Transferabilitet

Transferabilitet refers to the degree to which knowledge, skills, processes, or artifacts can be transferred from one context to another. In research, it describes external validity or how well findings from a study apply to different settings, populations, or times.

For qualitative research, transferabilitet is achieved by providing thick description and contextual details, enabling readers to assess applicability rather than broad generalization. It is not about universal claims but about transfer potential.

In practice, transferabilitet concerns training, technology, or organizational practices. It asks whether a solution tested in one department can be implemented in another, or whether a skill learned in one task can be used in a different task.

Factors influencing transferabilitet include similarities between contexts, documentation, resources, organizational culture, and stakeholder involvement. Methods to enhance transferability: document context and limitations, present boundary conditions, supply concrete exemplars, and design adaptable solutions.

Limitations: transferabilitet cannot be guaranteed; readers must judge relevance for their own context. It is an analytic stance rather than a statistical property.