and frameworks that guide the successful implementation of continuous improvement initiatives in organisations do exist. Despite the availability of such maturity or implementation models [ 12 ], continuous improvement implementation initiatives have a high failure rate [ 7 ]. In line with this, researchers contend that there is minimal evidence of lean healthcare implementations sustained over the long term [ 13 ]. Indeed, D’Andreamatteo et al. [ 14 ] found that although the factors that contribute toward successful lean implementation in healthcare are established in the literature, research on adopting lean sustainably and the implementation process of lean in healthcare is lacking. Henrique et al. [ 15 ] made a first attempt to aggregate key factors that might influence the sustainability of lean interventions in hospitals. Furthermore, Kunnen et al. [ 16 ] thematically analysed the barriers and facilitators that influence the sustainable adoption of lean in healthcare organisations, but not specifically in hospitals.

Lameijer et al. [ 7 ] found that while implementation readiness factors often form part of implementation guidelines or maturity models, factors related to the sustainability of results are lacking. Furthermore, the available guidelines do not address contextual factors such as the industry or environment. Indeed, Andersen et al. [ 17 ] emphasise the importance of tailoring lean specifically for hospitals. Similarly, Antony et al. [ 18 ], Zanon et al. [ 19 ], and our own literature review identified the lack of a fully developed framework and assessment methodology for lean implementation, specifically at the hospital level. In addition, although prescriptive maturity models can provide organisations with the general direction for deploying lean, they do not necessarily guide implementation using clear action items [ 12 ]. Lameijer et al. [ 7 ] argued that there is thus a need for industry- and implementation-specific guidelines or maturity models to boost the success and durability of lean initiatives.

In sum, although lean can address prominent challenges in hospitals there is a gap in the literature on how to sustain lean in hospitals [ 14 ]. With many hospitals facing pressure to improve their financial performance, efficiency and patient care quality, there is a critical need for guidelines on sustaining lean in such settings. This research aims to design a prescriptive maturity model, the S ustaining o f L ean A doption in Hospitals R oadmap (SOLAR), that will help guide practitioners and scholars alike towards sustainable lean implementation in a hospital environment. The first research phase entailed developing the SOLAR from solid theoretical principles: The known success factors for lean implementation, change management theory, and the relatively novel theory of implementation science. In the second research phase, the proposed model was tested utilising a three-round Delphi study, during which feedback from lean healthcare expert practitioners and academics was obtained.

The resulting roadmap is intended to guide the lean adoption process in hospitals through action items throughout the change management process. Furthermore, the SOLAR contributes to the literature by integrating known lean implementation success factors and change management theory with implementation science. The resulting multidisciplinary model takes various prominent features of the hospital setting into account, including the risk-aversity of hospital staff members and the hierarchical, siloed organisational structure, requiring many stakeholders’ involvement beyond only identifying customer/patient value.

The next section provides an overview of the theory on which the initial SOLAR is built. The methodology section explains how the SOLAR was developed in dialogue with experts across the globe. The results section then discusses the content of the SOLAR, after which the theoretical and practical implications are drawn in the final discussion section.

Initial SOLAR development: literature review

The first phase of developing the SOLAR was to establish the building blocks from the literature. A brief background to the purpose and use of maturity models is provided, after which lean implementation success factors, implementation science, and change management theory are reviewed.

• Maturity models

Becker et al. [ 20 ] summarised a maturity model as a guide to organisational transformation from an initial to a desired state, where the model offers the maturity levels to guide organisational transformation. Maturity models are generally applied for two reasons. Firstly, to determine the current maturity level of an organisation [ 21 ]. Maturity models in this context are called descriptive maturity models [ 22 ] and are used to assess an organisation’s progress to achieve a desired level of maturity. Secondly, to guide the organisation’s journey to the desired state, i.e. prescriptive maturity models [ 21 ] that typically include detailed actions developed from historical data to prescribe organisational transformation [ 22 ].

Maturity models can be used in lean deployment to guide organisations on what steps to take to achieve sustainable lean adoption or to assist organisations in assessing how far along the journey towards complete lean adoption they are. Yet, lean adoption is a long-term venture, and many argue that it has no clear ‘end’ because it aims for continuous improvement. Some authors refer to the level at which an organisation has adopted lean as ‘leanness’, i.e. the extent to which lean practices have been adopted and the resulting performance achievements [ 19 ]. Ways to assess the extent to which lean has been infused into an organisation, include benchmarking [ 23 ], storytelling [ 24 ] and assessment tools such as the ‘Lean Enterprise Self-Assessment’ [ 25 ]. Maturity models can also act as evaluation tools to determine an organisation’s current state and guide toward achieving a desired state [ 26 ].

A review by Zanon et al. [ 19 ] revealed 19 lean maturity models that are presented in the literature. All models assess the general adoption of lean in “phases” or “milestones”, both of which are synonymous with “maturity levels”, and the extent to which maturity has been achieved is measured against different criteria. These 19 maturity models are predominantly descriptive. In order to determine the maturity levels of the SOLAR, we investigated the terms used in the models presented by Zanon et al. [ 19 ] and two models [ 22 , 23 ] from our own review of lean maturity models. The six lean maturity models with their respective descriptions of maturity phases are summarised in Table  1 . It was found that all of the models described progressive phases with unique, diverse labels. The phases of maturity are described in intervals of between four and eight steps.

Because of this diversity, Zanon et al. [ 19 ] proposed that lean maturity levels be described as follows:

Level 1 is associated with some (small) lean initiatives being undertaken, which are not fully integrated into the organisation. This level description is similar to, amongst others, level 1 (initial stage, limited awareness) of Verrier et al. [ 31 ] as well as level 1 (adopt lean paradigm) presented by Tortorella et al. [ 29 ]. During this level, preparation for adopting lean in the organisation, typically occurs.

Level 2 is the phase during which customer value is identified and improvements and lean implementation are directed towards isolated areas in the organisation [ 19 ]. This level corresponds to levels 2 and 3 (basic lean implementation and strategic lean implementation) of Jørgensen et al. [ 28 ] as well as levels 3 and 4 of Tortorella et al. [ 29 ] (define value and identify flow of value). In essence, this phase focuses on planning the lean adoption of the organisation and how the lean adoption will realise value.

Level 3 is described by Zanon et al. [ 19 ] as the phase during which improvement initiatives are aligned, and stakeholders can observe how process improvements contribute towards performance metrics. This description is similar to level 4 (quantitatively managed stage) of Verrier et al. [ 31 ], level 3 of Marsilio et al. [ 23 ] (expanding to other units and getting traction) as well as level 4 (proactive lean culture) as presented in the work of Jørgensen et al. [ 28 ].

The final level of lean maturity is characterised by the continuous use of lean concepts throughout the organisation and focuses on sustaining lean adoption in the organisation [ 19 ]. Verrier et al. [ 31 ] describe this level as optimisation (continuous improvement through lean). Marsilio et al. [ 23 ] refer to this level of maturity as “mature transformational performance improvement” and Maier et al. [ 22 ] as “maintenance”.

Furthermore, maturity levels are typically associated with capabilities and activities that an organisation needs to perform or are measured against as they progress on a maturity path [ 32 ]. While investigating such progress of improvement, Netland and Ferdows [ 33 ] observed that an S-shaped operational performance improvement occurs in phases over time. During the initial phases of lean implementation, operational improvement occurs slowly, followed by a drastic and rapid improvement, whereafter the improvement gradually tapers off [ 33 ]. This non-linearity of business performance improvement during lean adoption was confirmed by Negrão et al. [ 34 ]. At the saturation point lean adoption is mature and can be sustained if the correct focus is maintained.

In sum, in keeping with the notion that lean maturity is achieved in phases whereby there must be room for continuous improvement to sustain lean adoption over time, we developed our SOLAR as a prescriptive maturity model comprising four phases deduced from our overview of lean maturity models, as shown in Fig.  1 : Prepare, Plan, Experiment and Learn, and Sustain.

Sustainable lean hospital adoption roadmap maturity phases

Lean implementation success factors

The second building block of the SOLAR is informed by literature-based factors that could influence the successful adoption of lean in a hospital environment. These factors, amongst others, are described as barriers , facilitators , challenges , readiness factors , success factors , inhibitors , and managerial attributes [ 35 , 36 , 37 , 38 , 39 , 40 ]. We refer to them as success factors for brevity. In terms of lean deployment, success factors are those that enable employees to adopt lean thinking in their everyday routines [ 41 ] and can be seen as part of a change-implementation strategy that influences the sustainability of the change [ 8 ]. It is, therefore, critical to incorporate success factors into a lean healthcare adoption maturity model.

This research follows a similar approach to that of Kunnen et al. [ 16 ] but is specific to a hospital environment. Hence, a systematic literature review (SLR) was conducted at the start of this study in 2019 to determine the success factors necessary for lean implementation and adoption in hospitals, and integrated into the SOLAR by addressing the following research question: What factors influence lean implementation success within a hospital environment?

In conducting the SLR following the PRISMA statement [ 42 ], nineteen articles on lean implementation success factors were selected following the systematic approach proposed by Siddaway et al. [ 43 ]. The search terms used in the search databases Scopus and EBSCOhost (which included databases such as Academic Search Premier and MEDLINE) were as follows:

(“lean” OR “continu* improvement”) AND (“implement” OR “deploy*” OR “adopt” OR “adapt” OR “appl*” OR “conscious*” OR “integrat*”) AND (“health care” OR “healthcare” OR “hospital” OR “clinic” OR “health cent*” OR “medical service” OR “medical care environment” OR “medical facility*” OR “medical cent*”) AND (“success factor*” OR “success” OR “critical factor*” OR “change factor*” OR “driver” OR “important factor” OR “facilitate*” OR “sustain” OR “long term” OR “long term” OR “read* factor*” OR “failure factor*” OR “challenge” OR “barrier” OR “lesson*” OR “issue”).

As inclusion criteria, only English papers with available full texts, published in accredited journals or established (peer-reviewed) conference proceedings, and focused on one or more factors influencing lean implementation in a hospital setting were selected by one author (HM), and then independently checked by the first author (MVZ-C). These inclusion criteria meant to account for the relevance and quality of the included papers. Book chapters and studies executed outside of a hospital environment, in non-service parts of the hospital, or those concerned with implementing lean in combination with another methodology, such as Six Sigma, were excluded. In particular, studies combined with Six Sigma were excluded due to their specific focus on quantitative statistical process control initiatives and not primarily on lean success factors. The final selection of papers was then determined by the entire author team (including also DVD); to avoid any omissions, the papers were discussed elaborately.

Before analysing the selected studies in more depth, the author team screened the journal impact factors as well as methods used and rigour to account for the quality of the corpus. SCImago Journal Ranking indicator, which assesses the impact and influence of journals independently, was consulted, and we found that 12 of the 19 articles in our sample were published in the top 25-50% (quartiles one and two) journals. Four articles were published in quartile three (top 75%) journals, two in peer-reviewed conference proceedings, and one in a quartile four journal. The journal ‘Quality Management in Health Care’ (quartile two journal) contributed the most articles (3 articles). The methods followed in our sample ranged from semi-structured interviews (7 articles), literature reviews (6 articles), field observations (2 articles), and quantitative methods such as structural equation modelling (4 articles). The diversity of the sample of selected papers, both in terms of methodology and countries of data collection ranging from Sweden to Iran, is proposed to curb any remaining biases in the selected studies, allowing for high-quality insights. The SLR approach, following the PRISMA statement, is summarized in Fig.  2 .

Systematic literature review approach to determine lean adoption success factors, following the PRISMA statement

In terms of content analysis, any mention of factors influencing the success of lean implementation within a healthcare environment was extracted from the selected studies. To minimize bias and ensure that all relevant factors were collected, we followed the 21-item ENTREQ guidelines [ 44 ]. Firstly, one author (HM) extracted factors influencing successful lean implementation from the selected studies. Then, a second author (MVZ-C) reviewed the selection of factors and compared them to the nineteen selected studies to ensure a balanced view. In line with Kunnen et al. [ 16 ], inductive reasoning was used to create labels for similar factors. The two authors further refined the factor labels with the third author (DVD) whereafter the factors were grouped under four themes: (1) strategy, (2) resources, (3) engaging people, and (4) organisational culture. Table  2 depicts each theme, corresponding lean adoption success factors, and the original sources which identified them.

The success factors listed in Table  2 were used in conjunction with a well-researched framework from implementation science, as discussed in the next section, to develop the proposed action items of the SOLAR under each maturity phase.

• Implementation science

Implementation science, an emerging field in healthcare evidence-based standard practices adoption, was used as the theory that informs the third element of the SOLAR. Implementation science is concerned with the study of methods that aim to diffuse research findings and evidence-based practices into an organisation’s routine [ 57 ]. May and Finch [ 58 ] further defined implementation as a deliberate effort to introduce something new to an environment to bring about change.

According to the theory of implementation science, this change is realised in organisations through a diffusion-dissemination-implementation continuum [ 55 ], which implies an ever-evolving change process. This diffusion-dissemination-implementation continuum is valuable to improving the spread of research findings that could improve a healthcare environment [ 59 ]. Diffusion is the inactive part of imparting knowledge about new practices [ 55 ], whereas dissemination requires more action and actively communicating new practices to the target group to ‘helping it happen’ [ 59 , 60 ]. Implementation is the deliberate action of ensuring that research findings are truly incorporated into the environment’s everyday practices [ 55 ]; in other words, ‘making it happen’ [ 60 ].

A key framework in the field of implementation science that guides the diffusion-dissemination-implementation process is the Quality Implementation Framework (QIF) [ 59 ]. This framework is suitable for informing the action items included in the SOLAR because the QIF may be generalised for any environment, it provides clear process steps for its application, and is widely cited and frequently used.

The QIF lists 14 critical steps in a four-phased approach that contributes towards a quality implementation where fidelity of the innovation is maintained throughout the implementation process [ 61 ]. Examples of these critical steps are determining the organisation’s current state regarding needs and resources, creating implementation teams, ensuring a supportive feedback system, and learning from the experience of implementing the change. Furthermore, the framework provides questions under each critical step the researcher needs to consider when implementing a change intervention. The proposed action items in the SOLAR were thus further developed by incorporating the QIF and its 14 critical steps.

Change management theory

In organisational behaviour literature, it is contended that planned organisational change is more likely to succeed if the change process considers all organisational stakeholders, whereby change needs to occur in a group where individuals’ behaviour and reaction to change is a function of the group environment [ 62 ]. The theory of change management uses frameworks and mechanisms to manage change in an organisation whilst causing minimal negative disruption to the workforce [ 63 ].

Although many useful change management methods and theories have been developed, the variability in each organisation and change environment may require adjustment according to their specific context [ 64 , 65 ]. Al-Haddad and Kotnour [ 62 ] explained the taxonomy of change in literature as consisting of change types, methods, enablers, and outcomes. The change type is classified in terms of the scale and duration of the change. Once the change type is defined, the most appropriate change method can be determined; these methods, in turn, are divided between systematic change methods and change management methods. Systematic change methods include processes and tools that assist organisational change agents (such as managers) to take change-related decisions [ 62 ]. These systematic change methods are cyclical and integrative, as opposed to some traditional change theories that mainly suggest management-driven change through incremental process adjustment. Examples of systematic change methods include Six Sigma, Total Quality Management and process re-engineering. On the other hand, change management methods are more conceptual and broader [ 62 ], as they assist management in aligning the change initiative with the overall organisational strategy and mission and embed the change into the organisational culture.

Al-Haddad and Kotnour [ 62 ] further argued that certain factors increase the probability of successful change and are known as organisational change enablers. Some examples of such enablers include setting a shared vision and direction for the change, clearly communicating the benefit and clarifying the roles of the employees involved in the change [ 63 ]. Notably, training employees and measuring the evolution of organisational change will also increase the probability of sustainable change [ 66 ]. Change outcomes, as depicted by Al-Haddad and Kotnour’s [ 62 ], relate to measuring the change’s performance from both a customer and organisational perspective. Errida and Lotfi [ 67 ] emphasise the importance of setting goals for such performance measures that are continuously tracked.

Furthermore, Stouten et al. [ 64 ] highlighted seven prescriptive change management models. These models (see Table  3 ) guide the management team through sequential steps in executing change interventions in their organisations. Some of the models corresponded with both the change management methods and systematic change methods [ 62 ]. Although lean implementation in a hospital environment will evolve organically and iteratively, it must be embedded in the hospital culture [ 63 ] which tends to be a large change stretched over an extended period. Therefore, change management methods [ 62 ] would be appropriate to guide lean implementation in hospitals, especially the prescriptive ones which provide specific guidance on steps to take. Hence, we focused on the prescriptive change management models classified by Stouten et al. [ 64 ]. In selecting the appropriate models to inform the SOLAR, those prescriptive change management models were filtered to ensure that they were also classified as change management methods by Al-Haddad and Kotnour [ 62 ]. Table  2 shows the result of the filtering process and the subsequent four change management models that are used to inform the SOLAR: (i) Lewin’s three-phase process method, (ii) Judson’s five steps, (iii) Kanter, Stein and Jick’s ten commandments, and (iv) Kotter’s eight-step model.

Stouten et al. [ 64 ] argued that many of the prescriptive models have similar practices and processes. The models also have a flow that acknowledges the start of the change intervention followed by the dissemination and, finally implementation or adoption of the change. As such, Stouten et al. [ 64 ] synthesised these prescriptive change management models into ten change steps, starting with assessing the opportunity to motivate the change and ending with institutionalising the change in the organisational culture and practices. Given the overlap with Al-Haddad and Kotnour [ 62 ], we contend these ten change steps are a comprehensive synthesis of prescriptive change management models and change management methods included in this SOLAR.

Research design

Given the exploratory aim of the research, a Delphi study was conducted where the initial literature-inspired design of the prescriptive maturity model was refined through feedback from lean healthcare experts. The Delphi method elicits the opinion of a panel of experts over multiple rounds on a specific research subject [ 68 , 69 ]. Expert feedback was collected from two rounds of online surveys and from narrative interviews in the third and final round, whereby the initial model was amended after each round. The surveys and the questions used in the narrative interviews were designed based on the approach followed by Tortorella et al. [ 70 ] and further refined after several dry-runs among the author team. They can be found in Additional File 1. The result of the Delphi study is the model we named ‘SOLAR’, presented herein.

Sampling approach and sample description

Delphi study respondents were selected to complete the first-round survey based on their knowledge and experience in implementing lean in hospital environments and their availability and willingness to participate [ 71 , 72 ]. A purposive expert sampling technique was followed, complemented by snowball sampling to avoid selection bias [ 73 ]. Thus, members from the Southern African Industrial Engineering (SAIIE) society were contacted via e-mail. Respondents with experience in academia, public healthcare, and private healthcare were thus identified to form a heterogeneous lean expert group. The respondents were requested to forward the survey to other potential respondents who met the inclusion criteria thereby completing the snowball sampling process. For the second Delphi round, the same method was followed and the recruitment list was expanded to include lean healthcare experts from the Netherlands. Since the third Delphi round was used to validate the SOLAR, respondents from South Africa and the Netherlands who participated in the second round were selected to participate in this final round.

During the first round, 14 participants responded to the online survey. Their experience was balanced between private and public healthcare and academia. The majority of respondents (10 out of 14) were male and six of the respondents had more than 10 years of experience. The second round also elicited responses from 14 individuals, five of whom also participated in the first round. Most respondents of this second Delphi round indicated their lean in healthcare experience as private healthcare, nine were male and five female. All four respondents (three males, one female) who participated in the third round also participated in the second round, and one of them also took part in the first round. The respondents’ experience in lean in healthcare was equally represented by public and private healthcare as well as academia. Table  4 summarises the respondent data for all three Delphi rounds.

Data collection

Delphi round 1 – approach and outcomes.

The initial prescriptive maturity model was presented to respondents in an explanatory video, followed by an online survey (Supplementary Table 1, Additional file 1) which consisted of multiple closed-ended questions. Specifically, respondents were asked to indicate to what degree they agreed with the statement: ‘ Although initial lean implementations in hospitals might be successful , it is often not sustained’ and: ‘The maturity model contributes towards the sustainability of lean implementation in a hospital’ . Respondents rated their level of agreement on a five-point scale ranging from ‘strongly disagree’, ‘disagree’, ‘undecided’, ‘agree’, or ‘strongly agree’. The survey also contained an open field for suggestions for improvement of the maturity model.

Ten out of 14 respondents agreed that hospitals often do not sustain lean implementation. Although 11 of the 14 respondents agreed that the initial maturity model contributed towards lean sustainability in hospitals, suggestions for improvement were also made. One respondent noted that the original naming of the four maturity phases (i.e., prepare, plan, implement and sustain) did indicate a clear implementation path but did not indicate how maturity evolved. Another respondent argued that the lean implementation strategy needs to be aligned with the hospital’s strategy. Another point of feedback was that the model’s action items should be more descriptive to be more actionable. Based on this feedback the model was altered incorporating change management theory, renaming the maturity phases, and refining the action items to be more descriptive and aligned with respondents’ feedback.

Delphi round 2 – approach and outcomes

The amended model was presented to respondents in a second Delphi round, using the same method as round one. The survey questions for the second round can be found in Supplementary Table 2, Additional file 1. Although some questions were similar to the first round, to evaluate the model’s usefulness, new questions were posed, such as ‘ Do you agree that the action items of the maturity model address all the relevant steps that need to be taken to successfully implement and sustain Lean in a hospital?’

The results from this round indicated that seven out of 14 respondents agreed that lean implementation in hospitals is often not sustained. Twelve respondents agreed that, once the four phases of the maturity model and the corresponding action items were completed, lean implementation in a hospital would be sustained over the long term. Furthermore, ten respondents indicated that the model could be applied to any hospital setting. Some suggested changes regarding how the change steps were integrated within each model phase whereas others noted that actions within lean implementation were ‘ongoing , iterative , and circular’ . Respondents also commented that it was a ‘very elaborate and well thought through model’ and ‘I can see that a well-structured , scientific method was followed’. The feedback from this second round helped alter the model to clarify how change steps were associated with maturity levels and to rename the third maturity level to “Experiment and Learn”. Action items were further refined.

Delphi round 3 – approach and outcomes

During the one-on-one online interviews of the third round, the final prescriptive maturity model was shared with the four respondents who took part in the second round and offered differing viewpoints. During these interviews, the researcher(s) presented the final SOLAR and the revisions based on the second round. (Supplementary Table 3, Additional File 1). The first question we asked was ‘ Do you agree with the naming of the model? ’. We also asked whether ‘the presentation of the phases of the maturity model was clearer’ . These questions stimulated an open conversation. The narrative that followed generally indicated that respondents were now clear that the aim of the prescriptive maturity model was to act as a guideline rather than a set of instructions. All respondents agreed that the final SOLAR was sound. Respondents also supported naming the third phase as ‘experiment and learn’, saying that ‘it’s very clear now that it’s cyclical’. Regarding the model’s usefulness, respondents said they ‘really thought this made sense from a theoretical and practical standpoint’ and ‘it is a useful model and the updates are practical’ . The final SOLAR, the result of a thorough theoretical investigation and three Delphi rounds, is presented in the next section.

The final SOLAR is a prescriptive maturity model consisting of four phases: Prepare, Plan, Experiment and Learn, and Sustain. The underlying action items are informed by lean implementation success factors, as discussed in Sect. 2.2, and by the 14 critical steps of the QIF discussed in Sect. 2.3. The action items of each phase are presented under four themes, namely strategy, resources, engaging people, and culture. The final element of the SOLAR is change management theory: The ten change steps, derived from Stouten et al. [ 64 ] are highlighted and incorporated during each phase and theme of the SOLAR. The action items and change management steps shown in the SOLAR are not intended as an exhaustive list but provide guidelines on aspects one must consider for a hospital that aims to adopt lean sustainably. Table  5 depicts the final SOLAR, which is discussed here in relation to the literature.

Phase 1: Prepare

As suggested by Zanon et al. [ 19 ], the first phase (Prepare) is associated with minor changes and setting the scene for lean implementation. In terms of the ‘strategy’ action items, following Grove et al. [ 37 ] and Lorden et al. [ 51 ] it is essential for a hospital to specify its (lean) strategic direction and improvement needs. It is key to contextualise how lean would fit into the hospital’s operating environment, the stakeholders of the lean adoption, and how they would benefit from lean adoption. Some stakeholders benefit more directly, such as patients, and others more indirectly such as suppliers. Furthermore, researching prior continuous improvement efforts and their successes and failures in a specific hospital is critical to setting the lean adoption strategy [ 14 , 56 ]. These actions contribute to fulfilling Stouten et al.’s change step 1 [ 64 ].

‘Resources’ such as technology and trained lean staff members are required for a successful lean implementation in a hospital [ 52 ]. This implies the need to identify staff with previous exposure to lean in the form of training or practical lean experience. In addition, assessing whether other stakeholders are currently adopting lean is recommended to ensure alignment with their efforts and possibly leveraging from them. One must also identify technology currently in place that may ease team communication and enable aspects such as visual (performance) management in wards.

An initial engagement with people on lean and the value that may be realised will set the scene for the change initiative. In terms of ‘engaging people’, further involving management, staff members, and other stakeholders is characterised by change step 2 [ 64 ]. It is important to obtain management commitment for lean adoption at an early stage [ 51 ]. The underlying action items of this theme resonate with the ‘strategy’-related action items in that management needs to align the strategy of the organisation and hospital with the strategy of lean adoption. Moreover, communicating a sense of urgency to staff and introducing the lean philosophy will mobilise energy for change during the preparation phase.

During this initial engagement with employees, their readiness for change can be assessed [ 45 ]. A clear indication of employees’ change readiness is their realisation that the hospital needs process improvement [ 67 ]. Simultaneously the extent to which the hospital’s culture aligns with the lean philosophy will highlight behaviour that is not conducive to a lean culture. This will guide the implementation team in determining where to place their change efforts as the lean implementation progresses. Altogether, these action items allow an organisation to move on to the next phase.

Phase 2: Plan

The planning phase is characterised by (initially) isolated lean improvements in the organisation [ 19 ]. The development of change-related knowledge and abilities is predominant in this phase [ 64 ]. With a clear company strategy in place from the preparation phase, the lean adoption strategy should be determined and set out in a clear adoption plan co-created by leaders at various hierarchical levels [ 3 ], for instance, by setting up monthly lean performance meetings at the top management level. Moreover, the specific value for various stakeholders anticipated by the lean adoption must be identified along with the criteria for measuring this value [ 74 ]. The value of lean in, for example, reducing waste such as waiting time that often occurs across all specialisations, can be articulated in this phase [ 1 ].

The planning phase provides the opportunity to list outstanding supporting resources and enlist external experts’ services to provide employees with the required lean knowledge and capability training specific to healthcare [ 17 , 48 ] aligned with, change step 7 [ 64 ]. The engagement of people across the organisation is a priority during this phase [ 45 ]. This includes appointing a lean adoption team, ideally consisting of lean champions and other front-line staff. Since hospitals often have clear hierarchies in place that may limit teamwork [ 52 ], staff members from all organisational levels must be included as lean practitioners to curb any communication barriers. These employees must be informal leaders and have an inherent mindset of critical thinking and questioning the status quo [ 45 ]. This lean adoption team’s supportive roles, processes, and responsibilities must also be specified during this phase. The variability of patient demand often leads to the last-minute acute engagement of front-line staff in patient care and during scheduled lean activities. Hence, during the planning phase, the roles, processes and responsibilities in such scenarios must be clarified. Furthermore, the lean adoption team must be empowered to lead the lean change by providing them with training on lean, leadership, and change management principles. Altogether these change steps are clearly aligned with change steps 2, 6 and 7 [ 64 ].

As part of ‘engaging people’, the shared vision for lean and common direction that was determined during the preparation phase must now be communicated clearly (i.e., Stouten et al.’s [ 64 ] change step 4). Because this should lead to initial acceptance of lean (and not resistance), in the context of a fast-paced hospital environment, it should emphasise how value will be added and waste eliminated [ 75 ], allowing healthcare workers to focus on the quality of patient care.

Also measuring the progress of lean adoption will contribute to engaging people. Indeed, Noori [ 49 ] contends that quick wins are essential to motivate hospital staff towards lean adoption. Developing an organisational performance feedback system enables the measurement of the relationship between lean adoption and performance improvement across all levels of the organisation. The performance should be discussed at time intervals that align with strategic, tactical, and operational performance meetings. Bhasin [ 76 ] noted that such a lean performance management and measurement system needs to fit each organisational level to promote positive organisational behaviour and change acceptance. Possible performance indicators include reduced patient waiting time, improved resource utilisation, and patient satisfaction [ 76 ].

The measurement of lean adoption might also identify certain behaviours that are not conducive to a lean culture, leading to interventions to build a more supportive continuous improvement lean culture [ 45 ]. Once the change readiness of most employees has been determined and that the lean philosophy aligns with the cultural preferences of the hospital, the planning phase can be used to start establishing a supportive culture of continuous improvement and to manage resistance to change [ 52 ] by giving positive attention to those employees who embrace change.

Phase 3: Experiment and learn

Each hospital has a unique operating environment and case mix [ 77 ]. A lean implementation maturity model must thus be contextualised as highlighted in the preparation phase. Therefore, the third phase has the longest duration, and this phase is associated with adapting lean according to the hospital’s specific requirements. This phase of lean maturity focuses on experimenting with lean adoption in various areas and proactively learning from this adoption by reviewing performance metrics.

From a strategic perspective, it is critical that top management support the lean adoption process and change its behaviour accordingly during this phase [ 50 ]. This may include revising some key performance indicators (KPIs) such as bed utilisation measures that management traditionally promotes [ 78 ]. Should such measurements prove to promote non-lean behaviour, top management needs to be proactive and change such KPIs. Installing lean performance meetings on a tactical and operational level will further assist in continuously learning from the lean adoption. These meetings provide a platform for discussing the measurement of lean’s value for stakeholders using the measurement criteria established in the planning phase [ 74 ]. Lastly, lean performance meetings will facilitate Stouten et al.’s [ 64 ] change step 4, 5, and 8. It is also beneficial to precisely plan and create short-term wins during this phase; those short-term successes can be used to reinforce the lean transformation (change step 8).

Change step 2 can be further executed by developing internal lean experts [ 52 ] through establishing a guiding coalition consisting of internal staff members. Although external experts enlisted during the previous phase may still be involved in the experiment and learn phase, their involvement will diminish over time as internal experts are developed [ 79 ] who could then start training other staff members during this phase. Using staff to train other employees on aspects of lean (such as the use of the unique lean vocabulary applicable to healthcare) can be a valuable tool in accelerating the adoption of lean while empowering staff to identify waste in their respective areas [ 35 ], which will mobilise the change and develop the required knowledge and abilities that promote the general acceptance of lean throughout the organisation (as described in Stouten et al.’s [ 64 ] change step 5 and 7). Inter-departmental cooperation is a hospital-specific aspect to establish for the realisation of this acceptance [ 36 ]. This tends to be a challenge, given the highly specialised disciplines in a hospital as well as the subsequent organisational silos that this creates [ 80 ].

Internal experts are referred to as lean champions, and the development of these resources is closely related to change step 6. Other supporting resources, such as software enabling knowledge management must also be provided [ 81 ]. Certain processes may need to be changed in such a way that they are aligned with the change vision set out in the preparation phase of the strategy theme. If, for example, the change vision of the hospital was set in the preparation phase to include collaboration between suppliers such as pathology and radiology services, process adaptations may include regular lean meetings between the front-line hospital staff and the supply staff.

The performance measurement system installed during the previous phase will act as a support tool through which the adoption team’s performance can regularly be evaluated. This action item also enables teams across units in the hospital to benchmark their performance in terms of achieving lean goals set out during the earlier phases, which will assist in eliminating organisational silos typical in hospitals whilst also embedding the lean adoption [ 70 ]. The feedback system must trigger remedial action so hospital staff can learn from mistakes [ 14 ] and make changes accordingly. Furthermore, feedback on lean adoption must be communicated throughout the hospital [ 51 ], providing all stakeholders with information on the implementation progress. From the above, it is clear that change steps 5, 6, 7 and 8 are addressed in the action items.

Most employees will experience changes in the hospital during the experiment and learn phase. It is important to reinforce the lean organisational culture of continuous improvement as the phase continues [ 53 ], whereby management needs to display exemplary lean behaviour [ 82 ]. Change steps 6 and 9 are clearly aligned with those actions. Finally, the experiment and learn phase is iterative in nature. As lean implementation and the associated action items of the SOLAR are progressing, it is important to modify actions to fit in with the specific hospital environment. For example, redefining the value that lean unlocks for some stakeholders may be necessary. This implies that some aspects of the planning phase should be amended.

Phase 4: Sustain

The final phase of the SOLAR is characterised by the continuous monitoring of process improvements [ 19 ]. Change steps 9 and 10 promote the monitoring and institutionalisation of the change and are associated with this final phase [ 64 ]. Change will be institutionalised by maintaining the initial strategy and common direction [ 36 ]. It also remains important during this phase to continue to set lean goals and measure the value that lean realises for all stakeholders.

Resources such as technology and specific software need to be kept up-to-date, and changes to processes institutionalised by continuously updating standard operating procedures and staff structures [ 56 ]. Allocating resources to amend the reporting structure of certain units may be necessary. Furthermore, some KPIs, such as waiting time and its definition [ 1 ], may change as the hospital environment evolves. It remains critical to continue with lean training during this final phase whilst normalising the supportive lean culture of continuous improvement [ 48 ].

The high failure rate of continuous improvement initiatives [ 7 ] and lean implementation in hospitals [ 13 ] indicate a latent need for more clarity on how to adopt lean in a hospital setting. So far, however, there was no lean maturity model specific to healthcare or a hospital environment [ 19 ]. This is problematic because the hierarchical nature of healthcare is often a barrier to bottom-up improvement and the adoption of lean throughout the hospital (system-wide) instead of applying tools and techniques in isolation [ 11 ]. The SOLAR developed herein, therefore, responds to the need for a hospital-wide lean maturity model that takes into account the complexities of healthcare. In developing the SOLAR, relevant aspects from the literature were synthesised. As such, this research expands on the prolific lean implementation in healthcare literature by combining the known success factors with implementation science and change management theory. This makes the SOLAR simultaneously unique, comprehensive, and more practical.

A prominent complexity covered by the SOLAR is the primary goal of healthcare workers in hospitals to ensure the quality of patient care. Due to the sensitive nature of hospital settings and the human lives that are often at stake, hospital staff are more risk averse. A hospital is not the ideal setting for ‘trial and error’, often part of regular lean adoptions [ 70 ]. Continuous improvement initiatives may, therefore – initially – seem counter-intuitive for healthcare workers. However, since a key building block of the SOLAR is evidence-based implementation science, hospital staff are more likely to have confidence in using the SOLAR to guide them along their lean adoption journey. Furthermore, the SOLAR provides guided experimentation and learning in the third phase of sustainable lean implementation. The action items in this phase of the SOLAR allow hospitals to tailor implementation methods that are best suited to their unique operating context through guided experimentation and learning.

A second hospital-specific complexity is covered by integrating change management theory [ 64 ] throughout the SOLAR. Specialisation silos and hierarchies are often a barrier to sustainable lean implementation in hospitals [ 83 ]. The change coalition that is established in the planning phase of the SOLAR consists of staff from all units across all levels of the hospital which enables the permeation of barriers that existed because of hierarchies and silos. Consequently, the SOLAR emphasises the importance of identifying the stakeholders throughout the hospital that will be impacted by lean adoption in the preparation phase, as well as the subsequent defining of stakeholder value, and measuring and evaluating how lean adds value throughout the hospital. The concept of ‘value’, which is often conceptualised solely from the customer’s (the patient’s) perspective, is also determined for the different stakeholders. Ensuring that the perspectives of multiple stakeholders are proactively taken into account also reduces the risk of focusing on internal lean goals such as efficiency and cost reduction, which is often seen in public service settings [ 84 ].

In sum, in conjunction with the solid theoretical base, the SOLAR utilises input from lean healthcare practitioners and academics. As confirmed by them, the SOLAR is based on relevant theory and yet remains practical.

Practical implications

The SOLAR was developed to be used by practitioners and academics as a practical guideline to test their approach on implementing lean in hospitals against. In particular, we envisage that top managers of hospitals, strategic advisors, and those in organisational development and continuous process improvement roles will find the SOLAR useful to tailor their hospital’s lean adoption approach. For example, using the SOLAR as an inspiration, data on the lean adoption progress can be captured by the lean adoption team and then discussed during periodical lean adoption strategy meetings. This data will be useful to (top) managers since it drives their learning process and informs decisions on support required to sustainably adopt lean.

The SOLAR also addresses the critical aspects pertaining to strategy, resources, the engagement of people, and organisational culture throughout lean adoption in hospitals. As mentioned, the SOLAR guides the implementation approach by emphasizing certain actions along the phases of the lean implementation journey in a hospital. This has proven to be a suitable characteristic of the SOLAR since respondents to the Delphi study agreed on its usefulness. Although the maturity phases of the SOLAR have been presented sequentially, there may be a need for hospitals implementing lean to revisit some of the phases as insights are gained during their lean implementation journey. Such tailoring to the unique hospital environment also enables hospital staff to accept lean adoption [ 83 , 85 ]. While balancing between ‘theorising’ and ‘generalising’ as called for by Åhlström et al. [ 86 ], the model is further adaptable to local hospital environments.

Limitations and future research

Creating an exhaustive list of items that need to be completed in a lean adoption journey is impossible, given that different contexts might require slightly different foci and organizational change is a dynamic process. And although we followed a systematic approach to reviewing the literature and Delphi study respondents have screened the SOLAR in various rounds, we may still have missed certain points. We propose that for purposive expert sampling, one could also consider approaching formal interest groups and associations with members who specialise in lean (i.e. the Lean Institute Africa, the Dutch Lean Healthcare community united in the ‘Lean in de Zorg’ (LIDZ) foundation, and the Lean Global Network).

Because some respondents in the Delphi study expressed the need for a more descriptive maturity model, this may be another valuable extension of our research. Reponen et al. [ 87 ] proposed a conceptual framework that can be used to benchmark lean performance in healthcare environments against best practices whilst taking the context of the environment into account. Since the inclusion of specific instructions on how to implement aspects such as training, communicating the strategy, and organising resources were not included in the aim of this research, the authors recommend that future research should include these aspects.

The next step is to validate the SOLAR in a hospital setting by further testing and possibly refining it. This can either be done retrospectively through a longitudinal study of hospitals that have implemented lean or as an intervention study following the action research approach [ 88 , 89 ]. In the case of action research, positioning the SOLAR as a guideline for the lean implementation will be the starting point. Post-implementation focus groups can subsequently be used as a further validation tool of the SOLAR. We further propose to assess to what extent the lean intervention is brought about by the further operationalizing the action items of the SOLAR. One way to assess this is by using the PARTI (Participatory Action Research, Translation, and Implementation) model underpinned by implementation science [ 90 ].

Hospitals are unique service environments that provide an essential and critical service to the community. Furthermore, hospitals tend to be high-pressure environments with variable demand and specialised services. These specialisations often result in silo structures which are hierarchical in nature and associated with waste and inefficiencies. Lean implementation in hospitals has, however, been proven to result in significant process improvements and enhanced quality of patient care. To address lean implementation efforts that are often not sustained in hospitals, we have developed the SOLAR: A unique maturity model that can act as a guideline for hospitals embarking on a lean implementation journey. After gathering expert feedback in three Delphi rounds, the SOLAR is suitable for use by academics and practitioners involved in lean deployment in hospitals, particularly because of its strong underpinning by implementation science and change management theory.

Availability of data and materials

The data used for the Systematic Literature Review was retrieved from publicly available internet databases as specified in the manuscript and is available from the authors upon reasonable request. The dataset for the Delphi study is not publicly available to protect the identity of respondents.

Abbreviations

Enhancing Transparency in Reporting the Synthesis of Qualitative Research

Lean in de Zorg

Participatory Action Research, Translation, and Implementation

Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses

Quality Implementation Framework

Systematic Literature Review

Sustaining of Lean Adoption in Hospitals Roadmap

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The authors’ contributions are as follows: MVZ-C: Conceptualization, Methodology and research design, Data analysis, Writing-Review and Editing; DVD: Conceptualisation, Methodology and research design, Writing-Review and Editing; HM: Conceptualization, Methodology and research design, Data analysis. All authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Van Zyl-Cillié, M.M., van Dun, D.H. & Meijer, H. Toward a roadmap for sustainable lean adoption in hospitals: a Delphi study. BMC Health Serv Res 24 , 1088 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11529-4

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Received : 31 January 2024

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Published : 18 September 2024

DOI : https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-024-11529-4

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