Table 6 Matrix analysis and theme triangulation

Team Dynamics

This meta-theme captured themes related to productive team dynamics. Each group provided examples where the inclusion of team members with diverse perspectives, shared values, and strong relationships between them was key to team functioning and ensuring KM activities were relevant in the contexts they would be implemented

Investment in relationships with common values

Strong project teams emerge from collaboration with diverse expertise

Value and trust stem from belongingness

Engaging patient/caregiver partners with relevant expertise

Agreement

Having teams with diverse perspectives and strong relationships were consistent keys to KM success among all partners

Role of Leadership

This meta-theme captured themes that described effective leadership for KM teams. All partners agreed that leaders were responsible for structuring the KM process, ensuring progress, and supporting team members. Leaders were seen as core to the progress and outcomes of a KM initiative

Leaders champion and motivate teams

Desire to lead collaboratively

Accessibility in patient/caregiver relationships is facilitated by leaders

Partial Agreement

Leaders were collectively seen as those responsible for planning, leading, and motivating; however, who was identified as leader differed among partners. Researchers described a desire to lead collaboratively and typically spoke from the perspective of a leader. Health professionals also tended to refer to themselves or colleagues as leaders. Patient/caregiver partners rarely referred to themselves as a leader, typically referencing another person (i.e., researcher or health professional)

Policy Influence

This meta-theme captured the role of policy on the success of KM initiatives in pediatric pain. Both researchers and health professionals described external influences on policy as impacting funding and KM opportunities for pediatric pain management. This included the role of support from academic institutions or policy makers at the ministerial/legislative level

Knowledge mobilization initiatives need decision maker support

Knowledge mobilization has mixed value as academic currency

Silence

Partial Agreement

Researchers and health professionals both cited external influences as influencing resources for KM initiatives. Researchers described the impact of academic institutions’ value of KM on funding and weighting of KM activities when considering a researcher’s productivity. Health professionals spoke mainly about the impact that policy makers have on funding for KM activities within pediatric pain. This specific concept was less prevalent among patient/caregiver partners

Social Influence

This meta-theme captured the role of social and network-related influences on KM initiatives in pediatric pain. Health professionals, researchers, and patient/caregiver partners all cited social influences (e.g., influential nature of initiative, social network) as methods of getting resources and support for KM initiatives. Social connections had the potential to impact how KM activities were carried out among these groups

KM initiatives need DM support

Leveraging colleagues’ KM visibility to support implementation

Networks serve as communities

Partial Agreement

Both the patient/caregiver partner and researcher groups raised the impact of social influences on support for spreading evidence and tapping into expertise within one’s network. Patient/caregiver partners’ discussion of social influences were unique in that they also discussed the role of networks as a social space where they could seek guidance related to participation in KM initiatives. Health professionals described networks as a place to learn about standards and activities used by other institutions, with the activity of others in their network influencing initiatives they considered bringing to their institution

N/A

Silence

A perceived need for greater knowledge of knowledge mobilization processes

Silence

Silence

The researcher group theme “a perceived need for greater knowledge of knowledge mobilization processes” pertained to a perceived lack of understanding language and formal processes within KT. This theme did not converge with those raised in other groups

N/A

Context matters

Silence

Silence

Silence

The health professional group theme “context matters” related to matters around clinic flow that needed to be considered when engaging in KM activities (e.g., staff coverage, etc.). This theme did not converge with those raised in other groups