Quick guide: how to navigate GCDR tools and resources
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For dispute resolution services
You can use the Aotearoa Best Practice Dispute Resolution Framework to guide continuous improvement of your service, or as a source of evidence to support an application to deliver services on behalf of government.
Assessing my service against best practice
The Maturity Assessment Tool provides a simple framework for assessing the maturity of your service against 9 best practice standards.
For government agencies with policy responsibility for an industry or sector
The best practice policy guidance sets out a step-by-step process for establishing a new dispute resolution process or service. The Aotearoa Best Practice Dispute Resolution Framework sets out what best practice service delivery looks like so you can consider implementation as you develop the policy framework.
When to consider dispute resolution in the policy process
Dispute resolution is usually considered once policy decisions have been made and the need for a process to resolve disputes has been identified, which is often late in the policy process. However, considering disputes early in the policy process can improve the quality of your policy advice.
Considering the number and nature of disputes arising under current policy settings can provide valuable insights to help inform your problem definition and identify possible solutions. Dispute resolution service providers often have useful insights into the behaviours and practices in the industries they operate in – as well as pinpointing areas where regulation may not be working well.
Establishing a new dispute resolution process
The GCDR best practice policy guidance sets out a step-by-step process to follow.
GCDR best practice policy guidance
The Capability Maturity Model sets out what best practice service delivery looks like, which can help you think about how to design policy with implementation in mind.
Example of a best practice scheme
Best practice dispute resolution is context specific – there is no ‘one size fits all’. At a minimum, an important feature for all services would be a requirement to collect data about the disputes they consider and share systemic insights with the relevant government agency or regulator.
A good example of a service that was developed using GCDR’s resources from design through to implementation is the Education (Domestic Tertiary Student and International Student Contract Dispute Resolution Scheme) Rules 2023.
Education (Domestic Tertiary Student and International Student Contract Dispute Resolution Scheme) Rules 2023(external link) — New Zealand Legislation
Assessing if dispute resolution is working well
The GCDR best practice policy guidance includes questions for assessing a dispute resolution scheme at a system level (ie, policy settings and information flows as well as service delivery).
Assessing a dispute resolution scheme
To assess the performance of a dispute resolution service, use the Maturity Assessment Tool, which provides a simple framework for assessing the service against 9 best practice standards.
For government agencies with oversight responsibility for a dispute resolution service
The Aotearoa Best Practice Dispute Resolution Framework provides a benchmark for best practice service delivery against 9 standards.
Assessing the performance of a dispute resolution service
To assess the performance of a dispute resolution service, use the Maturity Assessment Tool which provides a simple framework for assessing the service against 9 best practice standards.
Some services are required by legislation to have regular independent reviews. The Maturity Assessment Tool can be a useful tool for reviewers conducting such a review. When entering into a contractual arrangement with a service, the Capability Maturity Model can be used as the basis of developing KPIs for the service provider.
Procuring a dispute resolution service
The Capability Maturity Model provides a useful framework for identifying service requirements and assessing potential providers against those requirements. Request For Proposals (RFPs) could ask applicants to demonstrate how they would meet each principle or standard – this could include encouraging or requiring use of the Maturity Assessment Tool to assist.