MedCity Evidence Canvas – a planning tool for digital health innovators

The MedCity Evidence Canvas is a tool for founders of digital health companies to use as a framework for identifying and planning the important considerations in digital health technology and business design towards adoption and scale-up.

The Canvas is sub-divided into blocks. Each block categorises the key activities for successful and sustainable adoption and subsequent scale-up. They are in a loose sequential order that corresponds to increases in company value.

Although finance and funding is a recognised influence on many business canvas tools, it is not the focus of this Canvas.

Below is a brief guide to the three main sections highlighted on the Canvas, and how companies can use elements from each one to build and develop their evidence strategy.

Development

• Use this area to focus on the shaping and fulfilment of core strategies
• Think about the value proposition: How can companies showcase this from different angles, depending on the stakeholders they’re working with?
• Keep in consideration external factors such as market receptiveness to the type of technology and adhering to data standards.
• Also think about internal factors, such as the balance of roles and capabilities within the team.

Communication

• This area brings together both evidence generation and some of the wider aspects surrounding it. This can help companies to position their innovation towards integration into the ecosystem.
• The key things to think about in this part of the Canvas are your publication strategy, quality & safety systems, and developing trust & transparency.
• Ensure consistency between the data being presented and the core message of a product.
• In addressing these different areas, companies can begin to build trust in their innovation, both from the public and from the various stakeholders.

Use

• This area is designed to encourage companies to think about the practicalities surrounding how their technology will be used and scaled.
• It is primarily focused on the components of ‘implementation & support’, and ‘scale-up & monitoring’.
• Draw attention early on to how a technology is going to be implemented, something often overlooked by companies.
• Looking at the pathways of a particular technology, identify who the key stakeholders are and factor them into company plans for study/research.

The Evidence Canvas was developed in partnership with UCL and Lucille Harvey.

Please complete the brief form below to download a Powerpoint version of The Evidence Canvas, which you can use as a template.

To supplement the canvas we are developing a library of exemplar case studies with a view to publication. We invite you to submit your case study for inclusion.