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A practice is a set and sequence of actions to achieve specific outcomes. The Local Best Practices (LBP) Tool (which is also known as the Best Practices Design & Analysis Tool) can be used to enable individuals and teams to analyse current practices and design improved practices.
Using the tool you can:
Steps to follow1. Identify and assemble the participants (no more than 15) who are interested in achieving the focus. Set up a venue so that participants can be seated around the recording framework shown in Figure 1. Set up a whole electronic whiteboard, wall or computer-projected screen with the recording framework.
2. Develop a SMARTT focus, principles and assumptions based on the ‘need’ (use the SMARTT Focus Tool). Then develop target outcomes. 3. Ask: ‘‘What do you have to have to achieve the focus?” These are the Critical Success Factors (CSFs). Generate a list of CSFs and space them down the column marked Critical Success Factors. Check over the list to ensure that they are all relevant to the focus. CSFs should be stated as outcomes. 4. For each CSF ask: ‘To ensure the CSF is in place what is it necessary to do?’ Key Practices (KPs) always start with an active verb, e.g. develop, list, negotiate, send etc. List these in the Key Practices (KPs) column for the relevant CSF. In this step you need to distinguish whether you are talking about current practice, current best practice or an opportunity for improved practice. Clarify which you are talking about and note whether items are current, best or opportunities for better practice. 5. Ask: ‘What would be a good measure/s to assess the level of achievement of the CSF?’ These are the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). 6. Record any additional thinking regarding issues, constraints or ideas that has been prompted by the discussion. Use the last column of the framework to record this thinking. 7. Now that you’ve thought through the practices needed to achieve the focus, ask people to consider opportunities for improving current practices. The clarifications that you made about each Key Practice as current practice, current best practice or an opportunity for improved practice will be useful now. As well as improvements, you may find some completely new practices to implement. List the opportunities on a whiteboard, wall or computer-projected screen where people can easily see both the LBP and the growing list of opportunities. 8. After the meeting, get the framework and list of opportunities typed as soon as possible and send them to participants. If possible, gather people back for a follow-up meeting to finalise agreed ‘best practices’ and lists of opportunities. Alternatively, this step can be accomplished by email. Ask participants to provide further input on the thinking and practices, and come up with further opportunities for improvement. Document the enhanced set of best practices and opportunities. A recording framework for use with the Local Best Practices Tool is shown on the next page, and an example of the framework partially completed for a restaurant is shown on the page following. |
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