Title: The History of Human Performance Technology (HPT): It
1The History of Human Performance Technology
(HPT)Its Evolution, Contributions, Impact
- Judith A. Hale, Ph.D., CPT
- ibstpi Fellow
- President of ISPI
- Hale Associates
- Haleassoci_at_aol.com
- Skype Judith Hale
2Human Performance Technology-HPT
- Performance is the goal - it is doing worthy work
efficiently, effectively, and ethically - Human performance is accomplished through human
behaviors - Technology the application of a systematic
process that examines the workplace, work, and
the workers so people can perform
3Drivers for HPT
- Information Age - started with the development of
the transistor - Today we see
- Flatter structures with more information being
pushed down into he organization - Greater decision making at each level
- Changed the balance of information, now have a
need for knowledge management just in time not
just in case - Increased reliance on informal learning and a
need for knowledge workers who know more about
their job than the boss - Resulted the need to look at the workplace, work,
and work to optimize resources - Human
- Physical space
- Technology
4Impact of the Information Age on WorkArt Isaacs
Products systems
Increasing Complexity of Work
Simple Stand alone
Systems New Materials
Miniaturization Computerization
Workers contractors
Increasing Diversity of Worker Skills
Unskilled
Skilled
Technical Specialization
Mixed skills
Multi skilled
Government supplier customer
Increasing Interface
Directive
Collaborative
Quality approach
Increasing Quality
1930 Craftsman
1940-1950 Inspection
1960 Quality control
1970-1980 Quality assurance
1990-2020 Total quality
5Evolution of Training to Performance
Measures
Increasing Demand for Return on Investment
Norm
Criterion
Impact
Transfer Sustainability
Technology
Increasing integration of computers work
learning
Programmed
Video
Computer-based simulations
Web-cast
Work design
Increasing Use of Performance Supports
Job-aids
Simplified tasks
EPSS
Total design
Workplace
Increasing Role of the Work Setting on Performance
1930 Design of tools
1940-1950 Leadership
1960
1970-1980
1990-2020 Integrated leadership- human capital
Organizational Structure Reengineer jobs
6Complexity of the Work
Type One Repetitive Projects Know what complete looks like and how to get there Type Two Quasi-experimental Projects Have well described methods
Type Three Complex Projects Know what success looks like, but no universally agreed on way to get there or dont know how to get there Type Four Catastrophic Projects Not sure what success looks like and dont know how to get there
7HPTs evolution over past 50 years
- Moved from training to performance
- Appling more sophisticated measurement practices
- Increasingly use computers to both deliver
content and support on-the-job performance - Increasingly help design work processes to
support performance - Increasingly help design work environments that
support the desired change in work behaviors - Increasingly work with organizations as
integrated open systems
8Evolution Milestones 1940-1950
- Clients saw need to measure learning against
criteria instead of norms. - Military and manufacturing required people to do
task to standard - Getting 70, 80, 90 did not work wanted 100
- This in turn forced trainers to design
instruction based on meeting standards and
testing both knowledge retention and application
9Evolution Milestones 1950-1960
- Concept of programmed learning developed
- Tried teaching machines
- Chunked learning
- Built in feedback systems
- Moved from instructional objectives to learning
objectives to learning outcomes - Instructional technology was introduced
10Evolution Milestones 1960-1970
- Trainers started looking at how to support
learning back on the job - Introduced job aids
- Started building in performance supports into the
job setting or job itself - Started questioning the role of the supervisor
and importance of reinforcement - National Society for Programmed Instruction
(NSPI) was established
11Evolution Milestones 1970-1980
- The term performance introduced into
professional vocabulary - Trainers were asked to prove training was being
applied on the job, - Trainers started looking at the workplace and how
it supports the new behaviors - Recommended performance supports
- Recommended reinforcement by the boss
- Began to question the importance of job
incentives and performance management systems. - NSPI became the National Society for Performance
and Instruction
12Evolution Milestones 1980-1990
- Trainers started referring to their work as
Performance Improvement - Trainers became more sophisticated in the use of
delivery technology - Video
- Computer assisted, computer-based, simulations
- Language of Human Capital introduced
13Human Capital
- human capital, defined as 'skill, dexterity,
and knowledge' of the population, has become the
critical input that determines the rate of growth
of the economy and the well-being of the
population. - Boyatzis
14Evolution Milestones 1990-2000
- More complex solutions were developed to support
and improve performance - Training combined with performance support
- Incentive systems based on job deliverables
- Reengineered work processes combined with more
sophisticated technology. - Measurement
- Increasingly expected to measure how well
performance improvement programs (training, job
design, alignment of incentives, improved
infrastructure, etc.) affected - Retention done through testing
- Application transfer to the job new behaviors
on the job - NSPI became ISPI International Society for
Performance Improvement - First Handbook for Performance improvement
published
15Evolution Milestones 2000-today
- HPT increasingly
- Applies more sophisticated measures
- Time to and cost of proficiency
- Business Impact contributions to and effect on
the organizations competitiveness - Societal impact contributions to and effect on
social and environmental issues - Assesses how jobs are designed and workplace
variables affect performance - Certified Performance Technologist and HPT
Standards introduced
16HPTs Contributions for Tomorrow
- ISPI
- Building strategic alliances with key industry
groups - Building strategic alliances with international
partners - Developing credentials to recognize
organizations, performance improvement programs,
and learning solutions - Members doing more strategic work in key
industries (education, healthcare, military,
international development)
17Work Workplace Challenges
- Work being done virtually
- Carried with you
- Organizations using global virtual teams
- A result is managers have an Increasing span of
control over virtual/global workers - Workers have an increasing reliance on
sophisticated integrated information
communications technologies
18Current Workforce Challenges
- Aging workforce loss of tacit knowledge
- Generational differences in expectations
- Increasing reliance on multi-national workers for
math and science skills - Continual need to re-skill or up-skill
- Increasing need for skills in solving complex
problems and innovation - Increasing need for self-directed learning
19Consequence of these challenges
- New players offering solutions
- Architects and interior designers
- Information technology vendors
- Quality consultants
- Training vendors
- Financial and business consultants
- All offer partial solutions that do not take into
consideration the whole system
20HPTs Position
- HPT the only discipline that applies a systematic
process that examines the whole system - - Marketplace
- Workplace
- Work
- Workers
- While
- Staying focused on actual and desired outcomes or
results - Being systemic is its approach and solutions
- Seeking to add value in the process
- Partnering or collaborating with all stakeholders
21Summary
- HPT as a profession will continue to
- Make smart use of technology
- Develop efficient ways to evaluate its
contributions to organizations and society - Build strategic alliances with clients and
stakeholders - Develop standards to recognize organizations and
individuals who exemplify the adoption of HPT - Become more sophisticated in how to increase its
level of influence