Increasing the Capacity of Individuals, Families and Communities

Identifying and Promoting Best Practices

Understanding Best Practices | Key Steps in Promoting and Fostering Best Practices

Identifying Best Practices

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Step Three: Validate the Best Practice
The purpose of validation is to ensure that a potential practice meets the criteria required to be considered a best practice. Without the application of the type of validation process outlined here, a practice remains only a promising practice and is therefore much more limited in its potential to be used successfully by a broad spectrum of organizations.

Types of Validation Data
Validation involves a comparative assessment of the practice against both objective and subjective data. The best validation process will include a comparison and evaluation of the best practice against both categories of data.

Subjective data
Subjective data is data gathered from internal reviews, assessments, and feedback mechanisms regarding the success of the practice and is often more autobiographical or qualitative in nature. Sources for obtaining subjective data can include:

• Management and staff
• Customers/beneficiaries
• Internal auditors
• Reports from on the job experience
• Peers

Objective Data
Objective data is data gathered from sources both internal and external to the organization that provides an objective basis for comparison of the success of the best practice through like-kind analysis. Sources for obtaining objective data can include:

• Subject matter experts
• External auditors
• Consultants
• Research evidence
• Independent evaluations

Methods for Validating a Best Practice
There are two methods of comparative assessment that an intermediary can utilize: a quantitative data review and a practitioner peer review. Both are equal and valid options. However, if possible, a combination of some degree of both methods will yield the most useful results when working with practitioner organizations.

In order to choose which method or combination of methods may be the best fit, the intermediary organization may want to conduct some preliminary research in order to determine what comparative measures are available or what standards or guidelines exist that will qualify as a comparative standard for the potential best practice. The following is a detailed description of each method of comparative assessment:

Method One: Quantitative Data Review
The quantitative data review draws primarily on objective data sources to compare the findings produced in the programmatic or organizational review to similar best practices of other organizations. The purpose of the quantitative data review is to validate the results of the programmatic or organizational review through comparison to data gathered from sources external to the organization. The following is a listing of possible sources for finding comparative data:

• National, Regional or Local Benchmark Data—This type of data is most often found in program or organizational case studies conducted by external groups interested in assessing the scope of a problem and identifying those programs, activities or strategies that have proven most successful in solving the problem.
  
  
• Case Studies of Organizational Performance—This type of data can be drawn both from the FBCO that initially documented the best practice, as well as from other social service organizations working in a similar geographical location or in the same or a similar sector.
  
  
• Logic Models or Logical Frameworks in Program Design—Logic Models are often used either in program design or program evaluation. Again, this type of data can be drawn from the FBCO that initially documented the best practice, as well as from other social service organizations working in a similar geographical location or in the same or a similar sector.
  
  
• Comparative/Competitive Market Analysis—This type of data provides information about the external context in which the best practice has been functioning and can be particularly useful when evaluating the practice's potential for replicability.
  
  
• Academic Research—Academic research provides one of the most rigorous types of comparative data. You will want to look for studies conducted in the same geographic areas or around the same sector of activity as the best practice. Universities, think tanks and other academic institutions are great sources for academic research. However, many of the larger social service organizations may have on file reports of past or current academic research conducted on certain programs or practices that may also be a relevant source of data.

Method Two: Practitioner Peer Review
The practitioner peer review draws on the judgment of peers and other practitioner organizations to analyze and affirm the findings of the programmatic or organizational review of the potential best practice. This is accomplished through presenting the findings resulting from the programmatic or organizational review to a number of peers (individuals and organizations) to see if the findings hold up and meet with the general consensus of the practitioner community. The goal is to determine if there is agreement among practitioners that the practice does indeed qualify as a best practice.

The practitioner peer review is a critical step in the comparative assessment process in terms of building ownership for the FBCO in the best practice. A practice that has received consensus among the faith-based or community organization's peers is far more likely to be embraced and incorporated into the FBCO's organizational processes and structures.

Strengths and Limitations of the Two Methods of Comparative Assessment
The chart on the following page provides an overview of the strengths and the corresponding limitations of the two types of comparative assessments and can be useful to intermediaries in helping to determine which type or combination of types of comparative assessment best fit for validating a particular best practice.

Once the new potential best practice has undergone the documentation and validation processes, the intermediary organization assigns the practice the appropriate determination according to the criteria outlined in the definition section above. The practice is determined to be either a field tested best practice or a promising practice.

Sources of Quantitative Data Summary National, Regional or Local Benchmark Data Case Studies of Organizational Performance Logic Models or Logical Frameworks in Program Design Comparative/Competitive Market Analysis Academic Research

Type of Comparative Assessment Strengths Limitations Quatitative Data Review Based on objective data. Avoids the influence of personality or relationships in the assessment process. Provides a new lens for viewing the best practice revealing previously unnoticed aspects of effectiveness. It can also depersonalize the results making it easier to adapt new attitudes toward or understanding of the practice. It can be difficult to obtain complete “apples to apples” comparative data. Limits ability to take into account the qualitative aspects of effectiveness that cannot readily be measured. Reduces the best practice to a number or set of numbers that for social service and community development organizations often leaves out critical dimensions of community participation and personal life change that are vital concerns to FBCOs. Practitioner Peer Review Provides immediate feedback from other practitioners engaged in similar programs or efforts. Through the process of direct involvement in the selection of best practices, practitioners build a sense of ownership and therefore increase their receptivity toward adopting best practices and making organizational change. Peers can often be only generally aware of the practices of other organizations and can lack the in-depth understanding needed to render sound comparative judgment. Individual bias and organizational self-interest sometimes make it difficult for practitioners to render objective comparative judgment or be willing to admit that other organizations have practices that their organization may need to adopt.

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Understanding Best Practices | Key Steps in Promoting and Fostering Best Practices