North Pacific Training and Performance

Instructional Design Methodology

Move your cursor over the numbered steps to the left to see a brief description of each phase in the process of building performance-oriented training.

Release Certification

The last step is team certification of the product. Unless the whole team agees that the course meets development objectives, it's back to the drawing board!

Certification is a collective stamp of approval that says "This meets my standards of excellence. I have no hesitation about putting my signature on this course."

It's a way of reinforcing the premise that when you put your professional expertise into a project, you "own" it.

It's also a chance to check in with all team members on their experience of the development effort, to look for efficiencies, to fine-tune the process, to bond as a team, and to learn the right lessons for next time.

Course Pilot

The course pilot is not the end of course development - it is an integral part of the development process itself.

The pilot is a dress rehearsal that gives the development team, including SMEs, instructional designers, and the instructor, the opportunity to see how the course plays out in the real world.

This gives the team a structured opportunity to learn from actual participants, gather feedback, and fine tune the learning experience before course roll-out.

Revisions both major and minor inevitably arise from the pilot. This doesn't mean that course development was inadequate - it just means that if quality assurance is to be taken seriously, every new course needs a dry run!

Technical Review

The best instructional designers are rarely subject matter experts in the topics covered in the courses they develop. Their proper field of expertise is the science of learning and cognition, and the host of secondary skills that support instructional design.

Instructional designers rely on subject matter experts (SMEs) for technical expertise. Much of the day-to-day work of instructional design involves interviewing SMEs, capturing their knowledge and expertise, and translating that into meaningful, learner-friendly educational content.

Technical experts must be involved at every stage of course development. But before a course is presented for the first time, a final technical review is necessary to ensure course content is technically accurate.

Course Development

Once the course design is approved, development begins.

In effective performance-based training, every lesson should contain the following:

1) Performance objectives

2) Motivation

3) Task-oriented learning activities

4) Evaluation

5) Feedback.

It's the art of the instructional designer to build the content of the lesson around this structure - and the art of the trainer to bring the classroom to life!

Course Design

Building a course without a sound design up front is like building a house without a blueprint.

In performance-based training, course design is based on the results of the task analysis. Task analysis provides the structure and the table of contents of the course, with the most important and most frequently performed tasks at the core of the training.

The course design document is an outline of the proposed training, including a preliminary plan for all lessons and modules. Each lesson outline shows performance objectives, a proposed learning activity, and a proposed method of evaluation.

The course design must be reviewed and approved by all stakeholders before actual course development takes place.

Information Delivery Systems Analysis

Information in the workplace is just a tool that helps people to do a job. They need that information when and only when they have to use it - and no more than is required to get the job done.

That means that every communications or performance improvement project must engineer an information delivery system - the shortest possible pathway between the person doing the job and the information they need to do it.

Sometimes that means putting the information on a Web site or intranet site. Sometimes a step-by-step manual or self-paced, Web-based training is the best delivery system.

Sometimes the information has to reside right there in the memory of the person who has to do the job. And the only way to get it there is through performance-based training.

Task Analysis

Training must be task-oriented and centered on improving actual on-the-job performance.

In order to train people to perform tasks and duties, you must start with a very clear definition of what those tasks and duties are. That's where task analysis come in.

Task analysis can not only identify the gap between current performance and optimal performance, it can help an organization gain a clearer understanding of what optimal performance should be.

Thus a good task analysis will not only serve as the structure for training and for any performance intervention, it will establish performance objectives for the target audience. These performance objectives can be used and re-used for purposes of establishing hiring criteria, job descriptions, and certification standards.

To take a free online lesson in Task Analysis, click here:

Free Task Analysis Course

Learner Analysis

Unless you understand your audience, you cannot build an effective training solution for that audience.

Understanding your audience means gathering data about it, through discussions with stakeholders, audience questionnaires, job shadowing, interviews, focus groups, and/or direct observation.

Why go through the trouble and expense of audience analysis? Because before you begin training development you need to know two things:

1) What factors are currently impacting the performance of the target audience?

2) What audience factors might impact the effectiveness of a proposed performance intervention?

Project Planning

Good project management starts with a clear definition of project deliverables and the milestones along the path to achieving them.

It also relies on a proven process. Without a defined process, estimates are just guesses, and milestones are impossible to achieve.

The principles of North Pacific have collectively or individually managed hundreds of training and documentation projects for dozens of the largest corporations in North America.

Needs Assessment

Not all performance problems can be solved by training!

There are many factors that impact workplace performance: access to the right tools, incentives, working environment, team issues, access to information, and others.

Training needs assessment is the process of identifying the factors that impact workplace performance of the target audience, and determining which of these factors can be successfully addressed through training.

Gap analysis defines current performance and optimal performance, and makes recommendations on how to address the gap between them.

Without a needs assessment up front, you run the risk of prescribing the right solution - to the wrong problem.



Instructional Design North Pacific builds performance-based training following a methodology proven on dozens of successful projects for some of the largest corporations in North America. Click here for a list of recommended links to instructional design resources.
	Instructional Design Methodology Move your cursor over the numbered steps to the left to see a brief description of each phase in the process of building performance-oriented training. Release Certification The last step is team certification of the product. Unless the whole team agees that the course meets development objectives, it's back to the drawing board! Certification is a collective stamp of approval that says "This meets my standards of excellence. I have no hesitation about putting my signature on this course." It's a way of reinforcing the premise that when you put your professional expertise into a project, you "own" it. It's also a chance to check in with all team members on their experience of the development effort, to look for efficiencies, to fine-tune the process, to bond as a team, and to learn the right lessons for next time. Course Pilot The course pilot is not the end of course development - it is an integral part of the development process itself. The pilot is a dress rehearsal that gives the development team, including SMEs, instructional designers, and the instructor, the opportunity to see how the course plays out in the real world. This gives the team a structured opportunity to learn from actual participants, gather feedback, and fine tune the learning experience before course roll-out. Revisions both major and minor inevitably arise from the pilot. This doesn't mean that course development was inadequate - it just means that if quality assurance is to be taken seriously, every new course needs a dry run! Technical Review The best instructional designers are rarely subject matter experts in the topics covered in the courses they develop. Their proper field of expertise is the science of learning and cognition, and the host of secondary skills that support instructional design. Instructional designers rely on subject matter experts (SMEs) for technical expertise. Much of the day-to-day work of instructional design involves interviewing SMEs, capturing their knowledge and expertise, and translating that into meaningful, learner-friendly educational content. Technical experts must be involved at every stage of course development. But before a course is presented for the first time, a final technical review is necessary to ensure course content is technically accurate. Course Development Once the course design is approved, development begins. In effective performance-based training, every lesson should contain the following: 1) Performance objectives 2) Motivation 3) Task-oriented learning activities 4) Evaluation 5) Feedback. It's the art of the instructional designer to build the content of the lesson around this structure - and the art of the trainer to bring the classroom to life! Course Design Building a course without a sound design up front is like building a house without a blueprint. In performance-based training, course design is based on the results of the task analysis. Task analysis provides the structure and the table of contents of the course, with the most important and most frequently performed tasks at the core of the training. The course design document is an outline of the proposed training, including a preliminary plan for all lessons and modules. Each lesson outline shows performance objectives, a proposed learning activity, and a proposed method of evaluation. The course design must be reviewed and approved by all stakeholders before actual course development takes place. Information Delivery Systems Analysis Information in the workplace is just a tool that helps people to do a job. They need that information when and only when they have to use it - and no more than is required to get the job done. That means that every communications or performance improvement project must engineer an information delivery system - the shortest possible pathway between the person doing the job and the information they need to do it. Sometimes that means putting the information on a Web site or intranet site. Sometimes a step-by-step manual or self-paced, Web-based training is the best delivery system. Sometimes the information has to reside right there in the memory of the person who has to do the job. And the only way to get it there is through performance-based training. Task Analysis Training must be task-oriented and centered on improving actual on-the-job performance. In order to train people to perform tasks and duties, you must start with a very clear definition of what those tasks and duties are. That's where task analysis come in. Task analysis can not only identify the gap between current performance and optimal performance, it can help an organization gain a clearer understanding of what optimal performance should be. Thus a good task analysis will not only serve as the structure for training and for any performance intervention, it will establish performance objectives for the target audience. These performance objectives can be used and re-used for purposes of establishing hiring criteria, job descriptions, and certification standards. To take a free online lesson in Task Analysis, click here: Free Task Analysis Course Learner Analysis Unless you understand your audience, you cannot build an effective training solution for that audience. Understanding your audience means gathering data about it, through discussions with stakeholders, audience questionnaires, job shadowing, interviews, focus groups, and/or direct observation. Why go through the trouble and expense of audience analysis? Because before you begin training development you need to know two things: 1) What factors are currently impacting the performance of the target audience? 2) What audience factors might impact the effectiveness of a proposed performance intervention? Project Planning Good project management starts with a clear definition of project deliverables and the milestones along the path to achieving them. It also relies on a proven process. Without a defined process, estimates are just guesses, and milestones are impossible to achieve. The principles of North Pacific have collectively or individually managed hundreds of training and documentation projects for dozens of the largest corporations in North America. Needs Assessment Not all performance problems can be solved by training! There are many factors that impact workplace performance: access to the right tools, incentives, working environment, team issues, access to information, and others. Training needs assessment is the process of identifying the factors that impact workplace performance of the target audience, and determining which of these factors can be successfully addressed through training. Gap analysis defines current performance and optimal performance, and makes recommendations on how to address the gap between them. Without a needs assessment up front, you run the risk of prescribing the right solution - to the wrong problem.