{"id":3703,"date":"2025-12-01T12:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-12-01T20:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.carnegiefoundation.org\/?p=3703"},"modified":"2026-02-05T07:29:45","modified_gmt":"2026-02-05T15:29:45","slug":"building-a-theory-driver-diagram-concepts-activity","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.carnegiefoundation.org\/building-a-theory-driver-diagram-concepts-activity\/","title":{"rendered":"Building a Theory: Driver Diagram Concepts Activity"},"content":{"rendered":"
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A theory of practice improvement is a powerful tool for communicating a group\u2019s improvement goal and the key levers they will work together to impact to achieve their desired outcome. This resource for instructors or facilitators outlines an activity for participants to practice representing an articulated theory or hypothesis in a driver diagram (including aim statement, primary and secondary drivers, and change idea).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this brief activity, participants review an articulated theory or hypothesis statement and use its parts to build a driver diagram. This activity is designed to encourage participants to see the causal connections represented in a driver diagram and understand how its different components (aim, primary and secondary drivers, and change ideas) relate to each other. This activity is designed for beginner audiences after they have been introduced to theories of improvement and driver diagrams.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This resource packet for facilitators includes a participant handout with directions for the activity as well as an answer key based on the example provided.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Download the guide to the Driver Diagram Concepts Activity (PDF)<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Theory of Improvement & Driver Diagram Quick Reference Guide<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Building a Theory: Driver Diagram Card Sort Activity<\/a><\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

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A theory of practice improvement is a powerful tool for communicating a group\u2019s improvement goal and the key levers they … Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":3704,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"ghostkit_customizer_options":"","ghostkit_custom_css":"","ghostkit_custom_js_head":"","ghostkit_custom_js_foot":"","ghostkit_typography":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[70],"tags":[],"client_controls":[],"class_list":["post-3703","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-improvement-science-collection"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nBuilding a Theory: Driver Diagram Concepts Activity - Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.carnegiefoundation.org\/building-a-theory-driver-diagram-concepts-activity\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Building a Theory: Driver Diagram Concepts Activity - Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A theory of practice improvement is a powerful tool for communicating a group\u2019s improvement goal and the key levers they ... 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