What is a ProComm?

Professional Communities (ProComms) were created as an outcome of the 2002-2004 Presidential Initiative Task Force on "Clarifying Human Performance Technology." These communities provide a new way for ISPI members to network with others who have similar interests, and serve as a catalyst for sharing and gaining knowledge from each area of expertise. Anyone can participate, actively or passively, in any or all of the ProComms.

Over time, the ProComms will help shape our professional practices and influence our conferences, publications, awards, certification, institutes, and other areas in which our technical content is important.

ProComms should foster an appreciation and capability for "inter-HPT collaboration" in achieving the goals of performance improvement at the individual, process, organization, and society levels.

What are the Seven ProComms?

Analysis, Evaluation, & Measurement (AEM)

The process of assessment, decision, and action relevant to the maintenance and adaptation of a system. To read more about this community, click here to download a PDF of the recent article published in the March 2005 issue of Performance Improvement journal.

Instructional Systems (IS)

The determination of when learning should occur and the best means by which to achieve learning through manipulation of display, response demand, and instructional management. To read more about this community, click here to download a PDF of the recent article published in the March 2005 issue of Performance Improvement journal.

Management of Organizational Performance (MOP)

The pursuit of organizational results by examining the whole system to determine the major sources of performance variance and to address them with appropriate organizational change processes and techniques. To read more about this community, click here to download a PDF of the recent article published in the March 2005 issue of Performance Improvement journal.

Motivation, Incentives, & Feedback (MIF)

The determination of the means by which the likelihood of performance can be increased, decreased, or sustained through modifications in performers’ arousal, attention, and anxiety, or through adjustments to performers’ desire and expectance of success. To read more about this community, click here to download a PDF of an article written by ProComm Director Lori Gillespie and Deputy Director Matt Richter.

Organizational Alignment (OA)

The examination of the allocation of decision-making authority, business processes, values, business practices, and conduct of people’s performance within an organization to ensure that actions are aligned to produce desired results.

Process Improvement (PI)

Efforts involving the efficiency and/or effectiveness of the sequence of activities in a value chain that produces outcomes and results. To read more about this community, click here to download a PDF of the recent article published in the March 2005 issue of Performance Improvement journal.

Science & Research (SR)

The intellectual pursuit and critical analysis of basic principles, conditions, mechanisms, functional relationships, and theories related to human performance. To read more about this community, click here to download a PDF of the recent article published in the March 2005 issue of Performance Improvement journal.

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What are the Expected Outcomes?

ProComms are expected to deliver the following outcomes/results for Human Performance Technology (HPT) as a field of practice, ISPI as an organization, and individual community participants.

For HPT as a field of practice, the communities will:

• Differentiate HPT from -- and relate it to -- other allied disciplines.
• Clarify for organizations what may be expected from HPT practitioners’ services.
• Broaden the knowledge base for practitioners and performance consultants.
• Provide a list of key questions that each community addresses.
• Accelerate HPT applications in the workplace.
• Educate consumers of HPT services.
• Improve the quality and validity of publications, papers, and presentations.
• Make the HPT literature more visible to practitioners and consumers.
• Map the HPT landscape and its interaction with other fields.

For ISPI as an organization, the communities will:

• Establish ISPI as the authority for HPT.
• Provide a place to link and partner with other associations and universities.
• Provide a repository for state-of-the-art practices that build our professional reputation.
• Provide a broader base of interest to extend application areas and attract contributions.
• Attract and retain members.
• Increase the opportunity for membership involvement.
• Provide a framework for awards, conferences, publications, and so on.

For individual community participants, the communities will provide:

• Opportunities to share and gain knowledge.
• New ways of looking at current HPT practices.
• Opportunities to work on issues not in a person’s current work portfolio.
• Stories about real issues in the workplace.
• Opportunities to work together on real problems (problem solving).
• Opportunities to plan and apply new learnings.
• Networking for professional advancement.
• A means for enhancing one’s professional reputation.
• A logical argument for what works and what does not.

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History of the ProComm

Stage One

Clarifying HPT was a multi-year effort involving many active ISPI members in a public, Society-wide dialogue as input to a Task Force. Their effort resulted in the identification of seven HPT Professional Communities to further Society goals and promote the 10 Standards of Performance Technology.

Stage Two

ProComm Implementation was a one-year effort to identify and recruit initial ProComm leadership with ISPI members and non-members in the key roles of ProComm Directors and Thought Leaders.

From April 2004 to April 2005, the HPT ProComm Standing Committee was formed, and the recruitment of the initial ProComm Directors and Thought Leaders took place. The Standing Committee will guide the evolution and sustainment of the HPT ProComms per the strategic direction of the ISPI Board of Directors.

In addition, internal ProComm communication vehicles for the leadership were established, and development began on the initial ProComm service offerings, including a web presence, a quarterly newsletter, and a listserv for each ProComm.

Stage Three

Product/Service Planning & Development Implementation will continue for each ProComm as the leadership determines the needs of their HPT marketplace community segment and formulates plans on delivering meaningful value to the members of ISPI and the stakeholders that they serve, consistent with Society goals and the Standards of Performance Technology.

The specific Value Proposition for each ProComm will likely include both common and unique items relative to each other. Overlap at the intervention, tool, and technique levels is inevitable. These will need to be managed via a "shared ownership" by two or more ProComms.

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