HUMAN PERFROMANCE TECHNOLOGY ASSIGNMENT : PHASE

3

Power-point Presentation of HPT case study

Date due 29th August 2011. 

By Jane Nkosi

Presentation outline• Background• The HPT Model• Choice of Intervention• Designing a Job Aid• Case Study Job Aid• Intervention implementation• Evaluation• Conclusion• References

Background

• This presentation is a summary of an application of the HPT model to an institution of higher learning.

• It first describes the model and outlines the steps taken to apply it to the institution.

• The final step in the process was to design a job aid which is presented in summary in this presentation.

The HPT Model This is a scientific systematic way to improve

human performance by establishing what changes can close performance gaps. It follows five major steps: – Assessing performance– Determining gaps between desired and

actual performance – Establishing strategies to address the gaps– Implementing appropriate strategies and– Evaluating the results of the intervention.

Step 1 :Performance Analysis

This step identifies & clarifies performance problems

(gaps) examines directions and drivers of

performance. helps determine the scope & essential

interventions to successfully improve performance, the people and the organization.

Performance Analysis (Cont.)

PA uses five techniques to identify the current performance state and the gap between the that and desired performance. The techniques are:Extant data analysis - enables the PT practitioner

to make inferences about actual performance.

Needs analysis -seeks opinion &ideas about what is happening, what should be happening and how the situation impacts the organization.

Performance Analysis (cont.) Knowledge task analysis - helps find detailed information on requisite skills and knowledge for the performer be able to successfully complete a specific task.

Procedural task analysis - describes what people must know to perform the task. The term people – thing is used to indicate interaction between performer (people) and the task (thing

Perforamance Analysis (cont.) System Task Analysis - focuses on

required expertise for workers to effectively perform their duties.

- gives an overview of the system describing its flow, components and purpose . - should give an accurate picture &

understanding of the selected system and its sub systems.

Performance Analysis (cont.)

• In this study performance analysis was done to examine the university's performance requirements in relation to its objectives, capabilities opportunities for improvement. This process comprised organizational analysis and environmental analysis.

Performance Analysis (cont.)

• The purpose of this analysis was to establish current performance and to see how it linked with the vision, values, goals and strategies. A missing link indicated a gap or need for performance improvement.

• The aim of environmental analysis was to identify systems and that must be modified to ensure that performance needs are achieved

Performance analysis (cont.)

Organizational analysis examined the vision, mission, values and strategies of the university.

Environmental analysis includes analysis of personnel skills and knowledge as well as expectations for the employee to perform at expected level (Rosenberg et al 1992)

Performance Gaps

Results of the analysis indicated that the university had a challenge to meet the demands of society and needed to restructure its programmes in order to gain competitive advantage.

Performance Gaps

Another challenge was in ICT development and use. The results showed that the university has to invest in new technologies if it is to achieve its goal of being leading institution of excellence.

Performance Gaps

• A gap was identified with the newly introduced PMS tool. When it was introduced there little communication between management and the users. Users were not adequately trained on how to implement and monitor the impact of the PMS

Step 2 : Cause Analysis This step explains why gaps exist. It links

“performance analysis and the appropriate intervention (s) that will eliminate the performance gap” (van Tiem et al 2004).

Drivers and causes of gaps are prioritised

according to high or low impact on the performance environment.

Cause analysis (cont.)

There are three key areas for performance improvement: the work, the workplace & the worker ( Rosenberg 1996). A deficiency in any area results in a performance gap.

In this case study, the last two areas seemed to affect performance more. There was lack of environmental support, resources and incentives.

Cause analysis (Cont.)

Several tools are used to conduct cause analysis. This study used interviews and focus group discussion.

This helped to get an in depth understanding of the problems and the opportunities the university encounters and how the employees feel about the situation.

Step 3 :Interventions Selection, Design and Development

After cause analysis it is important to identify appropriate, timely and cost effective interventions. They can be instructional or non instructional.– Instructional interventions aim at solving

lack of knowledge problems.– Non instructional interventions are to improve

individual or group/ team performance; improve processes, products and services; to guide business plans, deliverables, results and success measures

• For this study an indirect instructional intervention in the form of a job aid was used.

Instructional Interventions

Instructional interventions provide the knowledge & skills workers need to perform at the desired level. There are two types of instructional interventions; direct instruction and indirect instruction. Direct instruction provides the skills and knowledge in a relatively formal environment.

The latter provides skills and knowledge needed outside the training environment. A job aid is an example of indirect instruction (Ellison, 1999)

Step 3: Intervention Selection, Design, and Development

To design an effective intervention, it is important to understand the organizational culture. This includes awareness of culture, timing and implementation costs.

The case study used a bottom-up approach which is culturally favourable. This increases user confidence (Georgia’s Leadership Institute for school Improvement 2005).

Step 3: Intervention Selection, Design, and Development

• There are minimal risks in using this intervention as it does not require extensive training. It will benefit the organization as an improvement in the current staff appraisal instrument.

Choice of Intervention• A job aid was selected for this study because it is

easy to use & is cost effective and does not rely on memory for the user to apply it.

• According to Van Tiem et al ( 2004) job aids are useful when an employee needs immediate help to perform a task. They provide both information and support procedures for the employee to take action.

• Job aid design comes in different formats. For this project used a combination of the step by step and check/list format were selected.

What is a Job Aid?

It is a written tool to guide job performance in real time i.e. at the time when the user needs to use it.

It helps organisations decide about when to train and when not to train employees.

If training can be done at reduced time and cost.

What is a Job Aid?

• It provides a guide to employees and eliminates confusing procedures and standards for the job.

• It is a quality control instrument.• It helps improve performance by

supporting both work and activity and guiding performance.

Designing a Job Aid• A Job aid should fulfil conditions of the

work and describe the user by answering the following questions relating to the work and the worker:

- What is typically done to complete the task?

- Who will be using the job aid?; What is the user’s experience level

Designing a Job Aid

- What is the order of steps, process, or decision making?

-What tools are used to perform the task?

-Are there times when the task is performed in a different order?

This Job aid is designed to be used by heads of department/ supervisors and lecturers. The following background information will help the user to implement the use of the job aid

Case Study Job Aid

• Planning & goal setting• At the beginning of the review period the

head of department/ supervisor will convene a planning meeting with the lecturer.

• Golas for the yea will be set & defined.

. Goal setting will specify goals, outcomes, measurement and time frames for each goal.

Case Study Job Aid

Performance notes• The lecturer will keep a separate file to track

his/ her own performance

Performance evaluation• At the end of the review period there will be a

performance evaluation meeting.

- the Head of department and Lecturer will review deliverables for the period & agree performance assessment for the period.

..

Job Aid for Case Study

• After the performance evaluation meeting with the supervisor, the lecturer will sign a hard copy of the evaluation to acknowledge that an evaluation review meeting was held.

• The supervisor will sign a copy of the evaluation in the presence of the lecturer and submit the signed copy to the Dean of the faculty.

Step 4 :Intervention Implementation

After selection and design of the appropriate intervention, it is important to think carefully about how to implement the intervention, manage change and monitor the impact it has on the organization.

This job aid will be presented to the faculty executive board for monitoring and evaluation.

Step 5. Evaluation

Evaluation is an integral part of the entire HPT process forming part of each phase. It determines the value of the performance analysis, intervention design and implementation.

Evaluation of the intervention will be on going.

Conclusion

This presentation was an attempt to apply the HPT model to an educational institution of higher learning. It outlined steps in the HPT model including performance analysis, cause analysis, intervention design and development, implementation and evaluation. It further described the implementation of a job aid as an example of how selected intervention can work in an educational setting.

References

Ellison, P. H. (1999). Job aids. In H.D. Stolovitch and E.J. Keeps (Eds.) Handbook of Human Performance Technology. 2nd edition. (pp. 430-441). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass/ Pfeiffer.

Georgia’s Leadership Institute for School Improvement. (2005). A Performance-based Learning Module for Georgia’s Educational Leaders. Atlanta, GA: GLISI

References

Rosenberg, M. (1996). Human performance technology. In R. Craig (Ed.), The ASTD Training & development handbook (4th ed.) (pp. 370-393). New York: McGraw-Hill.

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References

Rosenberg, M. J., Coscarelli, W. C., & Hutchison, C. S. (1992). The origins and evolution of the field. In H. D. Stolovitch & E. J. Keeps (Eds.), Handbook of human performance technology (pp. 14–31). San Francisco: Jossey-Bass.

Van Tiem, D.M., Moseley, J. L. & Dessinger, J.C. (2004).Fundamentals of Performance Technology. Second ed. International Society for Performance Improvement.