Evidence-Based Practice: Assessment Q&A Session

Assessment Overview
❖ The assessment for this unit consists of a 2-part report:
❖ Report part 1
➢ Word count of 2,900 words +/- 10% allowance.
❖ Report part 2
➢ Word count is 1,000 words +/- 10% allowance.
❖ The result will be a Refer/Fail, Low Pass, Pass, High Pass.

Optional draft submission of any 3 assessment criteria.

Case Study

The company director has requested that your HR department provides a report to senior management at their forthcoming annual meeting to show how evidence-based practice approaches can be used to inform sound decision-making on people practices and business-related matters. Your departmental manager has asked you to provide this report. 

In addition, for the second part of the report, you have been asked to provide them with examples that demonstrate how people practitioners gain understanding and insight through interpretation of data.

Report Part 1

• You are required to prepare a report to senior managers at their forthcoming annual meeting.
• Report Structure:
  • Title page
  • Contents
  • Introduction
  • Part 1 – Headings and sub-headings per AC
  • Part 2 – Headings and sub-headings per AC
  • Reference page
  • Bibliography

• Part 1 word count is 2,900 words.
• Provide evaluation of the concept of evidence-based practice and assess how evidence-based practice approaches can be used to provide insight to support sound decision-making and judgments for people practitioners across a range of people practices and organisational issues. (1.1)
  • Assess = evaluate/judge the importance of an issue, and use available information to make a reasoned judgment.
  • Must include both people practice issues, and organisational issues.
  • Evaluate at least 2 evidence-based practice approaches, and their impact on decision making – see Indicative Content in the Course Specification document for examples of suitable strategies, models and approaches.

• Provide evaluation of one appropriate analysis tool and one method that might be applied by organisations to recognise and diagnose current and future issues, challenges, and opportunities. (1.2)
  • Select 1 tool and 1 method to evaluate.
  • To evaluate you should appraise the importance or value of your chosen tool and method using evidence, information, and knowledge.

Consider how the tool and method can be used for future issues, challenges and opportunities.

• Explain the main principles of critical thinking and describe how these might apply to individual and work colleagues’ ideas to assist objective and rational debate. (1.3)
  • Explain at least 3 main principles.
  • Provide 1 example of when these principles could or have applied to your own ideas.
  • Provide 1 example related to others’ ideas, perhaps a work colleague.

• Assess a range of different ethical theories and perspectives and explain how understanding of these can be used to inform and influence moral decision-making. (1.4)
  • Assess at least 3 different ethical theories.
  • Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of the theories to make a reasoned judgement.

• Explain a range of approaches that could be taken by people practitioners to identify possible solutions to a specific issue relating to people practice. (2.3)
  • Explain at least 3 different approaches.
  • Focus on how a People Practitioner would identify solutions to make an impact on practice.

You should use an example of a specific people practice issue to illustrate your answer.

• Appraise one approach an organisation can take to measure financial and non-financial performance. (3.1)
  • One approach is required, but this should include both financial and nonfinancial performance, so consider the use of multiple metrics e.g. KPIs or balanced scorecard.

Evaluate or assess the approach to judge its suitability, and consider why an organisation might use this approach.

• Explain how a variety of people practices add value in an organisation and identify a range of methods that might be used to measure the impact of a range of people practices. (3.4)
  • Include at least 3 ways in which People Practice adds value to an organisation.

Identify methods used to measure the impact of the ways you have identified.

Report Part 2

• Section two of the report needs to showcase to senior managers how people professionals use and analyse data on people practices.
• There are 5 assessment criteria.
• Evidence required:
  • Data analysis and review (approximately 1,000 words, refer to CIPD word count policy).

Prepare a range of information and interpretations for inclusion in the report.

From the analysis present your findings using appropriate methods to highlight themes and trends that appear to be occurring.

[Interpret analytical data using appropriate analysis tools and methods. (2.1)]

• 2 tables – one for turnover costings and one for % based on the 5-year turnover.
  • Present at least 3 different graphs, charts or tables based on tables 1 and 2.

From the analysis present your findings using appropriate methods to highlight themes and trends that appear to be occurring. [Review relevant evidence to identify key insights into a people practice issue. (2.2)]

• Create a narrative to present finding from your data analysis – no need to think of solutions or making any recommendations
  • Should include themes and trends identified – a minimum of 3 themes or trends (insights).
  • Focus on themes and trends that either impact on, or can be impacted by people practice.

From the analysis present your findings using appropriate methods to highlight themes and trends that appear to be occurring.

[Scrutinise key systems and data used to inform people practice in relation to measures of work and people performance calculations. (3.2)]

• Link this to the 3 themes / trends from the previous assessment criteria.
  • Explore what types of data can be insightful for PP, and where this data may be located.
  • Comment on availability of both qualitative and quantitative data, where these may be stored / found and how the use of a combination of these can provide insight.
  • You can link this to the types of data used during their analysis.

From the analysis present your findings using appropriate methods to highlight themes and trends that appear to be occurring.

[Collate key findings for stakeholders from people practice activities and initiatives. (3.3)]

• Pull out the headline / key findings, and identify the top 3 areas that the organisation should be focused on.
  • Visuals relating to the 3 key findings to illustrate them. 
  • Consider how data may be presented at senior level – they want to see the highlights, not the entire data set.

Make at least three recommendations to reduce employee turnover based on your analysis.  Provide a rationale for your recommendations based on an evaluation of the benefits, risks, and financial implications of potential solutions.

[Provide a rationale for your decision based on evaluation of the benefits, risks, and financial implications of potential solutions. (2.4)]

• Based on your previous analysis, provide at least 3 recommendations.
  • Focus should be on reducing turnover in the case study.
  • Ensure that your response considers the benefits, risks and financial implications of each proposed solution.

Assessment Tips

• Use the Assessment Criteria as your headings and sub-headings.
• Use the task format as requested.
• Refer to the case study.
• Refer to academic concepts and theories using Harvard Referencing.

• Read the CIPD Insight, Fact Sheets and related online materials on the topics.
• Use the Indicative Content from the Course Specification.