The document discusses transitioning technical professionals from classroom learning to job performance. It outlines challenges like bridging the gap between learning and job requirements, developing new curriculum quickly, and gaining subject matter expert buy-in for a performance-based approach. The solution involved conducting a performance analysis to identify key outcomes, developing modular courses aligned to outcomes, and managing change by involving subject matter experts throughout the process. Through this approach, the organization was able to successfully develop new technical courses within a tight 12-week timeline.

1. UNIVERSITY TO USEFUL
Transitioning performers from classroom learning
to performance for technical professionals

2. Situation
• The easy oil is gone. New technologies are being
developed to get to more difficult oil to meet the
world’s demand.
• The way the industry is doing business needs to
change. Collaboration, or working across
disciplines has become a must.
• The industry has many senior professionals
retiring soon . There is a need to hire many new
professionals to take their place leaving a gap of
knowledge and experience.
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3. Discussion in Pairs
• Find a partner and review the scenario
presented on your handout.
• Discuss the challenges presented and how you
(or your organization) might have dealt with
them.
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4. How Would You…
• Bridge the gap from learning to performance to
meet management’s mandate?
• Develop curriculum from a list of topics or a
broad ‘bucket’ of subject matter that spans the
breadth of a technical discipline?
• Equip performers who are armed with only
university knowledge to produce quickly in a
technical role that draws on a depth of technical
experience and a breadth of region-specific
application of knowledge when the existing
curriculum is organized by topic or subject?
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5. How Would You…
• Systematize course development quickly for
seven courses of two-week duration for a range
of technical disciplines to be developed in less
than 12 weeks?
• Generate the understanding and buy-in of subject
matter experts (who hold the keys to your
success with the business line) to a new approach
(performance-based rather than content-driven)
even as you are undertaking it?
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6. Our Solution
• We came upon Beacon Performance Group through a
contact from previous work they had done with our
Leadership Center.
• I met with Mason and described our situation.
• Over the next several weeks we put together a plan:
– a team of analysts would perform a PDNA analysis to
target the major outcomes of each discipline.
– From the analysis, the outcomes and modules would be
identified, lending to the curriculum definition.
– Then a team of instructional designers, technical writers
and graphic artists would come to office and develop the
courses alongside the SMEs from each discipline.
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7. What Happened
• By the time we were able to bring our analysts over, it
was mid-October.
– Only 12 weeks to take these courses from beginning to
end.
• Three analysts had two weeks to perform PDNA on 5
job families.
• The product of the interviews was a map of outcomes
and preliminary processes for each discipline.
• More data crunching back in the states resulting in a
more detailed report of the outcomes and high-level
processes.
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8. What Happened
• From the reports each major outcome and high-level
process was broken down into major modules.
• Outcome deliverables and action objectives were
identified for each module.
• Reviewed by SMEs again.
• Development teams hit the ground running in mid-
November and produced systematized templates, and
process for developing courses.
• We reached our goals and the flagships were delivered.
• Couldn’t have done it nearly so well without Beacon’s
PDNA help.
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9. How We Did It
1. Started with a clear performance-based
approach
2. Ordered and organized the job family and
curriculum based on outcomes
3. Designed and developed courses in alignment
with the performance model (from analysis)
4. Managed the change - Held regular
overview, focus group and validation meeting
with SMEs
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10. Step 1 - Performance DNA™
• We conducted Performance Analysis using
Performance DNA™ (PDNA)
– Used in ASTDs HPI Certificate Program
– Validated across many organizations
• Used the follow-on approach Performance
DNA™ Training Design
– Aligned to PDNA
– Quick and efficient for porting over PDNA data
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11. The Performance Chain
• The basis for building outcomes-based accelerated
development
Performance happens in this direction
Influences Tasks Processes Outcomes Business Goals
We analyze performance in this direction
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12. Performance DNA ™ Training Design
PERFORMANCE PLAN DESIGN & DEVELOP DESIGN & DEVELOP
ANALYSIS JOB AIDS INSTRUCTION
Define organization’s
Determine parameters Specify materials
business goal and job Specify job aid type
and constraints to be developed
that may need training
Define major Determine how to
Determine appropriate
outcomes required cause learning, Develop curriculum plan
job aid format
vs. currently produced retention & transfer
Define key work Conduct research
Plan and design courses
processes used on required content Plan the job aid
to produce outcomes and information
Detail tasks Determine most
Design and develop
performed in appropriate approach Plan and design modules
the job aid
key work process (job aid vs. training)
Break down sub-tasks
Validate and evaluate Validate and evaluate
or steps for problematic
for performance for performance
or new tasks
Investigate factors
that influence
performance
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13. Step 2 – Order the Job Families
• Order and organize based on performance
– Conducted Performance DNA™ Analysis
interviews across 5 job families
– Organized outcomes around job roles and
specialty roles
– Created outcome maps as organizing templates
for job families
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14. From Technical Area Chaos…
… To Job Role Clarity
Job Role 1 Job Role 1 Job Role 1 Job Role 1
Specialist Role 1 Specialist Role 2 Specialist Role 3 Specialist Role 4
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15. And From This…
• Job of a Geophysicist:
– Task 1
– Task 2
– Task 3
– Task 4
– Task 5
– Task 6
– Task 7
– Task 8
– Task 9


– Task 178
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16. … To This
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17. Step 3 – Design and Develop
• Course Design Planning Worksheet, Part 1
– Document the Job Outcome addressed by the
course
– Document expected Learning Difficulties
– Document pertinent Work Process details that are
relevant to Course coverage
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18. Course Design – Part 1
Course Design Planning Worksheet, Part 1
Using Key Work Process Worksheets to Plan Course Coverage
Curriculum:___________________________________________ Course Name:__________________________________
Job Outcome Addressed:_______________________________
Course Objective:
Expected Learning Difficulties (based on characteristics of learner audience):
Work Process Process Output Difficulty Level* Complexity Number Tasks Require Tasks Require
Addressed Level* of Tasks High Level of Performance
Decision Making at High Speed
1 2 3 4 5 1 2 3 4 5
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19. Step 3 – Design and Develop
(continued)
• Course Design Planning Worksheet, Part 2
– Estimated Course Modules
– Documented Task Details and Drafted Module
Names
– Documented Potential Interactions
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20. Course Design – Part 2
Course Design Planning Worksheet, Part 2
Using Task Definition Worksheets to Identify Tasks Addressed in Each Module
Curriculum:___________________________________________ Course Name:__________________________________
Work Process(es) Addressed:_______________________________
Tasks Related to Work Process(es) Task Difficulty Draft Module Names* Describe Potential for
Rating (Write same Module name beside Interaction with or Confusion
multiple tasks that will be treated in the with
ED D M E module if you are combining 2 or more Other Module
tasks into one module)
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
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21. Step 3 – Design and Develop
(continued)
• Course Design Planning Worksheet, Part 3
– Sequence Modules and Document Module Details
– Document Job Outcome Produced by Module
– Determine Source of Module Content
– Determine Delivery Location and Ratio
– Determine whether Evaluation is required as final
activity
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22. Course Design – Part 3
Course Design Planning Worksheet, Part 3
Course Content Planning
Curriculum:___________________________________________ Course Name:__________________________________
Evaluation Required as Final Course Activity? □Yes □No
(If Yes, document rationale.) _______________________________________________________
Practice Methods Required: (mark only after Module Design Worksheet, Part 2 has been completed)
□ Isolated practice on each module □ Integrated practice across all modules at end of course
Module Name Sequence of Desired Job Module Content Location Ratio of
(Transfer from Part 2) Module Outcome Produced Source Learners to
Delivery by Module (select instructor, Instructor
course materials,
eLearning, job aid,
and/or simulation)
□ Instructor
□ Course materials
□ eLearning
□ Job Aid
□ Simulation
□ Instructor
□ Course materials
□ eLearning
□ Job Aid
□ Simulation
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23. Step 3 – Design and Develop
(continued)
• Content Analysis and Requirements Template
– Analyzed Course Design Documents for Content
Requirements
– Worked with SMEs to Identify Availability and
Source and Condition of Content
– Specified Next Steps for Content Inclusion
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24. Content Analysis
Content Analysis and Requirements Template
Project:_____________________________________ Page___ of ____
Foundational Course:_____________________________ Technical Writer:_____________________
Module::_____________________________________
Content Requirement Exists Content Information Content Summarize Rework
Description ? Source Type Format Content Usage Required
(y/n) (PPT, DOC,
Etc.)
□ Key terms □ Writing
□ Concepts □ Editing
□ Graphic
□ Facts Design
□ Processes □ Other
□ Principles
□ Other
□ Key terms □ Writing
□ Concepts □ Editing
□ Graphic
□ Facts Design
□ Processes □ Other
□ Principles
□ Other
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25. Step 4 – Manage the Change
• Held regular overview, focus group and
validation meeting with SMEs
– Introduced began to educate and continued to
socialize the difference between subject matter
and performance
– Ensured that they had a voice in the process
– Managed their input (not always well!)
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26. Be Mindful of the Inertia!
• Lessons Learned:
– We got some black eyes
• Deep feelings among SMEs about how “their topic”
must be handled
• Resistance to change
• Politics – internal and departmental divisions
• A whole lot of “this is how we do it here,” and “I know
what they need to know.”
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27. Questions?
To find out more, contact:
Mason Holloway
Director
Beacon Performance Group
mholloway@beaconassociates.net
443-995-4797
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