14.5 The recommendation chain
Every major recommendation should be traceable through five links:
- Problem or opportunity: What has been established?
- Evidence: Which organizational analysis supports it?
- Context: Which external evidence, constraints, or stakeholder knowledge affects interpretation?
- Recommendation: What action should be considered?
- Evaluation: How will implementation and outcomes be assessed?
A recommendation is weak when it is generic, infeasible, based mainly on outside information, or attached to an analysis that does not support it.
| Problem | Evidence | Recommendation | Evaluation |
|---|---|---|---|
| High evening wait lists at two centres | Capacity, registration, and attendance analysis | Pilot added sessions and revised room allocation | Wait-list conversion, attendance, cost per added participant |
| Low early engagement predicts non-renewal | Validated retention model and first-60-day usage | Test an early-engagement contact program | Contact rate, visit change, renewal lift, contribution after cost |