Self-assessment

A tool to enable an organisation to identify its own strengths and weakness on aspects of their business.

The aim of this self-assessment tool, the River Diagram, is to enable an organisation to identify its own strengths and weakness and develop an integrated strategic approach. This could be on an aspect of their business or a pan organisation function.

The River Diagram is a method of converting graphic information into an accessible diagram illustrating:

• performance and benchmarking
• the capability for learning
• performance levels

It lays the foundation for creating a strategy for managing and sharing knowledge within an organisation.

Chris Collison describes the thinking behind the River Diagram and how it can be useful in an organisation

The River Diagram can also be known as the River and Stairs diagram or maturity model.

Rachel Cooke, in consultation with others at the NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement, developed a NHS knowledge mobilisation (KM) maturity model with more criteria than Chris Collison’s original 5 criteria tool:

• original NHS knowledge maturity model
• NHS Knowledge self-assessment leader’s guide
• Stairs and river tool leader’s guide

This has further been developed into a digital Knowledge Mobilisation Self-Assessment Tool.

This tool helps health organisations consider how they are using external evidence and organisational knowledge and identifying priorities to develop.

The River Diagram template will help you create your own River and Stairs diagram using KM criteria.

River Diagram template to enable you to create your own river and stairs diagram using knowledge mobilisation criteria:

• River Diagram worked example
• River Diagram template
• River Diagram blank

More information

This postcard described the Self-Assessment Tool in words and pictures.

Contact the Knowledge for Healthcare team on [email protected] for the postcard in an accessible format.