1.4: Sensitize key stakeholders and assess interest

Once stakeholders who can effectively influence implementation of the 7-1-7 approach have been identified, their consistent and early engagement is required. Informal one-on-one meetings should be held to introduce the approach, address any concerns about implementation, and provide clarity where there may be uncertainty. These meetings can then also lay the groundwork for subsequent stakeholder convenings and implementation planning activities.

Retrospective reviews provide an additional approach to introducing stakeholders to the benefits of 7-1-7 implementation. To conduct a Retrospective Review, the coordination team applies the 7-1-7 approach to recent public health events and presents their findings to stakeholders, thereby directly demonstrating how the approach can be used to assess system performance and identify required remedial actions. The outcomes of these stakeholder engagements may then be used by the champion(s) and coordination team to revise their stakeholder mapping to reflect perceived levels of interest, inform consensus building and define implementation roles.