Standard for Producing Evidence — Effectiveness of Interventions — Part 2: Explanation and Elaboration

This document provides explanation and elaboration of the requirements and recommendations specified in StEv2-1 (Standard for Producing Evidence – Effectiveness of Interventions – Part 1: Specification). It provides information on why certain features are included in the process specified by StEv2-1. This part of the standard (part 2) only provides explanations of the rationale behind the elements of the process and does not attempt to repeat in detail all of the elements of that process. The detailed specification of the process is provided separately, in part 1 of the standard. The scope of the process specified in StEv2-1 is intended to be equally applicable for any type of intervention, because there are many arears of activity where it is possible to produce evidence of the effectiveness of the intervention, and where such evidence could beneficially be used to inform decisions. Similarly, the process is applicable whether the intervention being studied is existing or new, since many existing practices will not be supported by robust evidence of their effectiveness (and may be ineffective). Consequently, the process has been designed to make as few assumptions as possible about the nature of the intervention, outcomes or context in which the study is being conducted. It is hoped that this broad and general applicability will facilitate wide adoption of the standard. If different parts of organisations produce evidence of the effectiveness of interventions in the same way, hopefully the organisation’s confidence in producing and using robust evidence of effectiveness with grow in general.