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About Us

At Rigor, we understand the importance of delivering innovative and impactful policy solutions. As a leading policy research and consulting firm based in Toronto, Canada, we bring over 20 years of experience to the table. Founded in 2019, our mission is to empower organizations and individuals to achieve their goals through innovative and collaborative approaches.

We specialize in areas such as professional regulation, organizational development, risk regulation, standard setting, UX/UI, and quality assurance and improvement, to name a few. Our multimethod research approach allows us to provide comprehensive and effective knowledge and governance solutions that drive real change. Whether you are looking to improve regulation, ensure quality standards, or drive policy development, Rigor is here to help you succeed.

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Products & Services

Rigor's multi-method approach integrates research disciplines to deliver collaborative, quality results.

Program & Organizational Development

Quality Assurance and Quality Improvement, Strategic Planning, Evaluation, Process Optimization, Policy Compliance Audit, Benchmarking

Multi-Method Data Collection

Online Surveys, Interviews, Participant Observation, Focus Groups, Action-oriented and Transformative Research, Research Ethics

Policy Research & Knowledge Mobilization

Policy Analysis, Systematic Reviews, Research Briefs, Knowledge Translation

User-experience (UX/UI) Research & Design

We provide a whole spectrum UX/UI support. Proceed to RigorUX.

Our Team

Rigor's trailblazers, each with a unique skill set, collectively driving forward the evolution of policy and governance.

Igor Gontcharov - profile photo
Igor Gontcharov
M.A., LL.M., Ph.D. in Law (Osgoode)
Research Lead, CEO
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Specializes in regulation and governance, research governance, science policy, professional regulation, risk regulation, standard setting, research methods, sociology of law, and ethics.

Igor worked at and contributed to the Critical Research Laboratory in Law & Society at Osgoode, Columbia University School of Law, Gilbrea Centre for Studies in Aging, McMaster University, AGE-WELL Network of Centres of Excellence (NCE), UHN Rehabilitation Medicine and Science Research Ethics Board.

Natalia Zaslavska - profile photo
Natalia Zaslavska
M.A., MPH (UCLA), PMP
Consultant
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Extensive experience in health services research, program evaluation, policy development, internal auditing, and project management.

Natalia worked at leading North American academic hospitals and research institutions. She contributed to the Health Systems Research and Consulting Unit, Research Ethics Office, Medical Affairs, and Office of the Physician-In-Chief at CAMH in Toronto.

Natalia is a Project Management Professional, and holds Certificates in Internal Auditing and UX/UI Design from the University of Toronto.

“No longer bogged down by mundane tasks, my focus has shifted entirely to program development”
QA Program Manager
Regulatory College
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Publications

Our Evidence-based Quality Assurance Program Model, developed to support regulatory colleges in designing a rigorous and balanced approach to quality assurance.
June 2023

The strategic focus for health regulatory colleges in designing their Quality Assurance (QA) programs from 2023 to 2027 involves adherence to program design principles such as Evidence-Based Nodal Governance and Right-Touch Risk Regulation. This strategy aims to establish broad, lean, and responsive QA frameworks that promote professional development and self-regulation while encouraging collegiality and comprehensive coverage of professional competencies. Furthermore, it emphasizes fairness across diverse practice settings, transparency in decision-making, and cost-efficiency, thus striving for an excellent return on investment.
This table offers a one-page overview of four key systemic issues, as well as our recommendations to improve quality assurance in the professional context.
February 2023

We highlight the need for stronger governance and knowledge mobilization in QA and propose a program of activities that includes strategies such as research, networking, stakeholder engagement, and capacity building. By implementing these recommendations, regulatory colleges can ensure that their QA programs are more effective in fulfilling their regulatory mandate while minimizing unnecessary burdens on practitioners.
The Health Profession Regulators of Ontario (HPRO) Quality Assurance Working Group (QAWG) Meeting. Toronto. October 18, 2022
September 2022

Many regulatory colleges are currently engaged in reviewing their QA programs from the perspective of right-touch regulation and new reporting requirements. We invite all policy actors that are engaged in professional self-regulation to learn about our study and findings. In sharing this methodology, our goal is to support an open forum on developing a new generation of effective and rigorous solutions in the area of professional self-regulation and quality assurance.
August 2022

Asking the right questions is critical in designing a QA program that is able to work creatively with multiple dimensions of quality. Such a program is not designed around the ways of monitoring compliance with program requirements. Although the minimum standard for the Quality Assurance (QA) program, introduced in the Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991, had its benefits, it generally limited regulatory innovation in the area of professional quality assurance. One of the issues was conceptualizing QA programs in isolation from other policy actors’ contributions in a broader field of QA governance. In this Policy Brief, we draw attention to the basic questions that are often taken for granted.
June 2022

This comparative outline of the current and proposed QA program will be of interest to regulatory colleges, provincial ministries of health, educational institutions, professional associations, and other stakeholders.
June 2022

Rigor has recently conducted a study of the Quality Assurance (QA) program for a regulatory health college in Ontario. A brief overview of the findings and solutions will be of interest to regulatory colleges, provincial ministries of health, educational colleges, professional associations, and other stakeholders.