Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center’s Video Production Process:
Transforming Factsheet Information Into Real-Life Experiences

Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) logo

American Institutes for Research
Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center
Submitted by Cynthia Overton

Overview

The Model Systems Knowledge Translation Center (MSKTC) helps Model Systems (MS) researchers facilitate the knowledge translation (KT) process. Key activities include summarizing research, identifying health information needs, providing technical assistance, developing and disseminating information resources, and promoting product use. MSKTC explains its process for collaborating with MS researchers and individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI), traumatic brain injury (TBI), and burn injury to develop videos. These videos are framed by evidence-based factsheets developed by MS researchers. They convey real-life experiences of how people with SCI, TBI, and burn injury use MS research findings throughout recovery, rehabilitation, and daily activities.

Focus

This strategy describes the process for developing MSKTC videos. MSKTC videos build on factsheets to tell the real-life experiences of people living with SCI, TBI, and burn injury. MSKTC factsheets are brief documents written in plain language that provide information about living with and managing TBI, SCI, and burn injury to survivors, family members, and caregivers. Factsheets reflect expert consensus and the work of MS researchers relative to SCI, TBI, and burn injury. The factsheet development process is also featured in the KT Casebook.

KT Activities

MSKTC collaborates with MS researchers and consumers to develop videos that convey real-life experiences of how people with SCI, TBI, and burn injury use MS research findings throughout recovery, rehabilitation, and daily activities. The video development process includes seven steps: (1) identifying video topics, (2) preproduction, (3) collaboration, (4) filming, (5) editing, (6) soliciting and incorporating feedback, and (7) incorporating access features to promote use by people with disabilities.

  1. Identifying Video Topic: All MSKTC video topics reflect existing factsheet topics. Due to budget constraints, MS researchers must select specific factsheets to serve as bases for videos. When selecting factsheets that should have accompanying videos, researchers consider:
    1. Applicability to a broad audience.
    2. Availability of an MS center with expertise in the topic to work with MSKTC throughout the development process and to serve as the host MS center.
    3. Potential to recruit consumer participants for the video.
    4. Ability to develop an appealing storyline that will resonate with consumers.
  2. Preproduction Collaboration: MSKTC collaborates with the host model system center on pre-production activities. This involves engaging in a series of teleconferences that typically occur between one and four times per month for two or three months. These activities include:
    1. Developing the Vision—MSKTC and the partnering MS center engage in conversations about the topic and create a list of questions to pose to video participants.
    2. Identifying and Engaging Video Participants—MSKTC works to engage consumer and MS researcher participants who come from different backgrounds and who can clearly, naturally, and personably convey information. MS researchers make recommendations concerning participants, and the producer conducts telephone screening interviews with prospective participants to determine fit. Before filming, MSKTC briefs participants on what to expect and explains the need to sign a release form.
    3. Planning Logistics—This activity involves seeking any necessary institutional clearance, reserving rooms, issuing standard release forms to participants, and appointing an individual at the host MS center to accompany the producer and film crew on the day of filming.
  3. Filming: Filming takes place in multiple settings, including offices, healthcare facilities, homes, and surrounding communities. An individual from the host MS center accompanies the producer and film crew throughout the day, and the producer collects release forms from all people who can be identified in the video.
  4. Editing: The producer edits footage to create a story and shares the first draft of the video and the transcript with MSKTC. Using the video and the transcript, MSKTC offers feedback to the producer, and the producer updates the video.
  5. Soliciting and Incorporating Feedback: MSKTC collects feedback from experts and consumers featured in the video and from the National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR) project officer, and the producer updates the video based on that input. Next, MSKTC conducts consumer testing to obtain feedback from people with the relevant injury and their caregivers who were not involved in the production of the video. The video producer revises the video based on this feedback. After approval from the NIDILRR project officer, MSKTC distributes the video to project directors for review and commentary. The producer then finalizes the video by incorporating feedback and adding narration.
  6. Incorporating Access Features: When the video is finalized, MSKTC adds captions to support people who are hard of hearing or deaf and video descriptions for individuals who have low vision or are blind.
  7. Dissemination: MSKTC issues a press release to launch the new resource. Additional dissemination outlets include MSKTC’s monthly newsletter, social media, electronic mailings, and conferences focused on the video’s specific topic.

Reach

To gather input on resource use, MSKTC works with an analytics specialist to identify traffic to the MSKTC webpage where videos are posted. MSKTC also gathers information about video use from stakeholders during conference exhibits and presentations. To increase reach, MSKTC disseminates videos as individual products and by packaging them into “hot-topic modules.” A hot-topic module is a collection of related resources (e.g., factsheets, slideshows, topical videos) that are bundled into a single resource. In addition, MSKTC encourages the use of its videos in inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation facilities.

Learning

For MSKTC, the most significant learning outcome stemming from the video production process has been a strengthened appreciation for the value of consumer input. Often, consumers can identify issues and concerns that may be overlooked by healthcare professionals and others. In addition to editing videos based on consumer input, we document general feedback to inform the development of future videos.

Contact Information

MSKTC Website: http://www.msktc.org
Videos by type of injury are available at: