Table 1.

Example facilitation strategies [adapted from Ref. (35)].

Area of focus	Key activities
Clarifying and engaging	Identifying and clarifying the improvement issue to be addressed Establishing the level of interest and commitment to the improvement topic Identifying local champions and wider stakeholders Getting the right people together to form an improvement team Developing a preliminary project plan Securing stakeholder support
Assessing and measuring	Developing an understanding of the state of “readiness”—motivation and capability to be involved in the proposed improvement Baseline assessment of individuals, teams, and contextual barriers and enablers Undertaking baseline audit
Action and implementation	Review and interpretation of baseline data Developing an agreed implementation and action plan Running small tests of change (Plan-Do-Study-Act cycles) Tracking progress over time and adapting as required
Reviewing and sharing	Undertaking repeat audit Reflecting on the process: what worked well and less well Feeding back to wider stakeholder group Organizing a “celebratory event” Planning for sustainability and spread