Conducting Best-Practice Front-End Analysis

Conducting Best-PracticeFront-End Analysis Presented by: Paula Alsher Vice-President, Client Solutions November 8, 2006 CEPWorkforcePerformance.com 770-458-4080

Today’s Agenda • Front-end analysis in performance-based organizations • Four major types of analysis • Goal Analysis • Job Analysis (Job Performance Profiling) • Task Analysis (Best Practice Detailing) • Performance Analysis • The link between analysis and evaluation • How CEP can help

What is a Performance-Based Approach? • The target is the ability to perform to explicit expectations • Solutions are not limited to training and are derived from analytical data • Success to the target can be measured against pre-defined outcomes and criteria • Measurement based on ability “to do,” not just to know

Best Practice Analysis Differs From Traditional Needs Analysis Assumptions Traditional: Training Best Practice: Business Goals Job Requirements Solutions Measurement Data Training Other Solutions

Why Conduct Analysis? There is no way to decide what action to take until you know what you are trying to accomplish. If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there?

Why Conduct Analysis? Without proper analysis, you can’t get to performance at the job level… …And you can’t measure improvement.

The Vision, Goals, and Strategies Must Connect to Jobs Vision Goals/ Strategies Processes Technology Jobs Jobs Jobs Jobs Jobs

What is Goal Analysis? Purpose To take “fuzzy” goals and be able to describe in terms of observable, measurable performance so that you can know when the goal has been achieved. • Examples of Fuzzy Goals • Exhibit personal leadership on a team • Demonstrate physical and moral courage • Be tactically competent • Think strategically • Demonstrate individual initiative • Be a good small unit leader

Air Force GS-15 Competencies • Work Thru Others • Interpersonal Awareness • Standards of Excellence • Use of Influencing Strategies • Organization Commitment • Self-Confidence • Initiative • Conceptual Thinking

Why Conduct a Goal Analysis? • To make performance targets measurable • To help determine if training is needed • To identify what kind of training will be useful • An intent is described in fuzzy terms • The intent is important When to use it Goal analysis can be applied at any point when:

Five Steps to Goal Analysis • Write down the goal • List performances that exemplify goal achievement as they relate to the organization goals and strategies and the job • Sort the list and eliminate remaining “fuzzies” • Describe performances in complete sentences • Test for completeness

An Example How would you know it if you saw it in your unit, organization, leaders, or team members?

Exhibit Personal Leadership on a Team • Produce high quality work • Improve own knowledge and skills to be technically and tactically proficient • Own up to own mistakes • Complete tasks without being told to do so • Deliver what is promised on time and on task • Guard personal and confidential information • Seek responsibility and take responsibility for personal actions • Keep team members informed • Set the example for others

Link the Goal or Competency to the Organization and to the Job

Goal Analysis Can End in Different Directions 4 1 2 3 5 A performances B other directions C thin air • After Goal Analysis • Determine which performances are occurring satisfactorily • Determine the causes for non-occurring performances • -lack of skills • -other causes (Performance Analysis)

We Define Job Performance Expectations Through Job Performance Profiling Define Expectations Identify Job Tasks Identify performance standards for each task Identify importance, difficulty, frequency of each task Purpose To define what performers need to do at the job level and how well they need to do it to meet expectations What is competent performance?

Job Task Defined A jobis a collection of tasks. A taskis a series of steps leading to a meaningful outcome/accomplishment. A step is one of the actions that need to be taken to accomplish the outcome.

Job Task Defined A jobis a collection of tasks. • Infantryman A taskis a series of steps leading to a meaningful outcome. • Navigate using a map and compass A step is one of the actions that need to be taken to accomplish the outcome. • Identify topographic symbols on a military map

Job Tasks Can Be Technical or Managerial

The Value of Job Performance Profiling What do you need someone to be able to do? How well do they need to do it? • Makes performance expectations clear and explicit • Can be used immediately as a performance management tool • Can be used to gain consensus of key stakeholders • Helps prioritize training needs

How We Conduct Job Performance Profiling • Meet with leadership to define the expectations for the job, including linkages to mission, goals, and strategies • Interview subject matter experts, including supervisors and star performers • Document and test for accuracy

Example

What is Task Analysis? • Documents the steps and decisions performers should follow to complete a job task • Completed through observation, focus groups, one on one interview of star performers • Derived from best practices • Can be documented in flowcharts or put immediately into Performance Guide format

Example Process Special Project Documentation for Construction and Repair (extract-Navy Mgr. Handbook)

The Value of Task Analysis • Ensures training is based on best practices • Provides consistency • Increases productivity • Improves efficiency • Reduces waste • Can be used to immediately improve performance even before training is developed

The Next Step: Deriving Skills Once you have detailed the best practices through task analysis, you can identify skills required to complete the task. * Only CEP identifies tasks and skills

Sample Skill Hierarchy Operate the Phone System – Receive Calls Transfer a Call Receive Inbound Calls Place Call on Hold Create Conference Call Discriminate between long & short wait Discriminate between internal & external calls Locate & operate the hold, in calls & ext. keys Locate & operate the hold, in calls, ext, release & transfer keys Recall functions of other company departments & individuals Locate & Operate Mute button Locate & operate Transfer button Distinguish between warm & cold transfers

Evaluations and Graduation Crisis Response to Include Casualties Crisis Response to Include Casualties Loss and Grief The Making of the Family Readiness NCO Position Contingency & Deployments Planning and Execution Exercise Evacuation Response Exercise Crisis Response Exercise Job Duties and Responsibilities Performance-Based USAF Family Readiness NCO Qualification Training “Course Map” Example Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 AAR Briefings and Lessons Learned AAR Briefings and Lessons Learned AAR Briefings and Lessons Learned Family Readiness: An Historical Perspective • Training Supports: • Job Aids • War-time • scenario • Eagle Point AFB • simulation • Eagle News • Network real- • time news • broadcasts • Controllers • Base leadership • involvement Morning Assessment Family Separations Due to Deployments Individual Application Planning and Discussions Evacuation Planning and Response Self-Paced Individual Work Practical application with integrated Practice and Skill Checks Facilitator-led discussions Readiness Team meetings and discussions Small group presentations Pre-work Afternoon Family Readiness: A Team Concept Review Base and FSC Contingency Plans All Exercises Conducted Under a Pre-or War-Time Scenario Involving Eagle Point AFB Simulation Tactical Dinner Conduct Contingency Planning AAR Conduct Crisis Response AAR Conduct Evacuation Planning AAR Outside Class-Readiness Team Meetings, Discussions, and After-Action Reviews

Why Conduct Performance Analysis Now that we’ve defined and described competent performance… Why aren’t performers able to do what we need them to do? Performance Analysis is the tool of choice.

Performance Analysis is Crucial • If other people are asking for training, you must do Performance Analysis to determine: • What’s causing the problem? • Is it a problem that training will fix? • Are there less expensive remedies?

Different Obstacles Call for Different Solutions Obstacle: Gaps in Required Skills Solution: Performance-Based Instruction Obstacle: Operational Support Solution: Remove or Work Around Solution: Rearrange Consequences Obstacle: Lack of Motivation “Skills” Optimal Performance “Will” “Hills”

Overview of the Process Three Main Steps: • Define the problem • Analyze the causes of the problem • Identify & implement effective solutions

Training Is Only a Solution to Closing Skill Gaps • Could people do it right if their lives depended on it? • Do they do it correctly now and then? • Have they ever done it right?

Eliminating Skill Gaps • Performance Aids • Full-Blown Training • On the Job Training • Coaching/Mentoring

Most Performance Problems Can’t Be Solved Just By Training • There are almost always motivational obstacles • Positive performance is punishing • Negative performance is rewarding • There are no consequences at all

Removing “Will” Barriers • Positive performance is punishing • Remove or reduce punishment • Provide positive consequences • Negative performance is rewarding • Remove or reduce reward • Provide equal or greater positive consequences for positive performance • No consequences • Provide positive consequences for positive performance • Make it matter

Operational/Environmental Obstacles Can Also Prevent Performance • Not enough time or resources • Existing rules/policies • Lack of authority • Lack of information • Lack of adequate space

Removing Environmental/Operational Obstacles • Reduce • Remove • Work around

Analysis Links Directly to Measurement and Evaluation

Measure Against the Pre-Specified Performance Criteria Analysis Solutions Measurement • Measurement tells whether • People are performing as desired • Performance changed • Your intervention(s) worked

Use Analysis as Basis for Performance Management

Measuring the Return

In Summary • Analysis enables us to: • Guarantee results • Use training only when training will work • Apply other less expensive solutions when appropriate • Manage performance more effectively • Measure results

Conducting Best-Practice Front-End Analysis