[NHCOLL-L:799] FW: "best practice"

[Panza, Robin]

I think all of those terms are very similar in definition and use, but they
have connotations that create emotional baggage.

"Standards" has two rather different meanings.  On the one hand, it refers
to levels of achievement against which to measure oneself.  However, it also
refers to uniformity of action, as is "standardization".  When "standards"
first became an issue in collection database sharing, I think it
unnecessarily raised some hackles ("Who are you to decide whether my system
is good enough?") when all that was meant is that we make interaction easier
by agreeing to uniformity.  For this reason, I'd be only too happy to see
"standards" fall into disuse, replaced by "best practice" or any other term
for referring to levels of achievement.

"Guidelines" is less competitive-sounding than either of the above, a gentle
suggestion, if you will, of what has been found to work.  It can be seen as
paternalistic, I suppose.

Both of these, and "best practices", imply judgement by someone.  The last
seems to imply in addition, that some review of ideas has occurred and a
concensus has been reached ("this is what we agree is best").  "Standards"
implies there's some minimum level of achievement below which you've failed,
hence has negativity.  "Guidelines" seems more neutral, seeming like
something anyone can follow and achieve.  "Best practice" is the most
positive, implying a goal toward which everyone can work.  

"Procedures", "protocols" and "policies" are less about levels of
achievement than simple statements of "this is how we do it here".  None of
them imply "this is how you should do it, too," the way the above terms do.
The first two seem synonymous (with the second sounding more
"high-falutin'"), referring to actual recipes for action (step 1, hold the
specimen in your right hand...).  The last is of a more theoretical nature
(our policy is to require the following documentation...).  

just my opinion, of course,
Robin

Robin K Panza                         panzar at carnegiemuseums.org
Collection Manager, Section of Birds          ph:  412-622-3255
Carnegie Museum of Natural History       fax: 412-622-8837
4400 Forbes Ave.
Pittsburgh  PA  15213-4008  USA

-----Original Message-----
From: Cato [mailto:cato at pe.net] 

"Best practice" is a term that has become popular recently -- and it
surfaced during committee meeting discussions at the SPNHC annual meeting.
But where does it fit in the spectrum of recommended practices and
protocols?

How does the term differ from terms already in use including:  standards,
guidelines, procedures, protocols, policies?  Or does it have the same
meaning as one or more of these?

Does it imply some level of review has taken place?

If you received a publication entitled, "Best Practices for mounting
vascular plants" and one entitled, "Guidelines for mounting vascular
plants", how would your expectations for the contents of the pub differ? or
would you expect to see the same information?