Layers Upon Layers of Impacts: Two Ways to Use Ripple Effects Mapping in Community-Engaged Research

Note: This is a hybrid event. If you plan to join via Zoom, please be sure that you have registered for the Zoom registration link! Ripple Effects Mapping (REM) is a participatory approach to evaluating complex interventions. In this interactive workshop, we highlight two examples and give participants the opportunity to try it, asking: “What impacts do you dream your work might have?”

The Food, Fitness and Opportunity Research Collaborative (FFORC) conducted REM sessions with community garden partners. Participants developed a map of benefits across three levels/ripples: individual, interpersonal and community. The sessions uncovered new benefits, proving REM effective for understanding interventions and centering participant voices.

Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute researchers used REM to evaluate efforts to create more equitable research practices. The session captured impacts across four levels (adding a policy level to the FFORC’s three), revealing that most impacts have been at the personal and team levels.

Registration for this event is now closed. Thanks to those who joined in-person and via Zoom on Tuesday afternoon!