Information about the current skills, knowledge, perspectives and environment
of individuals in an organization. Specifics about what people now do.
barriers
Individual and organizational factors that influence the success of people and
organizations; anything that is getting in the way of performance. Also known
as root causes and performance drivers.
What gets in the way of individual and organizational performance. There are
four kinds of causes: absence of skills and knowledge or information; weak
motivation; improper environment and/or flawed incentives. Also known as
performance drivers and barriers. Not surprisingly, the causes are what causal
analysis unearths.
change management
A systematic process of taking into account the global conditions
affecting an organization, as well as specific conditions in the organization.
The change management methodology examines the current environment with respect
to organization culture, communication, organization design, job design,
infrastructure, personnel, skills and knowledge, people/machine interfaces, and
incentive systems. (Brandenburg & Binder, 1992, p. 667)
EPSS
Electronic Performance Support Systems are computer-based systems designed to:
enable the worker to gain access to large amounts of information, include
opportunities for learning, and serve as expert systems that provide advice and
coaching through a distinctive and friendly interface. Also known as IPS
(Interactive Performance Systems), PSS (Performance-Support Systems), PST
(Performance-Support Tools), expert systems, and on-line help systems. Some
describe them as souped-up job aids.
extant data analysis
Analysis of records and files collected by an organization reflecting actual
employee performance and its results (e.g., sales figures, attendance figures,
call-backs for repair, employee evaluations.)
Feedback consists of information about the nature of an action and its
result, in relation to some criterion of acceptability. It is never-ending
input of one sort or another. (Deterline, 1992, p. 294)
The difference between optimals and actuals. The focus for cause analysis.
An incentive is something that influences people to act in certain ways.
An incentive system is a collection of incentives and a set of procedures for
using them. Organizations use incentive systems to motivate their employees.
(Kemmerer & Thiagarajan, 1992, p. 312)
ISD
Instructional Systems Development. A systematic approach to training or the
development of instructional systems to meet a specific need. The five stages
of ISD are: analysis, design, development, implementation and evaluation.
A job aid is a repository for information, processes, or
perspectives that is external to the individual and that supports work and
activity by directing, guiding, and enlightening performance. (Rossett &
Gauthier-Downs, 1991, p. 4)
needs assessment
A systematic study that incorporates data and opinions from varied sources in
order to create, install and evaluate educational and informational products
and services. The effort commences as a result of a "hand-off" from
performance analysis. Also known as training needs assessment, needs analysis,
front end analysis, task and subject matter analysis....
optimals
Information about the vision of the organization, detailing what sources wish
was happening. Specifics about the desired skills, knowledge and perspectives
as they relate to a particular task or organizational problem.
Organizational development is a field that encompasses many interventions,
including organizational design, team building, culture change, leadership,
strategy development, management systems, and a variety of other techniques
designed to transform an organization's beliefs, values, operations, or
interrelationships. OD practitioners look for opportunities to make the human
part of a system work better and thus focus on humanistic rather than
behavioristic strategies. (Rosenberg, Coscarelli, & Hutchison, 1992, p.
22)
performance analysis
It is the process by which professionals partner with clients to
identify and respond to opportunities and problems, and through study of
individuals and the organization, to determine an appropriate cross-functional
solution system. Performance analysis is a systematic and systemic approach to
engaging with the client. It is the process by which we determine when and how
to use education and information resources.
performance drivers
Causes of performance problems, barriers which get in the way of optimal
performance, and influence the success of people and organizations. See
barriers.
performance technology
A systematic and quantifiable set of processes designed to improve the
performance of people and organizations. It focuses on profitable
organizational results. The emergence of performance technology is influencing
the expansion of education and training professionals into the realm of
performance consulting and analysis.
reengineering
Reengineering is the fundamental rethinking and radical redesign of
business processes to achieve dramatic improvements in critical, contemporary
measures of performance, such as cost, quality, service, and speed. It
involves going back to the beginning and inventing a better way of doing work.
(Hammer & Champy, 1993, pp. 31-32)
solution systems
An array of interventions that, when strategically combined, increase human
performance in the workplace. Decisions about the nature of solution systems
come from performance analyses.
sources
Human or data resources that yield information about actuals, optimals,
and/or causes. Sources include job incumbents, experts, managers, supervisors,
and customers. Data resources which yield information about the results of
performance can include sales records, accident reports, letters to management,
exit interviews, Help Desk logs, performance evaluations....
systematic
Characteristic of analysis efforts; systematic efforts are data-driven
and defined, orderly processes, where output from one phase serves as input for
the next.
systemic
A focus on relationships within an organization, and how change in one
component influences others. A recognition of the individual, team and
organizational aspects of performance and the need for solution systems
predicated on causes.
actuals
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