designing effective hrd programs

CH-5 Copyright 2008 Werner et al 1

Designing Effective HRD Programs

Chapter 5


Learning Objectives

1. Write training objectives for a specific program2. Identify several sources where HRD programs

could be obtained3. Compare the relative merits of developing in-

house versus an outside source4. List the activities involved in employer designed

HRD programs5. Compare various types of training materials6. Point out some of the constraints to scheduling

HRD programs


Questions After Needs Assessment – 1

• Is this an issue that can and should be addressed by a training or HRD intervention?

• How do I translate the results of the needs assessment into a specific training intervention?

• If training is necessary, how do we handle the “make” or “buy” decision?


Questions After Needs Assessment – 2

• Who will be an effective trainer (or trainers) for this particular project?

• What is the best way to organize the program or intervention?

• How should training methods and materials be selected or prepared?

• What is the most effective use of technology • Are there particular scheduling issues that

should be considered in preparing for training?


Basic Design Decisions

• After the needs assessment is completed, data is on hand to decide:– where the training or HRD program is needed– what kind of training or HRD program is

needed– who needs to be trained– the conditions under which training will occur

• Needs will have been prioritized as well


Key Activities in HRD Design

1. Setting objectives

2. Selecting the trainer or vendor

3. Developing a lesson plan

4. Selecting program methods and techniques (including the appropriate use of technology)

5. Preparing materials

6. Scheduling the program


Training and HRD Process Model

Fig. 5-1Design Implementation Evaluation

Defineobjectives

Selectevaluationcriteria

Developlesson plan

Develop/acquirematerials

Selecttrainer/leader

Select methodsand techniques

Schedule theprogram/intervention

Determineevaluationdesign

Conductevaluationof programor intervention

Deliver theHRD programor intervention

Interpretresults

Assessment

Assess needs

Prioritizeneeds


Seven Overarching HRD Professional Responsibilities – 1

1. Identify the kinds and levels of KSAOs that employees need to attain high levels of performance and to achieve organizational results

2. Develop and maintain organizational structures, conditions, and climates that are conducive to learning

SOURCE: From Sim, R. R. (1998). Reinventing Training and Development. Westport, CT: Quorum Books. Reproduced with permission of Greenwood Publishing Groups, Inc., Westport, CT.



3. Generate and provide the necessary resources to conduct a program design

4. Identify and provide access to off-the-job as well as on-the-job learning resources

5. Provide individual assistance and feedback on various dimensions of individual performance




6. Serve as role models and mentors to trainees and the organization in the pursuit of mastery of “pivotal” KSAOs

7. Develop efficient learning processes that take into account individual learning styles, abilities, and work and life circumstances



Defining the Objectives

• Objective– “…description of a performance you want

learners to be able to exhibit before you consider them competent.” (Robert Mager)

• Training program objectives describe the intent and the desired result of the HRD program

• The basis for determining which methods should be used


Three Critical Aspects of Objectives

• They should describe:– The performance the learners (trainees)

should be able to do – The conditions under which they must do it – The criteria (how well they must do it) used in

judging its success


Qualities of Useful Objectives – 1

Table 5-1

• Performance – An objective always says what a learner is

expected to be able to do and/or produce to be considered competent; the objective sometimes describes the product or result of the doing.

• Example:– “Write a product profile for a proposed new product.”

SOURCE: From Mager, R. F. (1997). Preparing Instructional Objectives (3rd ed., pp. 46–47, 55). The Center forEffective Performance, Inc., 1100 Johnson Ferry Road, Suite 150, Atlanta, GA 30342. http://www.cepworldwide.com800-558-4237. Reprinted with permission. All rights reserved. No portion of these materials may be reproduced inany manner without the express written consent from The Center for Effective Performance, Inc.



Table 5-1

• Conditions – An objective describes the important

conditions (if any) under which the performance is to occur

• Example:– “Given all available engineering data regarding a

proposed product, trainee will write a product profile.”




Table 5-1

• Criteria – Wherever possible, an objective identifies the criteria

of acceptable performance by describing how well the learner must perform in order to be considered acceptable.

• Example: “The product profile must describe all of the commercial characteristics of the product that are appropriate for its introduction to the market, including descriptions of at least three major product uses.”



Ask Yourself

• Is your main intent stated (concerning what you want the trainee to do)?

• Have you described all of the conditions that will influence trainee performance?

• Have you described how well the trainee must perform for his or her performance to be considered acceptable?


Guidelines for Developing Objectives – 1

Table 5-2

• 1. An objective is a collection of words, symbols, pictures and/or diagrams describing what you intend for trainees to achieve

• 2. An objective will communicate – your intent to the degree that you describe: what the

learner will be doing when demonstrating achievement or mastery of the objective

– the important conditions of the doing– and the criteria by which achievement will be judged




Table 5-2

• 3. To prepare a useful objective, continue to modify a draft until these questions are answered:– What do I want trainees to be able to do?– What are the important conditions or constraints

under which I want them to perform?– How well must trainees perform for me to be

satisfied?• 4. Write a separate statement for each important

outcome or intent; write as many as you need to communicate your intents.




Table 5-2

• 5. If you give your written objectives to your trainees, you may not have to do

much else.– Why? Because often employees are already

able to do what you are asking them to do and will be happy to demonstrate their ability, now that they know what is expected of them



Which is Better?

1. In at least two computer languages, be able to write and test a program to calculate arithmetic means

2. Discuss and illustrate principles and techniques of computer programming


Behavioral Objectives

• Focus squarely on what the trainee is expected to do at the completion of training

• Insistence of lengthy and detailed behavioral objectives has been criticized

• Objectives are linked to many important design and evaluation decisions


Issues to be Considered

• Inputs

• Process

• Outputs

• Consequences

• Conditions

• Feedback


The “Make Versus Buy” Decision

• Best use of available resources• Typical Services Available

– assisting with conducting needs assessment– guiding internal staff to design or implement a

program– designing a program specifically for the organization– providing supplemental training materials (exercises,

workbooks, computer software, videos)– presenting a previously designed program– conducting a train-the-trainer program


Typical Sources

• Consulting firms

• Educational institutions

• Professional societies

• Trade unions

• Publishing houses

• Governmental agencies

• Nonprofit community-based organizations


Major Reasons to Contract Out

• The firm does not have the expertise to design the program in-house

• Management would not likely have the time to design the program

• Firm doesn’t have an HRD department or full-time HRD professional


Factors to Consider – 1

Table 5-3

Expertise When an organization lacks specialized KSAOs needed to design and implement an HRD program.

Timeliness When it is timelier to hire an outside agency to facilitate the process.

SOURCE: From Carnevale, P., Gainer, L. J., Villet, J., & Holland, S. L. (1990). Training Partnerships: Linking Employersand Providers (p. 6). Alexandria, VA: American Society for Training and Development .



Table 5-3

Number of Trainees

The larger the number of trainees the greater the likelihood to design the program itself. For just a few trainees use an outside training agency.

Subject

Matter

If the subject matter is sensitive or proprietary the HRD conduct the program in-house




Table 5-3

Cost Always considers cost, but only in concert with other factors

Size of HRD The size of the HRD department is important for assessing the capacity to design, conduct, and/ or implement skills training as opposed to using an outside agency




Table 5-3

“X” Factor Some other extraneous conditions that would make it

preferable that an outside agency be used to conduct the skills

training.



Other Factors

• Personal contacts or past experience with an outside vendor

• Geographical proximity to the vendor

• Local economic conditions

• Presence of government incentives to conduct training


Choosing a Vendor – 1

• Cost: price relative to program content and quality

• Credentials: including certificates, degrees, and other documentation of the vendor’s expertise

• Background: number of years in business and experience in the particular content area



• Experience: vendor’s prior clients, success with those clients, references

• Philosophy: comparison of the vendor’s philosophy to that of the organization

• Delivery Method: training methods and techniques used

• Content: topics included in program or materials



• Actual Product: including appearance, samples, or whether a pilot program is available

• Results: expected outcomes

• Support: especially in terms of implementation and follow-up



• Request for Proposal (RFP): – the match between a vendor’s offer and the

requirement spelled out in the organization’s request for a proposal


Studies of Outsourcing

• Most Frequently Outsourced– Management development (27%)– Technical training (23%)– Computer training (14%)

• Only 29% of firms saved money• Provides expertise and enhances all design and

delivery of training


Selecting the Trainer

• Training Competency– knowledge and varied skills needed to design

and implement a training program

• Subject matter expertise – mastery of the subject matter

• Training is most effective when trainers possessed an advanced level of expertise as instructors and facilitators


Helping Less Qualified Trainers

• Teaming skilled trainers with in-house subject matter experts to form an instructional team

• Using a training technique that does not require a human trainer, such as computer-aided or online instruction programs

• Train-the-trainer programs, which involve identifying in-house content experts who lack training skills and training them to become effective trainers


Train-the-Trainer Programs

• Provide subject matter experts (SMEs) with the necessary instructional knowledge and skills to design and implement training program

• Available through – local professional associations– colleges– consultants


Train-the-Trainer Programs

• Focus on– Developing trainee objectives and lesson

plans– Selecting and preparing training materials– Selecting and using training aids (e.g.,

Microsoft® PowerPoint® slides, videos, overhead projectors)

– Selecting and using different training methods and techniques


Importance of a Good Trainer

• A bad trainer can cancel out an excellent training effort

• An excellent trainer can make a bad training effort a lot better


Preparing a Lesson Plan

• Lesson Plan– translates program objectives into an

executable training session– trainer’s guide for the actual delivery of the

training content.– determines in advance what is to be covered

and how much time is devoted to each part of the session


Lesson Plan Contents

• Content to be covered• Sequencing of activities• Selection or design of training media• Selection or development of experiential

exercises, or both• Timing and planning of each activity• Selection of the method of instruction to be used• Number and type of evaluation items to be used


General Lesson Plan Template

Program titl e:

Objectives of this lesson:

Preparation requi red:

1. Physical environment

2. Equipment and materials

3. Instructor

4. Trainee(s)

Major Instructor Trainee Instructi onal StrategiesTime Topics Acti vity Activity Intended t o Be Achieved

SOURCE: From Nadler, L., & Nadler, Z. (1994). Designing training programs: The critical events model (2nd ed., p. 145).Houston, TX: Gulf Publishing.

Fig. 5-2


Selecting Training Methods and Media

Table 5-4

• Methods Percent• Instructor-led Classroom Programs 62• Self-Study, Web-based 15• Virtual Classroom 14• Other Methods 9

SOURCE: From 2006 Industry Report (2006). Training, 43(12), 20–32.


Training Content – 1

Table 5-5

Type Percent

IT and Systems

Profession or Industry Specific

Process, Procedures, Business Practices

Quality, Product Knowledge

Managerial and Supervisory

19

19

13

11

9

SOURCE: Rivera, R. J., & Paradise, A. (2006). 2006 State of the industry in leading enterprises. Alexandria, VA: ASTD.


Training Content – 2

Table 5-5

Type Percent

Mandatory and Compliance

Sales

Customer Service

Interpersonal Skills

Basic Skills

Executive Development

New Employee Orientation

8

4

4

4

4

3

2

SOURCE: Rivera, R. J., & Paradise, A. (2006). 2006 State of the industry in leading enterprises. Alexandria, VA: ASTD.


Factors to Consider in Selection

• Objectives of the Programs

• Time and Money Available– Who pays trainees during training?

• Availability of Other Resources

• Trainee Characteristics and Preferences


Preparing Training Materials

• Program Announcements

• Program Outlines or Syllabi

• Training Manuals

• Textbooks


Program Announcements

• Inform target audience about training program– Purpose of program– When and where to be held– How to participate in program

• Give sufficient lead time for trainee to schedule


Transmission of Program Announcements

• Sent through– Supervisory channels– Union stewards– Company newsletters– Intranet– Mail– Electronic bulletin boards– E-mail– HRD Bulletins


Program Outlines

• Communicate the content, goals and expectations of the program

• Include– Course objectives– Topical areas– Materials or tools needed– Requirements of each trainee– Tentative schedule


Training Manuals and Textbooks

• Textbooks– Generally provide a broad treatment of

subject

• Training Manuals– Brief and hands-on

• Buy or Develop?– Generally less expensive to purchase

• Copyright Laws– Get permission and give attribution


Scheduling the HRD Program

• During working hours:– Avoids outside conflicts– Sends message that learning/training is

supported by management

• Day of the Week:– Avoid Mondays and Fridays– Avoid holiday weeks


Time of Day Issues

• Too early– Tardy or tired participants

• Over lunch hour– When do they eat

• Mid-afternoon– Sluggish circadian rhythms

• Late in day– Distractions and need to leave early


Other Working Hour Constraints

• Considerations– Peak work hours– Staff meeting times– Travel requirements– Training shift workers

• Consult with managers and supervisors before scheduling– Do it well in advance of scheduling


Scheduling After Working Hours

• Avoids organizational complaints• Other problems

– Family obligations– Moonlighters– Tired trainees– Reluctance to give up free time

• Inducements– Overtime pay, comp time, promotion, holding

at resort with leisure activities


Registration and Enrollment

• It must be clear on– How one should register– Who is responsible for logistics

• Travel arrangements• Lodging• Meals

– How to cancel or reschedule

• If available, use computerized system such as RegOnline


E-Learning

• Quicker and more widespread access to training materials

• Once in place, cheaper than classroom

• Can be 24/7

• Allows trainee to control pace and training process to fit personal needs and abilities

designing effective hrd programs

Education

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reinventing training

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kind of training