August, 2000
Volume 39 / Number 7
Playing
a New Game as a Training Professional: It’s Your Move
by Ruth Charchian and Stephen L. Cohen
Ask a trainer to explain the difference between "before" a trainer’s role and a performance consultant’s role and they will have a hard time doing it. As a result, they won’t be able to position themselves as relevant and capable with senior management. If senior management doesn’t trust or understand the trainer’s ability to quickly shift employee behavior to align with changing marketplace requirements, trainers won’t be invited to participate in critical initiatives. We submit a practical road map for helping trainers understand the new rules of the game based on solid experiences across a wide range of client industries. This article offers a contrasting picture of the "old" trainer role versus the "new" performance consultant role, provides a recipe for success, and presents a performance improvement systems model with tools specifically tailored to define the critical success factors to implementing a performance improvement initiative.
The
Social Responsibility Performance Outcomes Model: Building Socially Responsible
Companies Through Performance Improvement Outcomes
by Tim Hatcher
Corporations are becoming more powerful and influential. To ensure a sustainable future, organizations that are socially and environmentally responsible are needed. As proven resources in enhancing organizational performance, performance improvement (PI) and human resource development (HRD) professionals have a tremendous opportunity and responsibility to aid in developing socially responsible companies. The problem is that few PI or HRD models and processes address specific outcomes or identify needs and outcomes at the societal or environmental levels. Because of this omission, it is crucial that new concepts and models¾ such as the social responsibility outcomes model¾ are developed and implemented to provide better guidance for PI and HRD professionals on how to incorporate societal and environmental outcomes as part of their performance improvement work.
Output-Based
Job Descriptions: Beyond Skills and Competencies
by Mary Norris Thomas, PhD
Traditionally, companies define jobs, select new hires, and measure performance based on skills and/or competencies. However, skills and competencies are not the bottom line that employees are paid for. Employees are paid for outputs. Therefore, instead of job descriptions based on skills and competencies, companies should create job descriptions based on outputs that the company wants to accomplish. Job outputs, processes, conditions, and values are clearly stated, leaving little room for ambiguity about the job. Output-based job descriptions benefit selection and assignment as well as strategic planning, role clarification, performance evaluations, and professional development.
This article presents a case report of a cooperative effort between consultant and client to design and develop a process and tools for generating output-based job descriptions. The project methodology, the process and tools for creating the output-based job descriptions, and sample excerpts from old and new job descriptions are provided.
Designing
Computer Software to Minimize the Need for Employee Training
by Donald J. Winiecki, EdD
Modern knowledge workers are faced with a dizzying array of computer-based tools. In addition, new software tools are constantly being introduced into the workplace. Computer users are faced with a need to continually update their skills and learn how to use new software. However, there is an equal pressure for them to continue to produce at a high rate. The result is an antagonistic relationship between the time required to learn new tools and the pressure to produce. This article describes a design process called "DesiL" (DESigning for Learnability) that may be used by developers of new software tools so that the tools they develop are easier to learn how to use and require little or no training.
When
Instructional Design Students Consult with the Real World
by David C. Hartt and Allison Rossett
Graduate students at San Diego State University practice consulting and instructional design skills with real clients on real projects. Students are paired with clients such as the San Diego Zoo, Hewlett-Packard, and San Diego City Schools to help the organizations realize opportunities and solve problems while at the same time receive real-world experiences. We knew students benefited from the semester-long relationships but held little hope for any long-term impact for the participating organization. Few organizations wrap systems around even major initiatives, thus it was assumed that low-priority student projects died with the close of the semester and student involvement.
Surprisingly, most projects had enduring positive impact for the client and significant opportunities for students to balance instructional design skills and the consultative soft skills needed to move a project forward. The study also revealed that a collaborative relationship between the client and consultant yielded the most successful and enduring projects.
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