Difference between revisions of "Best practice"
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==Definition== | ==Definition== | ||
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| − | '''Source: ''' [[Planning and Execution of Knowledge Management Assist Missions for Nuclear Organizations]] | + | <!-- '''Source: ''' [[Planning and Execution of Knowledge Management Assist Missions for Nuclear Organizations]] --> |
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| − | == | + | ==Purpose and benefits== |
| − | + | Identifying and sharing best practices is an important way to incorporate the knowledge of some into the work of many. | |
| + | It can be especially important when looking for ways to improve results of important or significant processes. | ||
| − | + | ==Description== | |
| + | Organizational structures tend to promote "silo" thinking where particular locations, divisions, or functions focus on maximizing their own accomplishments and rewards, keeping information to themselves and thereby sub-optimizing the whole organization. The mechanisms are lacking for sharing of information and learning. Identifying and sharing best practices helps build relationships and common perspectives among people who don't work side by side. | ||
| + | Best practices can also spark innovative ideas and generate suggestions for improving processes, even if a practice can't be used in its entirety. The process of identifying them can also benefit employee morale. By highlighting or showcasing people's work, employees get organization-wide recognition for their work. | ||
| + | "Best practices" are ways of doing business, processes, methods, strategies, etc. that yield superior results. They have been implemented and honed over time to a point where they are viewed as exemplary and should or could be adopted by others. A formal "benchmarking" process is often used to identify best practices. | ||
| − | |||
| + | ==Variations== | ||
| + | There are many approaches to identifying and sharing best practices, ranging from a formal organization-wide initiative with staff assigned to researching, documenting, and creating a database to more informal ways such as talking at the water cooler (sometimes the most effective approach!) | ||
| + | One "in between" approach involves management identifying the results they want to improve, determining the parameters of a process that should be studied, and then chartering a team to conduct the study. | ||
| + | Another approach some organizations use is to encourage employees to learn from others within the organization through annual or periodic best practices or benchmarking conferences. | ||
| + | Some organizations recognize teams that have been particularly successful in accomplishing their objectives. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Implementation guide== | ||
| + | There are no specific rules on how best practices should be shared within or across organizations. | ||
| + | The initiative for sharing best practices can come either from a team that would like to share something what works well and use it as own promotion within the organization, or from a team/unit which seeks improvement in one or several practices or processes. Often managers agree on their level about sharing/ adopting one or another practice. | ||
| + | One typical neither formal/not totally informal approach involves management identifying the results they want to improve, determining the parameters of a process that should be studied, and then chartering a team to conduct the study. | ||
| + | Another approach some organizations use is to encourage employees to learn from others within the organization through annual or periodic best practices or benchmarking conferences. | ||
| + | Some organizations recognize teams that have been particularly successful in accomplishing their objectives. | ||
| + | An example of formalizing and sharing specific best practices across organizations can be found e.g. in the IAEA document on Best Practices in Identifying, | ||
| + | Reporting and Screening Operating Experience at Nuclear Power Plants. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Success factors== | ||
| + | Sharing best practices should be positioned in a way which does not create a perception of sharing information - loosing power. By highlighting or showcasing people's work, employees get organization-wide recognition for their work. | ||
| + | Using compositions of different tools, e.g. best practice and story telling in a conjunction with Peer assisted teams. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Common pitfalls== | ||
| + | Reluctance to share methods with others. | ||
| + | The "not-invented-here" syndrome could negatively affect the adoption of a method created by a different workgroup. | ||
| + | When documented and stored in a shared area, not enough details of a best practice are preserved and consequently are not understandable for everyone. | ||
| + | Keeping and referring to old and obsolete best practices which are hardly applicable in an organization's current situation. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Resources== | ||
| + | Knowledge Management & Transfer Model, Division of Personnel Department of Administrative Service State of New Hampshire. | ||
| + | |||
| + | INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Best Practices in Identifying, Reporting and Screening Operating Experience at Nuclear Power Plants, IAEATECDOC-1581, | ||
| + | IAEA, Vienna (2007). | ||
| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ==Related articles== | ||
[[Lessons learned]] | [[Lessons learned]] | ||
| + | |||
[[Category:Knowledge management method]] | [[Category:Knowledge management method]] | ||
Latest revision as of 11:35, 24 March 2016
Contents
Definition
A process or methodology that has been shown to work well and produce good results and is, therefore, recommended as a model
Purpose and benefits
Identifying and sharing best practices is an important way to incorporate the knowledge of some into the work of many. It can be especially important when looking for ways to improve results of important or significant processes.
Description
Organizational structures tend to promote "silo" thinking where particular locations, divisions, or functions focus on maximizing their own accomplishments and rewards, keeping information to themselves and thereby sub-optimizing the whole organization. The mechanisms are lacking for sharing of information and learning. Identifying and sharing best practices helps build relationships and common perspectives among people who don't work side by side. Best practices can also spark innovative ideas and generate suggestions for improving processes, even if a practice can't be used in its entirety. The process of identifying them can also benefit employee morale. By highlighting or showcasing people's work, employees get organization-wide recognition for their work. "Best practices" are ways of doing business, processes, methods, strategies, etc. that yield superior results. They have been implemented and honed over time to a point where they are viewed as exemplary and should or could be adopted by others. A formal "benchmarking" process is often used to identify best practices.
Variations
There are many approaches to identifying and sharing best practices, ranging from a formal organization-wide initiative with staff assigned to researching, documenting, and creating a database to more informal ways such as talking at the water cooler (sometimes the most effective approach!) One "in between" approach involves management identifying the results they want to improve, determining the parameters of a process that should be studied, and then chartering a team to conduct the study. Another approach some organizations use is to encourage employees to learn from others within the organization through annual or periodic best practices or benchmarking conferences. Some organizations recognize teams that have been particularly successful in accomplishing their objectives.
Implementation guide
There are no specific rules on how best practices should be shared within or across organizations. The initiative for sharing best practices can come either from a team that would like to share something what works well and use it as own promotion within the organization, or from a team/unit which seeks improvement in one or several practices or processes. Often managers agree on their level about sharing/ adopting one or another practice. One typical neither formal/not totally informal approach involves management identifying the results they want to improve, determining the parameters of a process that should be studied, and then chartering a team to conduct the study. Another approach some organizations use is to encourage employees to learn from others within the organization through annual or periodic best practices or benchmarking conferences. Some organizations recognize teams that have been particularly successful in accomplishing their objectives. An example of formalizing and sharing specific best practices across organizations can be found e.g. in the IAEA document on Best Practices in Identifying, Reporting and Screening Operating Experience at Nuclear Power Plants.
Success factors
Sharing best practices should be positioned in a way which does not create a perception of sharing information - loosing power. By highlighting or showcasing people's work, employees get organization-wide recognition for their work. Using compositions of different tools, e.g. best practice and story telling in a conjunction with Peer assisted teams.
Common pitfalls
Reluctance to share methods with others. The "not-invented-here" syndrome could negatively affect the adoption of a method created by a different workgroup. When documented and stored in a shared area, not enough details of a best practice are preserved and consequently are not understandable for everyone. Keeping and referring to old and obsolete best practices which are hardly applicable in an organization's current situation.
Resources
Knowledge Management & Transfer Model, Division of Personnel Department of Administrative Service State of New Hampshire.
INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY, Best Practices in Identifying, Reporting and Screening Operating Experience at Nuclear Power Plants, IAEATECDOC-1581, IAEA, Vienna (2007).
