What It Helps Clients Understand
An Evidence Gap Map helps clients answer questions such as:
Which interventions have been extensively studied?
Which outcomes have received the greatest research attention?
Which populations or regions remain underrepresented?
Where is evidence abundant?
Where are the most significant evidence gaps?
Which policy areas require additional research?
Where should future evaluations or research investments be prioritized?
How balanced is the existing body of evidence?
Methodological Characteristics
An Evidence Gap Map follows a transparent and systematic process that may include:
Clearly defined scope.
Structured literature search.
Explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Classification of interventions or policy instruments.
Classification of outcomes.
Coding of study characteristics.
Evidence mapping.
Visualization of evidence distribution.
Identification of research gaps and concentrations.
Unlike a literature review, an Evidence Gap Map focuses on organizing and visualizing the evidence landscape rather than synthesizing the substantive findings of each study.
Core Components
The assessment typically includes:
Definition of the analytical framework.
Classification of interventions, policies, or research topics.
Classification of outcomes or dependent variables.
Mapping of available studies.
Distribution of evidence across sectors, populations, countries, or regions.
Identification of evidence-rich areas.
Identification of evidence gaps.
Assessment of research concentration.
Strategic priorities for future research and evaluation.
Typical Duration: 4 to 8 weeks, depending on the scope of the review, number of studies, and complexity of the analytical framework.
Typical Deliverables
Deliverables may include:
Interactive or static Evidence Gap Map.
Analytical report.
Executive summary.
Evidence inventory.
Database of included studies.
Gap analysis.
Strategic recommendations.
Presentation for decision-makers.
Best Suited For
This product is especially valuable for:
International organizations.
Development banks.
Government agencies.
Foundations.
Research funding organizations.
NGOs.
Universities.
Typical applications include:
Defining research priorities.
Planning new evaluations.
Allocating research funding.
Supporting evidence-informed policymaking.
Identifying underexplored policy areas.
Value Proposition
An Evidence Gap Map transforms dispersed research into a clear and accessible representation of where evidence exists and where important gaps remain. By organizing the evidence landscape visually and systematically, it enables organizations to prioritize research investments, design future evaluations, and allocate resources more effectively.