5CO02 Evidence-Based Practice: Assessment Questions 2025

AC1.1 – Evaluate the concept of evidencebased practice, including how approaches to evidence-based practice can be used to provide insight that supports sound decision-making across a range of people practices and organisational issues.     

• Evaluate – determine the significance of                                   
• Indicative Content: Concept of evidence-based practice: making decisions based on ‘effective thinking’ and sound evidence, decisions that can be justified to others. Making use of strategies,

including critical thinking and analysis in decision-making. Models of decision-making, for example the rational model and its limitations, bounded rationality, individual vs group decision making, group think and group polarisation. Application of evidencebased practice: effective selection and interpretation of evidence. Effective analysis of situations and issues, critical review of theory, propositions and opinion. Assessing evidence from a variety of sources; identifying bias. Forming judgements and conclusions; developing and testing out own arguments and conclusions.

• Individual vs. Group Decision Making
• Groupthink o Abilene Paradox
• Group Polarisation This answer requires you to evaluate (i.e. judge the significance of) the concept of EBP, therefore you must support your response with examples of models, concepts and theories available in the relevant academic literature, and evaluate them:
• How credible is the author? 
• What are the theory’s strengths and weaknesses?
• When might you use them? 
• Are they contemporary or outdated in supporting effective decision-making?
• Can the theory identify bias?

AC1.2 – Evaluate one appropriate analysis tool and one appropriate analysis method that might be applied by organisations to recognise and diagnose current and future issues, challenges, and opportunities.    

• Evaluate – determine the significance of                         
• Indicative Content: Range of analysis tools used in people practice: for example environmental analysis tools, strategic review, future state analysis, Porter’s five forces, force field analysis, Ansoff matrix, fishbone analysis, critical incident analysis, cause and effect, target operating model, balanced scorecard, McKinsey 7S; uses and applications within different areas of people practice. Range of analysis methods: for example interviews, observations, job analysis questionnaires, work sampling, examination of organisation metrics, comparison with sector metrics.

Choose and define one tool, such as:

•  Ansoff Matrix
• Balanced Scorecard 
• Fishbone Analysis
• Force Field Analysis
• McKinsey 7S
• PESTLE
• Porter’s Five Forces

STEEPLE Choose and define one method, such as:

• Interviews
• Observations
• Job analysis questionnaires
• Work sampling
•  Examining organisation metrics
• Comparing sector metrics You must do the following for both the chosen tool and method:
• Explain how they could be applied in the organisational context to diagnose organisational challenges, issues and opportunities. You must include examples, using your own organisation (or one you are familiar with).
• Evaluate (i.e. determine the significance of) their overall effectiveness at recognising and diagnosing both current and future issues, challenges and opportunities. This includes analysing their advantages and disadvantages.

AC.1.3 – Explain the main principles of critical thinking including how these might apply to your own and others’ ideas to assist objective and rational debate.                                                                     

• Explain – make something clear or easy to understand, by describing or giving information about it                         
• Indicative Content: Principles of critical thinking: for example objective rational thinking and well reasoned argument. Questioning and checking validity of sources and validity of ‘evidence’; awareness of bias – conscious and unconscious, yours and others’. How to apply to own and others’ ideas: comparing ‘like with like’ and recognising different methodologies, approaches and contexts; ensuring clarity of terminology and differentiating between fact and opinion; awareness of personal agendas and ‘fake news’, not taking information at ‘face value’; managing ambiguity and complexity of information; triangulation and testing out of conclusions.

Define the term “Critical Thinking”, including what elevates critical thinking from ordinary thinking. Within your definitions, include at least 2 principles of critical thinking.

• Explain how you could apply critical thinking principles to your own ideas to make informed judgements, with examples (e.g. checking data).
• Explain how you could apply critical thinking principles to other people’s ideas to make informed judgements, with examples (e.g. checking validity of others work).
• You must include personal examples of how you could apply these principles to both your own and other people’s ideas to pass this question.

AC1.4 – Explain two decision-making processes for achieving effective outcomes.                                                               

• Explain – make something clear or easy to understand, by describing or giving information about it                      
• Indicative content: Decision-making processes: for example best fit, future pacing, problem-outcome frame, action learning approaches, De Bono (six thinking hats).

Define 2 decision-making approaches, such as:

• Six Thinking Hats (De Bono)
• Lateral Thinking
• Action Learning Groups
• Pareto Analysis
• SWOT Explain how your chosen approaches are applied in context (i.e. using examples) to ensure effective outcomes are achieved. You must apply both chosen approaches to examples:
• You could identify a specific issue in your organisation (or one you are familiar with) and explain how your chosen approaches could be used to identify solutions to this issue.