By Thiagi

In my graduate school days, I enlisted as a foot soldier in B. F. Skinner’s programmed instruction army. By using small steps of learning content, incorporated with frequent questions, and immediate feedback and reinforcement with correct answers, all of my fellow soldiers were convinced that we could teach twice as much in half the time. Our training revolution used weapons of mass instruction based on integrating the science of learning and the art of teaching.

Alas, in about 10 years, our revolution fizzled out to a grinding halt. The results we produced t did not meet our expectation. I shifted to Thomas Gilbert’s new army to engineer worthy performance through human performance technology (HPT).

We realized that training was not the magic solution. To improve human performance, there were other appropriate interventions.

Around this time, our frequent question was,

Which is better: training or human performance technology?

Spoiler alert: This was a stupid question. Training is a subset of human performance technology. Our question was like asking which do you prefer: fruits or apples?

Throughout the ensuing years of experience, I learned to stop participating new revolutions and to ask a more valid question:

How can training and HPT strengthen each other?

I no longer fixate on the choice between training and HPT. Instead, I just brood on the connection between training and non-training HPT interventions.

Training to Support HPT

More non-training interventions require new techniques, and new skills and knowledge.

For example, job redesign is a powerful intervention. Successful application of this technique requires the skills of analyzing tasks associated with a job, identifying redundant, superstitious, and unnecessary tasks, and re-sequencing critical tasks into more effective combinations. To accomplish desirable job-redesign outcomes, we need to train employees to acquire and apply a variety of new skills. We also need to train them to understand the conceptual connections among inputs, activities, outcomes, objectives, goals, and accomplishments.

Here are a few examples of non-training interventions to help improve professional performance and productivity: policy formulation, feedback systems, pay for performance, selection and recruitment, safety, supervision, teambuilding, computerization, and software applications. If we think about effectively applying these non-training HPT interventions, we grasp the importance of training support.

HPT to Support Training.

This is how the HPT process works: We identify a result we want to reach and the performance obstacles that prevent us from reaching this result. Next, we discover different causes that create these obstacles. Depending on the type of causes (for example, dysfunctional policies and procedures. communication problems, lack of incentives and motivation, lack of personnel resources, lack of supplies and equipment, and health problems), we design and implement appropriate interventions (such as policy reformulation and improved communication strategies).

Here are some important principles we must keep in mind about human performance technology:

1. Performance problems are created by different causes and therefore require different interventions.

2. Training is an HPT intervention that removes or reduces problems caused by a lack of skills and knowledge.

3. Learning is an outcome just like any other professional accomplishment.

4. Learning is hampered by several causes.

5. Learning could be supported by non-training interventions.

Here’s an example of how training could be supported by no-training interventions.

We recently prepared a training package on implementing a computer software system. Here are different interventions (and specific techniques) that support and strengthen to use of this training intervention:

Policies and Procedures

• Ensure that the training is related to job performance.

• Specify the training goals in terms of products and outcomes of the job. Align job-performance review to these outcomes.

• Make the intervention resemble on-the-job training as much as possible.

• Allocate training time as a part of the job schedule.

• Ensure that the training intervention uses authentic job-related challenges and examples.

Communication

• Write the training materials is plain language.

• Define necessary technical jargon when you introduce them. Use jargon in an authentic fashion.

• Prepare and use job aids on the job.

Motivation and Incentives

• Integrate gamification as an essential component of the training intervention.

• Highlight the connection between learning new skills and improved job performance.

• Reward job performance results achieved through effective learning.

• Use nonmonetary incentives such as listing learners’ names in a Hall of Fame.

• Use authentic tests to measure learning achievement. Recognize and reward outstanding learners.

Interpersonal Resources

• Use experienced employees as a part of the training team.

• Make heavy use of collaborative learning activities.

• Assign the roles of trainers, designers, evaluators, and subject-matter experts to the learners.

• Use divergent groups to permit the participants to learn with each other and learn from each other.

• Ensure that the participants have the necessary prerequisite skills to benefit from the training intervention.

Supplies and Equipment

• Provide alternative types of learning and reference materials.

• Provide appropriate computer hardware and courseware.

• Set up the training room for collaborative learning.

• Use appropriate media equipment to enhance learning.

Wellness

• Avoid feeding the learners junk food and unhealthy snacks.

• Provide plenty of breaks between training sessions.

These non-training techniques can be effectively used with different training content and activities. You may adapt and adopt them to support your own training interventions.

Conclusion

Here is a summary of the key points of this article:

• We should avoid thinking in terms of training or non-training interventions and begin thinking in terms of training and non-training interventions.

• The goal of training is improved job performance.

• Training could be and should be supported by different non-training interventions.

• Training and non-training inventions should complement each other.

You are a human performance technologist. You may specialize in training interventions--without ignoring other supportive HPT interventions.