How to Get Better Results by Doing LESS Training Stakeholders often come to us asking for courses, but the courses are either overkill or aren’t what is needed. And sometimes they do need “courses,” but only to check off a box. But in either case, developing courses ties up resources (including learners’ time) that they could use for better purposes. When we are asked to build courses, we have a responsibility to challenge and validate that creating a course is the most effective and efficient approach. This session provides participants with ways to think about being more efficient when allocating course development resources. You’ll learn what questions to ask to get at whether a course is really needed, and whether more efficient options such as Twitter, discussion forums, PDFs, or other lower-tech options would more efficiently (and more effectively) meet learners’ and stakeholders’ real needs. Participants in this session will learn how training is not always the best option for improving performance, and it introduces some other alternatives along with the scenarios that can be most successfully implemented. In this session, you will learn: The questions that you should ask and answer before beginning any learning program How to determine if a higher- or lower-tech option is more appropriate When a course or non-course is more appropriate How to steer stakeholders to more “efficient” options

1. Get BETTER Results By Doing LESS Training
Patti Shank Mike Taylor
LearningPeaks.com tmiket.wordpress.com
@pattishank @tmiket
Performance vs Training
The New Learning Architect Analyzing Performance Problems
by Clive Shepherd Or, You Really Oughta Wanna--How to Figure out
Why People Aren't Doing What They Should Be, and
What to do About It
“Conditions for Success” for various
by Robert F. Mager & Peter Pipe
learning/performance approaches
including: top-down, bottom-up, formal,
The Performance analysis Flow Diagram in
non-formal, on-demand & experiential.
the appendix is a great resource.
Performance Analysis Questions (Mager & Pipe)
1. What’s the performance problem? 5. Is it a genuine skill deficiency?
2. Is it worth solving? 6. Can the task be made easier?
3. Can we apply fast fixes? 7. Any other obstacles?
4. Are consequences appropriate? 8. Does the person have potential to change?
Design Considerations
Situation Possible Options
Simple on-the-job training
Simple tasks
Job aid/checklist
Infrequent Error
Job aid/checklist
simple task tolerable
Error
Regular practice to automaticity
intolerable
Infrequent Error
Job aid/checklist
complex task tolerable
Error Regular practice to automaticity with
intolerable job aid/checklist
Training with use of performance
Frequently changing task
support
Minimal effort
“Checkbox” training
(ie. PDF with question “I have read”)
Information/Communication Social media, Communities
Not enough time/resources Recycle / Curate

2. Analysis
First Things Fast: Figuring Things Out:
A Handbook for Performance Analysis A Trainer’s Guide to Needs & Task Analysis
Allison Rossett Ron Zemke & Thomas Kromlinger
Performance Support
Job Aids & Performance
Innovative Performance Support:
Support: Strategies and Practices for Learning in the
Moving From Knowledge in the Classroom to Workflow
Knowledge Everywhere
Conrad Gottfredson & Bob Mosher
Allison Rossett & Lisa Schafer
Social Learning & Communities
Cultivating Communities of The New Social Learning: A Guide
Practice [Hardcover] to Transforming Organizations
Through Social Media
Etienne Wenger, Richard McDermott &
William M. Snyder Tony Binham & Marcia Connor
Social Media for Trainers: Dave Kelly: Why people Hate Training
Techniques for Enhancing and & How to Overcome it
Extending Learning http://bit.ly/HateTraining
Jane Bozarth
Online:
Jane Hart’s Non-Training Approach to Workplace Will Thalheimer: “The Five Failures of Workplace
Learning: Learning Professionals”
http://bit.ly/non-training http://bit.ly/5failures
Onlignment (Clive Shepherd & Co.)
Dave Ferguson on Minimal Training
http://bit.ly/NewLearnArch &
http://bit.ly/minimaltype
http://bit.ly/TrngNotRtAnswer
Cathy Moore “How action mapping can change your Elearning Coach “Using the 5 Moments of Need to
design process” steer stakeholders in the right direction
http://bit.ly/ActionMap http://bit.ly/5MomentsSteer
TrainingDoctor.org: “21 Questions to ask before
Gary Wise “Evolving Training Into The Perfect Hole”
Designing Any Training Program” http://bit.ly/21Q-1
http://bit.ly/evolvetraining
, http://bit.ly/21Q-2 , http://bit.ly/21Q-3