The basic premise behind evidence-based management (EBM) is that good decisions require both critical thinking and use of “best available evidence.” This “evidence” may come from scientific research, but good internal business information and mindful professional experience also constitute “evidence.” All practitioners use evidence in their decisions, but most pay little attention to the quality of the evidence and base their decisions on too few sources of evidence. The result is business decisions based on fads, so-called “cutting edge” solutions, and the pop concepts promoted by consulting firms and management gurus. The bottom line is bad decisions, poor outcomes, and no understanding of why things go wrong. EBM evolved in response to this problem with its goal of improving the quality of decision making by using critically evaluated evidence from multiple sources – organizational data, professional expertise, stakeholder values, and the scientific literature.

Although EBM sounds straightforward, gathering, understanding and applying evidence requires a particular set of skills and practical knowledge. These certified course modules will develop your evidence-based skills and enhance your understanding of how an evidence-based approach can support your organization’s decision-making.