FIT Tool Quality Standards: Information for Reviewers
Review process overview
A reviewer from the FIT committee is assigned to review a FIT tool. The review is checklist-based, meaning that a reviewer will use the information provided by a tool maintainer to determine if a tool meets each checkbox on the tool quality checklist.
Before review begins, the FIT coordinator will fill out the tool inclusion checklist. The FIT coordinator will then assign a reviewer to complete the documentation and tests checklists.
Reviewer conflict of interest
The FIT coordinator or reviewer has a conflict of interest if any of the following apply:
- They are a co-developer of the tool
- They supervise or are supervised by a co-author of the tool
- They feel that they cannot review the tool in an unbiased way
If there is a conflict of interest, they should recuse themselves from tool review, and a replacement reviewer will be found. If there is a conflict of interest for the FIT coordinator, then a back-up coordinator, a drawer lead, or other member of the FIT committee will review the tool inclusion checklist instead.
Note that federal employees are subject to federal ethics rules, which include conflicts of interest due to personal relationships. Non-government peer reviewers of influential scientific information are subject to a NOAA Conflict of Interest Policy.
When do reviews take place?
- Upon onboarding a tool
- For existing tools in the toolbox that have been developed or actively maintained since January 2019
- Biannually for existing tools