One of the more popular ways of promoting best practices is to adopt one or more improvement frameworks. Improvement frameworks are often sponsored by one or more companies or industry groups that have authored the framework, or which have been leaders in applying it. These frameworks typically suggest a roadmap for improvement, i.e. 'do this first, then this, then this' and often establish the notion of 'maturity' which groups achieve as they migrate through higher and higher 'levels'. This helps them demonstrate progress, and reinforces the logical sequences of implementing certain kinds of practices.

Frameworks typically collect groupings of best practices into an organized system that has a consistent style, methodology, and support infrastructure. Frameworks typically also have assessment instruments and agents which are in business to conduct appraisals of organizations and help them implement the framework within their organization. Frameworks are also popular because they often make available a catalog of techniques which are proven and effective ways of satisfying particular practices that make up the framework.