Government Social Research
There are two broad approaches to doing reviews, those that clearly set out how they will be conducted from the beginning and follow this in a linear fashion to the end of the project (a priori), or those that develop in an iterative way during the course of the review. Both approaches can be applied to REAs.
A priori reviews use a protocol at the beginning of the project to set out how each stage of the project will be addressed. These stages are set out in the protocol and then followed in a logical sequence.
Key features of a priori reviews
The fact that a priori reviews tend to be faster than iterative reviews makes them attractive for use in REAs. However, REAs may need to make adjustments and refinements at different stages of the project in order to ensure they are still meeting users needs. Regular communication between all those involved is, therefore, vital to ensure the original approach is still valid.
An iterative review may have a general plan for how it will be carried out, but the detail is only worked out as the REA is being done. Particular stages may be repeated and developed as the review proceeds.
Key features of iterative reviews
Therefore, iterative reviews are particularly useful in checking and refining the different stages of an REA to ensure it is delivering what is wanted. However, as they tend to be slower than a priori reviews, they so should be carried out by an experienced team who can balance the need to repeat or develop stages against the need to ensure the REA is delivered on time.