A best practice is a method that has shown it can help achieve a desired result in a particular context. The label is a useful starting point—not proof that a method is perfect, compulsory, or right for every person or organization. Before adopting one, check what outcome it targets, what evidence supports it, and whether it fits your circumstances.
What does “best practice” mean?
The World Health Organization describes a best practice as a technique or method that, through experience and research, has reliably led to a desired result. In practical terms, it is an approach with a reasoned claim to effectiveness—not simply a popular habit or a rule someone calls “best.”
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The term depends on the field and goal. The NIH Office of Research Services, for example, defines a best practice as “a superior method, or an innovative approach that consistently exceeds standard levels of performance.” In public health, a CDC framework proposes a more evidence-focused definition tied to peer review, evaluation, and improved health outcomes. These definitions reflect their respective settings; there is no single cross-industry definition.
For a fuller explanation of context and adaptation, see the WHO guide to identifying and documenting best practices, the NIH Office of Research Services’ definition, and the CDC’s public-health framework.
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Does “best” mean perfect or universally applicable?
No. WHO cautions that “best” does not mean perfection, a gold standard, or the only set of factors that can contribute to success. More than one approach may produce good results, and a method that works in one setting may fail in another.
Conditions matter: the people or organization involved, the resources available, the intended outcome, and the way the method is implemented can all affect results. Treat a best practice as a well-supported candidate to evaluate and adapt, not as a recipe to copy unchanged.
Are best practices mandatory?
Not automatically. A best practice is generally guidance or a benchmark, not a regulation in itself. The European Court of Auditors’ methodology glossary says best practices are not regulatory standards, although they may complement regulation and evolve as knowledge improves.
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A practice may still be required if a law, regulation, contract, or binding organizational policy says so. Check the rules that apply to your specific situation rather than assuming that the label “best practice” creates a legal obligation. The European Court of Auditors’ glossary explains the distinction.
How can you judge a claimed best practice?
Use these questions to test the claim before adopting the method:
- What outcome is it meant to improve? Name the result clearly enough to assess whether the approach works.
- What evidence supports it? Distinguish experience, benchmarking, peer review, evaluation, and systematic review. Ask how strong the evidence is and what it actually demonstrates.
- Compared with what? Look for a stated baseline or alternative. “Better” has little meaning without a comparison.
- Where and for whom did it work? Check the population, organization, and operating conditions behind the result.
- Can you carry it out? Consider the skills, resources, and practical constraints it requires.
- Can you sustain and transfer it? Ask whether the result can be maintained and whether the conditions that made it work exist in your setting.
- What obligations apply? Check relevant rules separately; evidence of effectiveness and legal status are different questions.
These questions draw on the CDC’s public-health framework, which considers effectiveness, reach, feasibility, sustainability, and transferability. Those dimensions are a useful example for that field, not a universal checklist that must be applied identically everywhere. The OECD guidebook on best practices in public health likewise identifies transferability assessment as a preliminary step before implementation in a new context.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What to do when a practice comes from another setting
First check whether the original setting resembles yours in the respects that matter to the outcome. Then identify what would need to change—such as delivery, resources, or the people reached—and whether those changes could alter the results. If you adapt the approach, evaluate it in your own setting rather than assuming the original evidence guarantees the same outcome.
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Adaptation is not a rejection of a best practice. It is how a context-dependent method can inform a solution suited to a different context.
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Best practice, standard, and proven method: are they interchangeable?
No. A best practice is an approach considered effective for a particular goal and context. A standard is a benchmark or requirement whose force depends on its source: it may be an aspirational domain standard, an organizational rule, or a binding regulation. A method described as “proven” should still be judged by the evidence, conditions, and outcome behind that claim.
Because the word “best” can conceal these distinctions, ask who uses the label and what supports it. The NIH suggests reviewing benchmarking studies and case studies, then adapting relevant findings to an organization’s needs.
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