Excellence in Practice Awards

Applications are due September 22, 2009. 

The Excellence in Practice category recognizes results achieved through the use of practices and solutions from the entire scope of workplace learning and performance. Applications are accepted for both new and proven practices in such categories as career development, diversity and inclusion, learning technologies, managing change, organizational learning, performance improvement, technical training, training management, and workplace learning and development.

Accomplishments will be recognized at two levels:

• Awards will be presented to practices that have demonstrated clear and measurable results of achieving organizational goals, meet a demonstrated need, have appropriate design values, and are clearly aligned with other performance improvement initiatives.
• Citations will be presented to practices that have yet to demonstrate clear and measurable results, but that have strong evaluation plans, meet a demonstrated need, and have appropriate design values. Citation winners are encouraged to seek an Excellence in Practice Award in a subsequent year. 

Award and citation winners will be honored at the awards ceremony during the ASTD International Conference & Exposition, May 16-19, 2010, in Chicago. Announcements of the winners will be in ASTD publications and on the ASTD website. 

Criteria

The following criteria will be used to evaluate the Excellence in Practice applications:

• Needs Identification
  • Indication that the practice was an appropriate response to the problem or need
• Design Values
  • Evidence that the intervention was designed and implemented in a way that considered the best interests of the organization as well as those of employees
• Alignment
  • Evidence of, and degree of alignment with, other training, learning, and performance improvement practices, as well as organizational goals, to achieve desired outcomes
  • Evidence of partnerships within and outside the organization (e.g., with senior management, frontline supervisors, unions, external resources, etc.)
• Evaluation Strategy
  • Evidence of a clear, measurable, and feasible evaluation plan
• Results
  • Evidence of actual or anticipated individual/team impact
  • Evidence of actual or anticipated organizational impact
• Shared Learning
  • Indications that this practice can be transferred and replicated in other organizations
  • Extent of the diffusion of this practice in the field
  • Opportunities for other professionals to learn from this practice.

Eligibility

All practices must be nominated by two individuals, at least one of whom is from the company, organization, or entity in which the practice is used.

Because practices focus on results, training suppliers and consultants should apply only in collaboration with a customer. The application must be written from the perspective of the customer organization.

Applicants are not required to be members of ASTD.

Review Process

Practices may range from a single, narrowly focused activity to a multifaceted, multidisciplinary initiative, so long as the results can be clearly linked to advancing the organization's goals. ASTD staff will review all initial applications to ensure they are complete and may request additional information. All complete applications will go through a blind review process conducted by a panel of experts from companies in the ASTD Benchmarking Forum, ASTD staff, and other training, learning, and performance improvement experts. ASTD reserves the right to dismiss applications that lack clarity or sufficient information.

Organizations will receive notification of the decisions regarding their entries by January 31, 2010.

Shared Learning

ASTD is committed to shared learning and recognition of excellence. ASTD will disseminate and share information from the winning applications, and will recognize the winning organizations on its website, in publications, and at the ASTD International Conference and Exposition, May 16-19, 2010, in Chicago.

Deadline

Entry forms must be received by September 22, 2009. Applicants will receive notification of the results of their submissions by January 31, 2010.

Submission Checklist

All items are required.

• The entry form must be submitted in its original format: Questions and information requested must be listed and numbered, followed by the responses.
• All signatures are provided.
• Sections G, H, and I do not exceed word/page limits.
• Do not include references to your organization or division, or names of products or individuals, in text or on headers and footers anywhere within Sections G, H, and I. Applications that include information that reveals the organization will not be considered.
• The entire application has been proofread for clarity and content.
• Do not send any supporting materials other than those specifically requested.
• Submit:
  • One paper copy of Sections A-I, including all signatures.
  • A diskette or CD of Sections G-I in one document (not three) in .doc or .docx format. Label the outside of the diskette or CD with the name of the organization and the title of the practice. Provide a separate diskette or CD for each practice.

For inquiries, contact Carol Chulew at cchulew@astd.org or 703.683.8194.

Submit to:

Carol Chulew
ASTD Awards Program
1640 King Street—Box 1443
Alexandria, VA 22313-1443  USA

If sending by courier or express delivery, please address to:

Carol Chulew
ASTD Awards Program
1640 King Street - Suite 300
Alexandria, VA 22314 USA

Entry Form

View or download the 2009 Excellence in Practice Entry Form.doc (right click, save, and open in Word).