Posts Tagged ‘HPT’

T&PI’s Link to the Economic Crisis

Sunday, June 7th, 2009

You might wonder what training and performance has to do with the current economic crisis. While it is easy to point fingers and assign blame, and certainly there is enough to go around, being accountable for your actions, or lack thereof, requires courage. There are questions that workplace learning and performance (WLP) professionals must ask and answer concerning their human performance technology (HPT) and/or human resource development (HRD) practices. These questions are:

  • Is root cause analysis a routine part of your HPT practice?
  • Have you integrated lean service concepts into your HPT practice?
  • Are you experimenting with new tools to support learning and performance improvement?
  • What theory into practice action have you taken to enhance your professional development?

The auto companies may serve as a model for HPT/HRD practice. The auto companies continue to make improvements in their current practices with limited ventures into new categories (small, fuel-efficient vehicles). Processes were fixed and/or enhanced that should have been eliminated (root cause analysis). Only in crisis mode did the auto companies streamline operations (lean six sigma concepts). Training and performance improvement does not set strategy for organizations. However, T&PI should have some influence. What path are WLP professionals following?

Are we going the way of the auto companies or evolving? Your thoughts? Click on comments and share your views.

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The Middle Ground of T& PI Theory and Practice

Thursday, February 5th, 2009

In the practitioner literature for human resource and training professionals, you will find practical information that you can apply in your organization or practice. In the academic literature for human resource and training professionals, you will find the theories and theoretical frameworks that support the development of practical application. Is there a middle ground? Or, are the professions divided into distinct groups of thinkers and do-ers?

There is a reason for the great divide. The academic literature is not written in a style that encourages optional reading. The practice literature, while immediately applicable, does not require thinking. The human resources and learning professions cannot continue in this vein. Real performance improvement requires both theory and application. Practitioners are not only responsible for driving change, but also for understanding (and contributing to) the supporting theories. The absence of a marriage between theory and practice makes practitioners re-active rather than proactive. The absence of a marriage between theory and practice leaves academics voiceless and contributes to a dumb-ing down of the human resources and training practices. What are your thoughts?

Lorretta J

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Blogging for Performance Improvement

Friday, July 18th, 2008

Performance improvement relies upon good communication throughout the analysis, intervention, implementation, and evaluation process.  It is increasingly difficult to obtain meaningful feedback through surveys and focus groups rely upon a small sample.  Often as a  consultant, internal or external, you have no control over the sample participants.  Blogs are a way to obtain information.

What we know is that corporations are beginning to mine blogs for valuable customer feedback and information.  The role of blogs between employer and employee has potential for meaningful communication as well. The question posed is what roles can blogs fill in the human performance technology process?  How can practitioners in the field of human performance improvement, human resources, and training proactively use blogging as a tool, resource, and intervention? 

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