Realistic evaluation (pdf) has been developed originally by Pawson and Tilley.

“It goes beyond the theory of change model to explore the patterns of change generated in a given context (and in terms of KB work) from a series of interventions including the use of tacit /explicit experiential knowledge as well as academic knowledge”.
Razia Shariff, Third Sector Research Centre, U.K

Also see a brief introduction to realistic evaluation (doc). It states “One of the tasks of a realist evaluation is to make the theories within a program explicit, by developing clear hypotheses about how, and for whom, programs might ‘work’.  The implementation of the program, and the evaluation of it, then tests those hypotheses.  This means collecting data, not just about program impacts, or the processes of program implementation, but about the specific aspects of program context that might impact on program outcomes, and about the specific mechanisms that might be creating change”.   

Realistic evaluation has been applied and evaluated in a knowledge broker health setting by Vicky Ward see:

Developing a framework for transferring knowledge into action: a thematic analysis of the literature
Vicky Ward, Allan House and Susan Hamer
This paper describes the development of a conceptual framework of translating knowledge into action and discusses how it can be used for developing a useful model of the knowledge transfer process. Abstract only, unless subscribed to journal.

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