One of the key features of effective implementation is taking time, investing in a long ‘explore’ stage before embarking on an approach. It’s a message reiterated in the EEF’s updated Implementation Guidance Report: “…educators should invest time and effort to thoroughly explore and prepare implementation rather than focus solely on launching or delivering an approach.”
While this may be best practice, it may not always be the reality. Leaders may find themselves in a position where they have to move at pace. So how can we implement things well when we do not have the luxury of time?
Culture is key
The shared perception of implementation in a school is its ‘implementation climate’:
When schools attend to the behaviours and contextual factors, and staff see positive outcomes, then the overall climate is likely to improve; this, in turn, builds further goodwill, which increases the chances of being able to implement approaches successfully in the future. In its simplest terms, this mean doing a good job of implementing something useful out of which a more positive climate is likely to develop.
When a school is united in an understanding of what good implementation looks like, they may be more likely to adapt when conditions are less than ideal. For example, a school leadership team that has often spent time exploring problems, solutions, barriers and enablers will know their context well, and can bring this into a new approach.
Should you be in a position where there is not an implementation culture in the school, it doesn’t mean you can’t get things done. You can begin to create that culture – even at pace – by modelling the elements of effective implementation.
Don’t ignore explore
It’s tempting to just get on with things. But there are two simple questions that we should always ask:
What is right for our setting?
Is it feasible to implement?
The Explore tool below elaborates on these questions. It isn’t a luxury to explore these questions – it’s a necessity. In a situation where a leader has been directed to implement something too quickly, it can be a helpful framework to illustrate why we need more time to implement something. For example, the evidence might suggest that the approach is best delivered by trained teaching assistants, and we need time to put that in place,
Engage, unite, reflect at pace
Implementation is fundamentally a collaborative and social process driven by how people think, behave, and interact.
The implementation guidance stresses the importance of collaboration as part of the implementation process. We should:
Engage people so they can shape what happens while also providing overall direction.
Unite people around what is being implemented, how it will be implemented, and why it matters.
Reflect, monitor, and adapt to improve implementation.
If we can’t spend the optimal time engaging all stakeholders so that they can have influence in the design approach, we can at least consider how to engage them through clear communication and active guidance: “This involves leaders communicating the direction of travel, explaining decisions, motivating staff, corralling efforts, and preventing implementation being dragged off track.”
Leaders of implementation might initially have to reflect in isolation on pupil needs, current practice, fit and feasibility. But they can develop processes that ensure that they can reflect, monitor and adapt to improve implementation collectively.
It’s easy for some of the what, how and why to lack clarity if we are too hasty, so we should consider how to unite understanding of the approach. It’s good to focus on the core components and clearly communicate what these are through professional development, resourcing etc. We can take extra care to reflect on where any miscommunication might be, and take steps to address it.
Slow down
If we can’t slow down, we might ask where we can slow down or de-implement something else. This frees up capacity to ensure that the new approach has the best chance of success.
As a rule, schools should probably take on fewer implementation projects and pursue these diligently. School leaders, therefore, need to manage projects and resources holistically to avoid initiatives occurring in silos and overwhelming staff. Reviewing and stopping some existing practices may be required before delivering new ones.”
