CIPD 5CO02 Evidence Based Practice Level 5 Associate Diploma Learner Assessment Brief June 2025

Learner Assessment Brief

Assessment ID / CIPD_5CO02_25_01

Level 5 Associate Diploma in

• People Management
• Organisational Learning and Development

Version 1 - Released June 2025
Expires June 2026
Study Centre information only: Last moderation window is September 2026

Centre number:	5		5			1
Centre name:	Bradfield Learning & Development Ltd
Learner number (1st 7 digits of CIPD Membership number):
Learner surname:
Learner First names:
Unit code:	5CO02
Unit title:	Evidenced-based practice
Assessment ID:	CIPD_5CO02_25_01
Assessment start date:
Assessment submission date:
First resubmission date for centre marking – if applicable:
Second resubmission date for centre marking – if applicable:
Declared word count:
Declared word count resubmission 1 – if applicable:
Declared word count resubmission 2 – if applicable:

5CO02 Evidence-based practice

This unit assessment addresses the significance of capturing robust quantitative and qualitative evidence to inform meaningful insight to influence critical thinking. It focuses on analysing evidence through an ethical lens to improve decision-making and how measuring the impact of people practice is essential in creating value.

CIPD’s insight

We provide you with this information to connect you with our research and insights on the topic, so you can explore our latest thinking.  It is not intended to replace the learning and formative assessment provided by your Study Centre.

People analytics (February 2025)

People analytics is about analysing data about people to solve business problems. You can find people data from HR systems, IT systems and other departments' systems. You can also find people data from external sources such as salary surveys. Insights from people data can be used to drive organisational change. In this factsheet, we explain what people analytics is, why it’s important and how it’s used. We introduce key terms such as correlation, causation, predictive and prescriptive. We discuss who's responsible for people analytics and outline the people analytics strategy and process. Explore our viewpoint on people analytics and recommendations for employers.

https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/factsheets/analytics-factsheet/

Evidence-based practice for effective decision-making (July 2024)

People professionals are faced with complex workplace decisions and need to understand ‘what works’ in order to influence organisational outcomes for the better. Evidence-based practice helps them make better, more effective decisions by choosing reliable, trustworthy solutions and being less reliant on outdated received wisdom, fads or superficial quick fixes. At the CIPD, we believe this is an important step for the people profession to take: our Profession Map describes a vision of a profession that is principles-led, evidence-based and outcomes-driven. Taking an evidence-based approach to decision-making can have a huge impact on the working lives of people in all sorts of organisations worldwide. This factsheet outlines what evidence-based practice is and why it is so important, highlighting the four sources of evidence to draw on and combine to ensure the greatest chance of making effective decisions. It then looks to the steps we can take to move towards an evidence-based people profession. 

https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/factsheets/evidence-based-practice-factsheet/

Using technology responsibly: Guidance for people professionals (December 2024)

Technology provides opportunities for organisations to improve business outcomes and make work better. But if poorly managed it can also achieve the reverse. When using technology solutions for people management, it’s essential for people professionals to use them responsibly. 

This guide helps people professionals drive forward the responsible use of technology in six areas of people practice:

• equality, diversity and inclusion (EDI)
• performance management
• employee wellbeing
• recruitment and workforce planning
• learning and development
• employee voice.

It provides an overview of key uses of technology in people practice and guiding principles for this, as well as the potential benefits and risks.  

The following definitions are applied to the terms ‘responsible’ and ‘technology’ in this guide:

• Responsible: being responsible means having ethical and sustainable practices that consider and involve the workforce and other stakeholders during business decision-making.
• Technology: technology is the application of knowledge or processes to achieve practical goals that are reproducible. This includes AI and more broadly automation tools that do tasks without or (with reduced) human assistance. It can also include other tools which aren’t necessarily about reducing human involvement such as the internet and videoconferencing tools.

https://www.cipd.org/uk/knowledge/guides/responsible-technology-use

Preparation for the Tasks:

• make sure you understand your Study Centre's instructions on how to complete and submit your assessment.
• watch the supporting video for this unit: Link to follow.
• read the CIPD’s word count policy which your Study Centre will provide for you. Remember that your work will be referred if you go over the unit word count.

Tasks  

You must complete two tasks. The first one requires you to answer 7 questions, referring to the case study. Your answers should respond accurately to the questions and should be informed by wider reading from key academic texts, articles and relevant publications. For the second task, you must complete a data analysis and make recommendations based on your findings.

Please ensure that your work is presented clearly, typically using sub-headings or AC references to link your responses to the questions, and that your work complies with the wordcount requirements stated at the end of the assessment brief.  If you exceed the word count by more than 10% your work will be referred.  References should be included within your answers (unless the question specifically states that these are not required) and full details presented in a reference list at the end of your assessment.

Case study

Technivara design and engineer components for the electronics industry, supplying parts for the computer, electronics, medical and automotive sectors. The company was founded in 1970 by Bill Swanky and is currently experiencing the sixteenth consecutive year of growth, so the board now feels the time is right to expand the business. Bill is very involved in the day-to-day running of the company which he likes to run in a traditional style. He tends to avoid changes to existing working practices.

Sue Young is the People Practice Manager at Technivara, and although she has been with the company for eight years, she has continued with many of the people practices that her predecessor implemented, many being paper driven.  Sue is aware that if the company doesn’t change some of its practices it will be susceptible to risky decision making because the current approach to capturing and measuring people practices is weak and lacking data driven evidence.  She knows that you, as the People Practice Advisor, have more up to date experience of using evidence-based practice effectively. She has asked you to help her understanding of how evidence-based practice is applied in organisations. She needs to provide Bill, the Board and the rest of the People Practice Team with a persuasive case for improving current approaches as these are archaic and inadequate to meet the demands of a modern forward-thinking workplace. 

Sue has asked you to complete two tasks, firstly to respond to the seven questions below and then to complete a data analysis and make recommendations based on your findings.

Task one – Questions

Q1. Evaluate the concept of evidence-based practice (EBP) and provide two examples of where Technivara could use it to ensure sound decision-making in people practice. (AC 1.1)

Q2. Evaluate one appropriate analysis tool and one appropriate analysis method that Technivara might apply to recognise and diagnose issues, challenges, and opportunities. (AC 1.2

Q3. Explain the main principles of critical thinking including how these might apply to your own and others’ ideas to assist objective and rational debate at Technivara (AC 1.3)

Q4. Explain two decision-making processes that Technivara could apply to ensure that effective outcomes are achieved. (AC 1.4)

Q5. Assess two different ethical perspectives including how these could be used at Technivara to inform and influence decision-making. (AC 1.5)

Q6. Appraise two different ways that Technivara could measure financial and non-financial performance, providing one example of each. (AC 3.1)

Q7. Explain how people practices could add value at Technivara and identify two methods that might be used to measure the impact of these people practices. (AC 3.2)

Your evidence must consist of: 

Written answers to questions 1-7, approximately 2900 words (+/- 10%), refer to CIPD word count policy.

Task two – quantitative and qualitative analysis review

For task two, Sue has provided you with two sets of data:

Q8. Table 1 shows Technivara's turnover and recruitment data for 2024. Sue has asked you to convert the data into percentage form, for each of the departments, to show:

• leavers as a % of the total number of employees
• vacancies as % of the total number of employees
• positions filled as a % of the total number of employees (AC 2.1)

You don’t need to provide a reference or in-text citation for AC 2.1

Q9. When you have completed Table 1, present your findings using a minimum of three different types of diagrammatical forms. (AC 2.2)

You don’t need to provide a reference or in-text citation for AC 2.2

Q10. Table 2 contains evaluation feedback from 42 employees who attended a recent learning and development activity. Sue would like you to review the feedback and identify patterns, themes or trends that might be occurring and make recommendations based on your findings. (AC 2.3)

Your evidence must consist of:                 

• completed calculations
• three diagrammatic forms
• data analysis review with recommendations, 1000 words (+/- 10%) – refer to CIPD word count policy

Declaration of Authentication

Declaration by learner

I can confirm that:

1. this assessment is all my own work. 

2. where I have used materials from other sources, they have been properly acknowledged and referenced.

3. I have not used Artificial Intelligence tools to generate content for my assessment.

I understand the consequences of malpractice and accept that any violation of this agreement may result in disciplinary action.

Learner name: 

Learner signature: 

(This must be a true signature, so a handwritten signature, or a photo or scan of a handwritten signature, or an e-signature. A typed signature is not acceptable.) 

Date of submission*

Date of first re-submission (if applicable) *

Date of second re-submission (if applicable) *

*This should be the date on which you submit your assessment for marking

Marking Guidance for Assessors

You should mark in line with the marking descriptors set out on page 13 of this brief.

You must provide a mark from one to four for each question set. You must provide constructive, developmental feedback against each question where you award a mark of one, so refer/fail and

rich summary feedback at the end of the feedback form, following the instructions provided there.

To pass the unit assessment learners must achieve a mark of two (Low Pass) or above for each of the questions. You must refer/fail them if you award a mark of one for any of the questions.

Please ensure that you use the correct terminology. Learners have three attempts at the assessment. They only ‘fail’ the assessment if they do not achieve a mark of two for any of the questions at their third attempt. Until then they are ‘referred’.

When you have marked each question, you should total the marks awarded and determine the unit outcome. The table below shows the marking bands for each outcome for this unit.

Overall mark	Unit result
0 to 19	Refer/Fail
20 to 25	Low Pass
26 to 32	Pass
33 to 40	High Pass

Please note that the unit outcome is provided:

• to help learners understand where they are performing well and where they may need to develop
• to help inform your teaching practice
• for moderation purposes

The qualification is not graded and unit outcomes do not appear on learners’ certificates.

5CO02 Evidence-based practice

Marking Descriptors

Mark	Range	Descriptor
1	Refer/Fail	The response DOES NOT · demonstrate the knowledge, understanding or skill required to meet the AC. · include any or appropriate examples where these are required to support the answer. · include evidence of the use of wider reading to help inform the answer. · include references or in-text citations where these are required. * · refer to the case study or scenario where these are provided in the assessment brief. · respond clearly to the question/task and is not well expressed. · have an appropriate format or structure which meets the requirements set out in the brief.
2	Low Pass	The response DOES · demonstrate the minimum level of knowledge, understanding or skill required to meet the AC.  · include an appropriate example where this is required to support the answer. · include evidence of some wider reading to help inform the answer. · include a reference and/or in-text citation where these are required. * · refer to the case study or scenario where these are provided in the assessment brief. · respond to the question or task although it could be clearer and/or better expressed. · have an appropriate format or structure which meets the requirements set out in the brief.
3	Pass	The response · demonstrates a good level of knowledge, understanding or skill required to meet the AC. · includes use of a good example or examples where these are required to support the answer. · includes evidence of a good level of wider reading to help inform the answer.   · includes good use of references(s) and/or in-text citation(s) where these are required. * · makes good reference to the case study or scenario where these are provided in the assessment brief. · directly addresses the question/task and is well expressed. · has a good format or structure which meets the requirements set out in the brief.
4	High Pass	The response · demonstrates an excellent level of knowledge, understanding or skill required to meet the AC. · includes use of an excellent example or examples where these are required to support the answer. · includes evidence of extensive wider reading to help inform the answer.   · includes use of high-quality reference(s) and/or or in-text citation(s) where these are required. * · makes excellent reference to the case study or scenario where these are provided in the assessment brief. · responds very clearly to the question/task and is particularly well expressed. · has an excellent format or structure which meets the requirements set out in the brief.
		*Please note that learners are not required to provide a reference or in-text citation for the following questions ACs: AC 2.1 and AC 2.2

YOUR ASSIGNMENT