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Table 5 Hermeneutic principles and potential implementation actions

From: Exploring the intersection of hermeneutics and implementation: a scoping review

Hermeneutic principle

Potential implementation actions

Acknowledgement of the central concerns of power, communication, and common actions which are active within an issue or problem

• Explore why evidence or ‘object’ needs to be implemented in this particular situation at this time

• Examine dimensions of the problem or issue that require the implementation of evidence

• Acknowledge power and communication concerns within the issue or problem

Promotion of new ways of seeing situations and creating new common understandings throughout the implementation process

• Introduce theories and other perspectives in ways that extend reflection, understanding, and support consistent action

• Avoid uncritically implementing pre-determined strategies or templates from theories or frameworks

Collective action that empowers and shows humility and respect

• Include all relevant persons or stakeholders in the dialogue, planning, and process of implementing

• Build and sustain relationships in ways that will foster trust, dialogue, and reflection

• Listen and be open to difference and alternative interpretations

• Develop respectful ways of engaging and making decisions

Actions that surface tensions and work with context in ways that illuminate possibilities for implementation

• Foster dialogue to explore different positions and views

• Explore how initiatives have been, or are currently, achieved in this group, setting, or practice

• Explore how usual ways of achieving goals may be connected to the proposed service, program or practice

• Seek to understand how people and organizational processes can be engaged in implementation actions

• Explore differences in understanding and approaches along with opportunities for action

Processes that address context and the interplay of context with the program, service, or practice being implemented

• Consider how to understand and work with the messiness of the health care/patient interface

• Identify actions that embody those understandings

• Consider how different understandings of the context can be helpful in adapting what is to be implemented and how to go about implementing

• Implement in ways that are attuned to local contexts and their realities

• Allow for appropriate flexibility, reflexiveness, and adaptation

Actions that foster engagement in dialogue and listening, action and reflection throughout the implementation journey

• Create and use space for reflection

• Engage in respectful, reciprocal dialogue that generates new understandings

• Adjust implementation approaches and their pacing and timing as understandings develop over time