Priority activities under FAIRMODE’s are carried out following a common implementation plan. The implementation process is similar in each working group (WG). It secures a chronological four-steps working process.

1 Benchmarking is intended as a first step that aims at exploring and comparing results from different approaches. The goal is to understand the strengths and weaknesses of the different approaches. This stage also requires developing and testing a standardized evaluation or inter-comparison methodology (possibly supported by common tools and common datasets) for collecting and reporting model inputs and outputs in a way that enables relevant comparisons.

2 Best practices. Benchmarking, intercomparing and flagging strengths and weaknesses allows to identify best practices among (modelling) applications. FAIRMODE second step in the implementations of its activities is to identify best practices.

3 Capacity-building is the third step in the FAIRMODE implementation plan where best practices are used with the overall objective of promoting good modelling practices among and within Member States. Capacity building activities include workshops, hackathons and training activities.

4 Recommendations, guidance (incl. on reporting) is the fourth step in the FAIRMODE implementation plan. Based on the experience from the previous three steps, recommendations on which approaches are better suited for different applications are elaborated leading to general guidance documents or publications. Recommendations constitute a necessary step before reaching the level of the guidance documents/publications. They include the list of actions and tests necessary before compiling the final guidance. Guidance documents and publications is the last and more effort- and-resource demanding step of the FAIRMODE implementation process. Guidance is usually compiled in an evolving document that includes a detailed description of all steps required to choose and apply a fit-for-purpose approach for a given modelling application.