Performance Support: Performance Centered Design

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Performance SupportPerformance Centered Design

• Gloria Gery
• Gery Associates
• 108 South Trail, Tolland MA 01034
• [phone] Fax [phone]
• email gloria_gery_at_msn.com
• Web sites - www.epss.com
  www.epssinfosite.com

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The Performance Zone The Result of Synthesis

• The problem or task is defined
• All relevant variables are
• surfaced
• integrated
• properly sequenced
• The metaphorical area when things come together
• When people get it and are self-sufficient
• Where response is exactly right
• When the music, the dance and the dancers are
  one...

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Performance Development Problems

• Endemic, large scale and expensive
• Limiting organizational and individual
  performance resulting in failure
• Too many variables
• Instability of process and content
• Limited performer experience incumbents often
  mismatched to requirements
• Enormous pressure
• Huge consequence

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Necessary and Sufficient Conditions for
Performance

• Clear, agreed upon goals
• Access to required resources
• Criteria for successful performance
• Information (content and rules)
• Task structuring support
• Data and Information
• Interactive Tools
• Communications

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Current Performance Support

• Largely external to task context
• Reference
• Peers and Experts
• Instruction

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Current Learning

• Instruction is out of context
• Relevance not seen
• Not the teachable moment
• Low leverage
• Too little too soon too much too late
• Learning largely experiential
• Trial and error
• Inefficient and sometimes ineffectual

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Getting to Performance
Performance Stimulus
Goals
R e l a t i o s s h i p s
Processes
Systems
Tools
Performance... Synthesis of relevant variables
and knowledge filtered, focused, well
represented
Concepts
Data
Rules
Products
Law
People
History
Procedures
etc.
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The Current Training Context

• Trainings been the performance development
  solution since World War II
• Most training is a separate event
• Most learning occurs on the job
• Many training assumptions can be questioned

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Assumptions Underlying Training

• One design works for most learners
• Theres enough time for training
• We have time and can develop successful courses
• We have enough effective practice activities to
  generate competence
• If people learn the parts (concepts, skills,
  facts,procedures, systems, etc), they can quickly
  
• synthesize them into performance on the job
• filter what they know and apply it to specific
  situations

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Todays Training Reality

• many inherent limits
• too much too soon
• too little too late
• people cant integrate things fast enough or well
  enough
• its out of context
• People cant learn enough before working
• Change is impossible to manage
• We have to explore alternatives to traditional
  training events

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New Opportunities are Emerging

• Most people are networked and using computers
  to do work
• Knowledge is increasingly available on-line
• Technology allows us to integrate knowledge into
  software applications
• LE can increase its impact by integrating what
  we do into additional learning contexts

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Performance SupportFosters integration

• Limits requirements for understanding all
  variables, rules and relationships
• Establishes context
• Connects knowledge, data and tools and rules
  tasks and contexts
• Embodies rules and relationships
• Presents variables together rather than
  requiring people to achieve integration

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Faced with conditions, goals, questions...
The Performer

• describes a situation
• enters data
• selects from alternatives
• chooses or is given a goal
• Examples
• Make this sale
• Solve this problem
• Answer this question

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Resources are filtered based on conditions and
choices...

• User Interface displays progressively based on
• Performance Goals
• Relevant data (stored or input)
• Rules
• Models
• Cases
• Best practice
• Performer profile or requests

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Resources are integrated and presented...
Task Structuring

• Content
• Data
• Tools
• Communications
• Deliverable Creation

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Deliverables are generated...

• using fixed or intelligent templates based on
  goals, filters and performer preference,
  generates
• reports
• presentations
• communications
• recommendations
• documentation

Digital or Paper output
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Enabling tools

• ProCarta by Domain Knowledge
• www.domainknowledge.com
• Guru Wizard Maker
• www.epiance.com
• Visit http//www.epssinfosite.com/pcd2000/awards.h
  tm to see above product awards and other
  performance support award winning demonstrations.

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Support Systems 1 Current State

• Automate old mental models (e.g. training and
  manuals)
• Fragmented responsibility across organizational
  lines
• Focus on structure (e.g. HELP), not outcomes
  (i.e. performance)
• Not integrated whether computer-mediated or not
• Independently developed and implemented
• Overlapping, redundant, and inconsistent content
• Inflexible, cumbersome and inefficient to use
• Not maintainable

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Support Systems 2 Help Systems

• Context defined as the software, not the work
• Content info on display, data and procedures
• Text only... not demos, examples, images
• Rarely support non-procedural or process tasks

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Comparing Traditional and Performance Systems
Traditional System
Performance System
Intrinsic or Inherent Support
Available Support that requires you to break
context
External Support
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Priority Need Reduce Cycle Times and Increase
Quality

• Time to performance
• Time to understanding
• Time to solve problems
• Time to create deliverables
• Time to market
• Reduce Errors

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American Express Financial AdvisorsResults
Veteran Employees

• Increased Accuracy
• Performance Centered System
  
• Before 93-96
• After 98

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American Express Financial Advisors Results
Veteran Employees

• Increased Productivity
• (minutes/transaction)
• Performance Centered System
  System
• Before 4.8
• After 3.5-4.0

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American Express Financial Advisors Results
New EmployeesReduced Learning Curve

• Reduced Training Time
• Before
  After Reduction
• Training/Practice 9 hrs 3-5
  hrs
• Supervised Work 36 hrs 9-7 hrs
  
• Total 45 hrs
  12 hrs 73

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American Express Financial Advisors Results New
EmployeesReduced Learning Curve

• Reduced Processing Time
• (minutes/transaction)
• Performance Centered System
• Day 1 Week 1
• Before 16.6 9.7
• After 5.3-8.8 4.6-5.6
  

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Systems Development 1

• Current Definition of Success
• Bug free code
• Meets expressed requirements
• On-time and On-cost Delivery
• Operational performance

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Systems Development 3

• Current Systems are
• Transaction or Information Centered
• Data driven
• Not integrated with other job performance
  requirements
• Task defined as relating to and interacting with
  the system
• Driven by technological or data criteria
• Mental models largely based in
• Forms
• Commands
• Information retrieval

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Systems 4 Current Interfaces

• Current State of Interfaces
• Data driven design GUIs on old displays
• Task is viewed as entering data, performing a
  procedure, accessing info
• Improved clarity of labels, options, navigation
  and input mechanisms
• GUI is viewed as adequate premature
  satisfaction
• Focus on GUI conformance and display consistency
• Assumption Users know the work they will do
  with the system
• Review by expert performers and business experts,
  not novices or those responsible for helping
  performers learn and do

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Need Reengineer Performance Development

• Redefine problem from training to performance
  development
• Let go of all current structure, activity,
  politics, process and religious beliefs
• Adopt the performer frame of reference
• Focus on outcomes, not activities
• Exploit technological alternatives

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Objective

• Skew the performance curve
• Generate day one performance
• Limit requirements for prior knowledge
• Create performance within the situation -- rather
  than seeking competence within the individual.

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Work Context

• Increasingly computer mediated
• Increasing flexibility requirements in who does
  work and where it is done
• Increasingly beyond Trainings reach
• customers and suppliers
• geographically dispersed employees
• temporary employees (e.g. part time, ad hoc
  assignees, shifting teams, reorganized work
  groups)

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Performance Support

• A new way of looking at performance development
• Integrating knowledge, tools, data and task
  structuring support
• Providing on-demand, just-in-time resources

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Performance Support A Concept

• A concept, not a technology
• Technology enables
• Integrates currently independent resources
• Requires frame of reference shift
• Interdisciplinary
• Requires senior sponsorship

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Performance Support Systems

• Systems designed to facilitate performance
  and facilitate learning.
• Goals
• Enable people who dont know what they are doing
  to do it as if they did
• Institutionalize current best approach
• Capture and integrate new knowledge

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Types of Performance Support 1

• Embedded and integral to software supporting work
  or tasks
• Linked to existing software applications
• Stand-alone task-specific software for those not
  currently using software for work performance
• Analog, human or computer-mediated support that
  is entirely external to any computer software

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Types of Performance Support 2

• Integrated or Embedded
• Integrated design philosophy from the beginning
• Parts and whole are indistinguishable
• Requires ability to influence the interface
• Integrated development team
• Access to extrinsic resources

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Types of Performance Support 3

• Linked
• Bolted on to existing software
• Can be context-sensitive
• Largely Extrinsic resource

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Types of Performance Support 4

• Stand Alone System or Tools
• When work is not supported by software
• Special purpose tool
• Many be combined over time to support more tasks

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Kinds of Performance Support Intrinsic,
Extrinsic, External

• Intrinsic - internal support within the context
  or system (interface, content, attributes and
  behavior)
• Extrinsic - internal to the system invoked from
  interface (context sensitive resources)
• External - external to the system invoked by
  performer (reference, instruction, HELP desk)

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Intrinsic Support 2 Leverage

• Done once
• Uses fewest design, development, implementation
  maintenance resources
• Organizational synergy results
• Inherent and inobvious to the performer
• Learning and doing tightly coupled
• Highest impact in time to performance

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Intrinsic Support 3 Sources

• Interface attributes and content
• Institutionalized logic underlying interface and
  access to resources
• Resources invoked from a context
• Integration of
• task structuring support
• knowledge
• data
• tools

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Two Major Focus Areas
Representation and Integration

• Task
• Knowledge
• Data
• Tools
• Communications

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Attributes Behaviors of Performance Centered
Systems 1

• Focused on task performance
• Aid in goal establishment
• Reflect natural work situations
• Maintain work context
• Provide alternative views of the application
• Observe and Advise

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Attributes Behaviors of Performance Centered
Systems 2

• Institutionalize business strategy and best
  approach
• Contain embedded knowledge
• Layered to accommodate performer diversity
• Provide access to underlying logic
• Provide contextual feedback and resources without
  breaking task context

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Attributes Behaviors of Performance Centered
Systems 3

• Automate tasks
• Strong use of visuals and metaphors
• Show evidence of task progression
• Provide alternative knowledge search navigation
  mechanisms
• Allow customization
• Consistency

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Major Tasks and Events Menu .
Get Social Security number Update or create a
will Add child as a beneficiary Add child as
existing account co-owner Update profile Send
letter of congratulations
Planning Investments Actions Other Services
Processes Questions Investments Situations Problem
s Events I want to
Death Birth of a child Marriage Divorce Retireme
nt Children finish School
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Extrinsic Support Structures 1

• Integrated with the application
• Invoked by performer
• Required some perceptual shift from task to
  content, but work context largely maintained
• Sometimes replace and sometimes overlay or share
  interface display

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Extrinsic Support Structures 2

• Cue Cards
• Coaches or Guides
• Assistants or Wizards
• Explanations
• Checklists
• Checkers
• Explanations
• Practice Activities
• Process Maps
• Tips

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Extrinsic Structures Details 1
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Extrinsic Structures Details 2
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Extrinsic Structures Details 3
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Extrinsic Structures Details 4
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Extrinsic Structures Details 5
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Extrinsic Structures Details 6
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Learning and Doing Tightly Coupled

• Learning occurs naturally through
• Inquiry
• Observation Modeling
• Variable manipulation
• Coaching
• And those approaches must be supported

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Development Team 1 Who must be involved?

• Expert performers
• Novice performers
• Instructional designers
• Writers
• Interface designers
• Work experts
• Business management
• Graphics artists
• Systems developers
• Technical experts

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Team Building

• High initial focus to
• Develop shared understanding of knowledge,
  skills, styles and behaviors
• Know what to expect and what not to expect from
  each other
• Set ground rules
• Ongoing activity
• A responsibility of each team member

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Developing Synergy

• Diverse work group incorporating all required
  persepctives and skills
• Interaction
• Appreciative understanding
• Integration of all views
• Implementation
• Visualization and graphics art skills, preferably
  in a computerized environment (animation,
  graphics, etc.)

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Getting Started - 1 Prototyping

• Identify a real need
• Develop a prototype
• Complex enough, but not too complex
• Evaluate...evaluate...evaluate

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Getting Started - 2 Pilot

• Pilot Criteria
• Solve a real problem
• Generalizable task
• Require intrinsic and extrinsic support
• Involve 8 - 10 variables, types of knowledge or
  process
• Requires search integration of information
• Cross multiple performer profiles
• Integrate with software
• Measurable pre- and- post results

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Design 1 Interface is Everything

• Unifying space
• Defines and maintains work context
• Cues performer
• Integrates all threads
• Establishes performer confidence
• Enables access and navigation
• Determines external support needs

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Design 2 Issues

• Process and mindset based on prior limits and
  design models
• Linear, sequential development processes
  mismatched to non-linear program structure
• Processes institutionalized in Training, Systems,
  Documentation
• Role definitions unclear
• Control and power issues

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Design 3 Goals

• 80 of support Intrinsic
• Extrinsic support
• types matched to task
• content adequate

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Design 4 Initial Software Goal

• Integration of required elements thru the
  interface
• Establish Common Ground with the performer
• A jointly inhabited space where meaning takes
  shape through the collaboration and successive
  approximations of the participants (Susan
  Brennan)
• A shared context for action in which performer
  and computer are agents

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Management Issues 1 Needs

• Educating self and others
• Managing required sponsorship logistics,
  economics and politics
• Strategy development
• Resource definition and allocation
• Staffing
• Establishing technological infrastructure

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Management Issues 2 Goals

• Organizational integration during development and
  implementation
• Managing and controlling development
• Achieving development and maintenance
  productivity
• Assuring evaluation and communications of results

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Management Issues 3 Sponsorship

• Sponsorship Requirements
• Overcome inertia
• Cultivate both initiating and sustaining sponsors
• Orchestrate politics
• Use consequence management
• Keep sponsors involved

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UI Team Staffing and Skills Requirements

• Business knowledge Current expertise about how
  work is performed
• Knowledge representation skills writing and
  explaining (sometimes considered to be
  instructional design or documentation skills)
• Programming skills in development tool
• User interface design skills metaphor
  development, navigation, human factors.
• Interface standards and conventions of the
  anticipated operating enviroinment (e.g. Windows
  95, O/S2, Motif, etc.)
• Knowledge of the underlying data structures or
  applications, if product is front-end
• Ability to interact with primary software
  developers

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Implementation Issues

• Management of change
• Reaction of experts to reduced position
• Human Resource issues
• compensation
• competency certification
• development planning
• role of supervisory and support staff
• possible change in job structure for performer --
  and others

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Costing Issues

• Need to consider all costs of performance
  development -- not just traditional training or
  systems development
• Root out vested interests in maintaining status
  quo
• Consider value of all types of benefits
• Strategy
• Value-added
• Efficiency
• Effectiveness

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Time and Cost Estimating

• Similar, yet different
• Politics escalate costs
• Actual development 20-50 less than traditional
  performance support approach
• Higher initial effort expense in developing
• concepts
• metaphors
• extrinsic structures
• development process
• objects and reusable components
• architecture and tools
• Then...rapid development

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Development Process Emerging Methodology

• Process-driven based on the way work is done
• Collaborative
• Conduct Contextual Inquiry
• Communication about data, tools and logic
  requirements
• Adopt performer frame of reference
• Establish performance goals
• Conduct cognitive, as well as task analysis
• Rapid and iterative paper electronic
  prototyping
• Ongoing evaluation performance testing with
  novices and experts

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Emerging Methodology 2 Understanding the
Overall System

• Functionality what will be automated
• Technology architecture
• Technology platform capabilities and limits
• Available data
• Overall navigation
• Interface standards and conventions
• Extrinsic support architecture and standards

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Emerging Methodology 3 Understanding Technical
Requirements

• What comes with the interface
• Interface logic what must occur behind the
  scenes
• Relationship between the interface, system and
  data
• Extrinsic structure requirements
• Current tool capabilities
• Serving data and support resources where things
  reside

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Emerging Methodology 4 Context and Work

• Contextual Inquiry
• Understanding work as it really occurs context
  and process
• Understanding goals and outcomes
• Defining the elements
• Defining rules, relationships and requirements
• Defining outcomes

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Emerging Methodology 5 The Performer

• Detailed description of current and future
  performers
• Understanding motivation and consequences
• Detailing assumptions about prior knowledge and
  skill
• Detailing expectations for outcomes (e.g. novices
  can perform within one day...)

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Emerging Methodology 6 Task Knowledge Analysis

• Detailed understanding activities, procedures and
  deliverables
• Identifying common elements across the system
• Processes (e.g. resolving customer inquiries)
• Tasks (e.g. locating and representing
  information account set up)
• Conditions (e.g. out of balance, unmatched data)
• Concepts (e.g. allocating expenses across budget
  items reminders)
• Images (e.g. equipment, physical objects,
  metaphors representing information process
  diagrams)
• Deliverables

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Emerging Methodology 7 Task Classification

• Understanding and classifying Task Types will be
  the basis for interface objects
• No known classification system exists
• Must develop reusable structure for internal use
• Examples
• Search Task - Classification Task
• Allocation Task - Comparison Task
• Classification Task - Scheduling Task
• Working with Dates - Setting Values Task

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Emerging Methodology 8 Iterative Design Process

• Expect repetitive cycles. At least 3 major
  passes likely.
• Avoid the Design once, then edit to completion
  trap
• Design by Successive Approximation- but be
  prepared to start from scratch, even after
  progress thru a version
• Employing rapid prototyping starting
• Start with paper
• Get increasingly specific
• Prototype on-line
• Keep logs and samples by task
• Expect to throw things away

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Emerging Methodology 9 Visualize

• Avoid the forms default
• Force visualization via exercises and use of
  gifted Graphic Designer
• e.g. make believe you must design the system
  without words metaphors, icons, data
  representation
• Visualize how both tasks, data and content can be
  visualized
• Think in metaphors

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Emerging Methodology 10Idea Generation

• Start with common tasks
• Brainstorm...
• Revisit demonstrations for idea stimulation by
  task
• Develop metaphors
• Prototype
• Discuss consequences with technical staff
• Develop shells and reusable structures

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Emerging Methodology 11 Specification

• Detail specifications on common structures and
  tasks
• Think in terms of dynamic displays -- not screens
• Communicate with Technical staff
• Commence development

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Emerging Methodology 12 High Level Design

• Analyze the entire system
• Identify overall design for core tasks
• Define support types by task for both intrinsic
  and extrinsic support(e.g. Cue Card, Assistant,
  Process Map)

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Emerging Methodology 13 Support System Design

• Specify standards for
• Look and feel
• Behavior
• Access
• Navigation overall and within a display
• Layers
• Technical requirements (e.g. sizable window...)

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Emerging Methodology 14 Detailed Design

• Start with core tasks
• Classify them and then look across the system to
  see if there are similar tasks so objects can be
  designed with all similar tasks in mind
• Iterate and test... again and again
• Map support system structure and content
  requirements

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Emerging Methodology 15 Support System
Development Tools

• Identify required tools beyond interface
  development tool, if any
• Reference repository or data base
• Authoring system for extrinsic support
• Expert system
• Graphics/animation tools
• Evaluate and select
• Determine input methods (e.g. Word templates)
• Program the shells

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Emerging Methodology 16 Support System Content

• Map to primary interface displays
• Structure
• Content
• Access method (e.g. button labeled Show me...)
• Develop, test and refine content with performers
• Specify technical links
• Specify alternate access methods

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Emerging Methodology 17 Program the Support
System

• Implement content in appropriate development tool
• Create links to primary displays and other access
  methods
• Test for execution and behavior
• Iterate...

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Return on Investment The Bases

• Strategy
• Value-added
• Effectiveness
• Efficiency

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Strategy Justification

• Competitive Differentiation
• Integration of support resources with application
• Reduction in client training support
  requirements
• Impact on market share
• Expansion to different markets
• Changing who does work e.g. permitting
  customers or suppliers to do work previously done
  within the organization.

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Value Added Justification

• Redefine who does work
• Reapply skills of those currently in training and
  documentation
• Impact customer time to performance cycles
• Greater leverage of development resources
• Maintainability of support resources
• More rapid time to market

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Effectiveness Justification

• Improved and more timely learning
• Up-to-date resources for users
• Leverage of development resource
• Improved work quality
• More complete work

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Efficiency Justification

• Cheaper
• Development
• Maintenance
• Distribution
• Implementation
• Training delivery costs
• Dramatically decreased training and learning time

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Sources

• Gery, Gloria, Electronic Performance Support
  Systems,1991. Gery Performance Press, Tolland,
  MA. Call [phone]
• http//www.epssinfosite.com