Searching for Disconfirming Evidence/Following Up Exceptions
Instead of treating outliers as noise, this method encourages facilitators to actively seek out and investigate data points or cases that don't fit the expected pattern. These exceptions can provide valuable insights into other causal factors or limitations of the intervention.
Use this method when you want to gain a deeper understanding of the factors influencing an outcome, beyond the main intervention. It's particularly useful when you suspect that there are other important variables at play.
Solves: Oversimplified explanations, ignoring important contextual factors, lack of understanding of complex dynamics
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Step 1: Identify outliers or exceptions to the expected pattern. (15 min)
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Step 2: Investigate each exception to understand why it occurred. (Ongoing)
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Step 3: Look for patterns or commonalities among the exceptions. (15 min)
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Step 4: Revise your understanding of the causal factors based on the exceptions. (15 min)
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Step 5: Document the exceptions and the revised understanding. (15 min)
- Encourage participants to be curious and open-minded.
- Avoid making assumptions about the reasons for the exceptions.
- Use a fishbone diagram to explore the potential causes of the exceptions.
- Conduct interviews with individuals involved in the exceptional cases.