Success Stories: Guidance on Preparation and Review​

Criteria for Submission​

• Candidates for success stories may submit ideas to NIST before they prepare the document – or they may simply submit drafts to NIST for review and approval. ​

• All text will be approved both by NIST and the user organization before public release. ​

• Success stories must avoid text or images that suggest NIST’s endorsement. ​

• NIST will make success stories available on the NICE Framework Resource Center. Organizations featured in success stories are encouraged to distribute them directly – but should not use success stories to promote products or services. ​

• Organizations featured in success stories may be asked to review and update text annually; outdated stories may be removed from NIST’s website.​

How to Submit​

Success Story correspondence (drafts, ideas, questions, etc.) should be addressed to niceframework [at] nist.gov (NICEFramework[at]nist[dot]gov). ​

Success Story Layout​

See existing Success Stories for recommended layouts or download the template.​

Generally, layouts should use the following approach:​

Header:​

• Subtitle – title of the program or effort​

• Organization Name​

• Use Case Type – provide a short description of how the NICE Framework was used. You may use one of the following or create your own: ​

  • Perform Workforce Audits​

  • Create Learning Outcomes​

  • Build Strategies​

  • Develop Position Descriptions​

  • Manage Talent​

  • Provide Pathways​

  • Validate Knowledge and Skills​

Main Body:​

• Organizational Profile​

  • Basics of your organization, such as size, sector, location, customers, historical cybersecurity challenges, or a new need to improve cybersecurity across the organization​

  • Descriptors not listed above that might help our audience to understand your organization​

• Drivers​

  • Prior approach to cybersecurity education or workforce development​

  • International or regulatory drivers​

• Process​

  • Extent and process for using the NICE Framework, including the role of champions and how the NICE Framework was used (e.g., to write position descriptions, create learning outcomes, visualize a career path, etc.)​

  • When use of the NICE Framework began, how it was rolled out, what parts of the organization were involved (e.g., across multiple business units, piloted by one unit)​

  • Role of collaboration with other organizations​

• Tie-In with the NICE Framework​

  • What elements of the NICE Framework were most useful and why​

  • Why you chose to use the NICE Framework​

• Benefits and Impacts​

  • Specific benefits of using the NICE Framework (e.g., to identify gaps, to refocus or set priorities, to gain greater awareness and alignment across the organization internally and with other organizations externally). ​

  • Describe any anecdotes, a new achievement, or lessons learned. These anecdotes can be positive or negative, including issues encountered or resolved during implementation of the NICE Framework. ​

  • Include any next steps or plans for how the organization might continue to use the NICE Framework.​

• Images and Quotes​

  • Use appropriate graphics to complement the Success Story, which may include photos, diagrams, or illustrations. Neither of these should be logos to promote a product or service.​

  • Stakeholder Quote - quote from a senior official with the organization citing specific benefits of their use of the NICE Framework.​

Contact Information and Resources:​

• Please provide your organizational contact information:​

  • A public point of contact name​

  • A public point of contact email​

  • A public website for your organization​

Additional Notes and Tips:​

• Where possible, avoid acronyms. If they are used, please spell them out first.​

• Use bullets liberally to enable scanning by the reader.​

• The final layout must be approved by the NIST NICE Framework team as well as the organization’s point of contact prior to posting on the NIST website and for any distribution.