STREAM – Standards for Rapid Evaluation and Appraisal Methods

The Rapid Research Evaluation and Appraisal Lab (RREAL) are working to improve the transparency and completeness of reporting and to increase the quality of rapid studies by developing Standards for Rapid Evaluation and Appraisal Methods (STREAM). The ultimate aim is for STREAM to become internationally used as a guideline for the design and implementation of rapid evaluations and appraisal methods, as a reporting template, and as a quality assessment tool.

This project aims to develop “Standards for Rapid Evaluation and Appraisal Methods (STREAM)” to be used as 1) guidelines for the design and implementation of rapid evaluations, assessments and appraisals, 2) reporting templates, and 3) a quality assessment tool. This reporting guideline will apply to observational studies, qualitative research and mixed methods studies, service quality improvement studies and any study using rapid evaluation approaches.

The MRC-UKRI-funded project started in May 2022. The group developing the reporting guideline, based at the Department of Targeted Intervention, UCL, plans to conduct a systematic review, and after ethics approval, a three-round e-Delphi survey, and workshops with piloting. They plan to have several outputs: two peer-reviewed publications (systematic review and agreed standards); a manual, and a visual toolkit in English, Spanish and French to promote accessibility and use of the methods. The main document is planned to be published in September 2023 as an open-access document.

• See the project registration at OSF

• See the systematic review registration at PROSPERO