Performance Solution Tool Kit

The first purpose of this tool is to identify performance challenges and determine if training or management changes are neede
If training is a solution, the remainder of this tool allows the use to identify what kind of training would be appropriate.
The tool also helps calculate the amount of time needed to implement the training solution.

Instructions:
Follow the tabs from left to right and answer questions as directed.
Source: www.brnorton.com

ement changes are needed.

be appropriate.

Performance Issue Identification

By better understanding and categorizng performance gaps you can deliver an effective solution.
Place your answers to the questions in the yellow boxes.
What is/are the performance indicator(s) that indicate a performance issue exists?
Employee turnover is over 160%
Order innacuracy is increasing according to Tell Us about Us
Mystery Shops scores are below 85% (speed of service)

What level/standard should these performance indicators be at to indicate success?

Turnover should be around 100%
Decline in order inaccuracy
Mystery shops scores should be above 90% (speed of service/accuracy)

What groups or roles have a direct influence on the level of these performance indicators?
Managers
Assistant Managers
Area Managers

Which role do you want focus on in building a performance solution? What do they need to do differently?
Role
Answer

Manager

time management

Knowledge gap or not?

Role

Manager

Need

time management

For the specific people who make up this group or are in the role, answer the following questions
Are they new (less than one month or period) to the role or group?
No = 0
Yes =1

Did they receive any formal training or on the job training since assuming their role?

-9

Have they previously been able to successfully do their job (as measured by performance indicators)?

Has their role taken on significant new responsibilities or tasks?

Is performance punishing (repetetive, unpleasant)?

Is non-performance rewarding (group recognition as oppossed to individual accountability)?

Is positive performance regularly and openly rewarded currently?

Are there obstacles (equipment/materials) preventing the indicator from being achieved?

If it is a knowledge gap, move on to the next tab

Knolwedge Gap - training may be needed

Knowledge Types
For the identified role, list what their specific contribution is to the raising or lowering of the performance indicator?

Manager

time management

Step One: Analyze contribution above by looking at it through the lens of five knowledge components (Value, Innovation, Skill, Context, Operations).
Step Two: Identify what you think needs to change, then weigh the importance of each change by assigning a point value. You have 25 total points.
Click on the data field for more information.
Possible
25
0
Points remaining to award
Weight
Values
8
Explain what value is lacking

Customer focus

Weight
Innovation
1
Explain how innovation should be utilized

Brainstorm on customer service changes in the restaurant

Weight
Skills
2
Explain what skill(s) are lacking or not up to the correct level

Order taking

Weight
Context
6
Explain what background information or market changes are occuring that not knowing about hinders performance
Weight
Operations
8
Explain what established procedures or protocol are not being followed

The cost of complaints and returns

How to deal with incorrect orders

Solution Profile
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0

81268

Values

Innovation

Skills

Context

Operations

The graph represents the knowledge profile of the obstacles you described on the previous worksheet. In designing a solution you should think about time and urgency.
If your need to improve the situation is urgent, you should design a solution type that matches the biggest knowledge gap in your graph.
If your need to better the situation has less immediacy, you should design a multiple phase solution that addresses your highest gap first, then has a
secondary element that will address the next two gaps.
Warning! Resist the temptation to design one solution that addresses all the knowledge gaps with one class/training meetingthere is no silver bullet.

Solution Calculator Results

To get a sense of how much time a performance solution might mean, answer the questions and the next tab shows the time needed.
Possible performance improvement areas identified earlier are highlighted in green.

Value Questions
How many different values do you want to address (1 to 5)?

Number of Values
1

Customer focus

Innovation Questions
How many different topics or areas do you want to innovate?
Brainstorm on customer service changes in the restaurant

Skills Questions
How many different skills do you want to address at this time (1 to 4)?
Order taking
How many hours do you feel you can budget to the skill building session?

New Ideas
0

Number of topics to dissect

0

Number of Skills
1

Hours for Skills

1.5

Context Questions
How many hours do you feel you can budget to a context building session?

Hours for Context

0.5
How much of the content do you feel learners should be able to pick up on their own through self serve materials (0% to 100%)?
The cost of complaints and returns

Operations Questions
How many separate operational procedures do you wish to address in this solution?

Number of Procedures

1
How to deal with incorrect orders

Of all the procedures you wish to address, how long does it take a competent worker to complete the most complex task?
Time for completion

15 minutes

Percentage
100%

Solution Calculator Results

This sheet is read only. It displays the results of the solution calculator. To understand a term in greater detail click on it and the hyperlink (blue text).
This will take you to an explanation.
Values
understanding
30
Minutes
0.5
Hours

Customer focus

Innovation
Brainstorm on customer service changes in the re

new ideas
0
Minutes
0
Hours

acceptance
240
Minutes
4
Hours

or

commitment
3 weeks/instance
Include in metrics

lessons learned
0
Minutes
0
Hours

Skills
Order taking

Standard time needed

30 minutes per topic / Demo
60 minutes per topic / P&R

Demo Time by budget

29.7
Minutes
0.495
Hours
Demo
30
0.5

P&R
60
1

and

Minutes
Hours

Practice and Review by budget

60.3
Minutes
1.005
Hours
Budget
Demo
P&R

VS
-0.3
0.3

Average
Minutes
Minutes

Over or Under Time Budget?

Within Budget
Context
The cost of complaints and returns

Total Time required

30
Minutes
30 Minutes

Operational
How to deal with incorrect orders

Time Required
45
Minutes
0.75
Hours

Live Presentation Time

0
Minutes
Self directed learning

Total Solution Time Frames

Based on your answers a training solution that would meet all of the identified performance needs should last a

7.25 Hours

Multiple day solution required

1.12 Days

Number of days using a 6.5 hour instructional d

Not all of this time must be spent in a continuous session. Parts of it could be covered in smaller chunks over a
However, there are some solution elements that must be grouped together. If you are teaching a skill or a proc
that the practice and review segment take place immediately following a demonstration element.

performance needs should last approximately:

a 6.5 hour instructional day

covered in smaller chunks over a period of time.

you are teaching a skill or a procedure it is vital
nstration element.

Value Solutions
Value Solution Types are:
#1 Understanding > #2 Acceptance > #3 Commitment
Understanding
Time Needed - 30 min to 1 hour per topic

Sample Objective

In the understanding phase the objective is for learners to be able to explain the concept of the value
either verbally or on paper. For example, if your organization was teaching the value of teamwork
objectives for an understanding phase could be:
Participants will explain what teamwork is and how teamwork is utilized at our organization.
This can be done quickly and easily through a variety of traditional methods, including lecture,
presentation or discussion. However, the more abstract the value, the more challenge exists in gaining
common conceptual ground among the learners.

Acceptance
Time Needed - 4 hours per topic (1/2 day)

Sample Objective

In the acceptance phase the objective for learners is to be able to explain how implementation of the
value would provide a superior result for them and the organization. For example, using the value of
teamwork again, the learning objective could be:
Participants will describe what benefits they and their organization will see from increased
emphasis and use of teamwork in their strategic and tactical tasks.
This can best be done through simulation activities where a task is performed in the traditional way, and
then the same task is performed implementing the value. Comparison and contrast are done in a debrief
setting to allow the learners to discover the benefits of the value. Time and materials for this type of
activity require at least half a day per concept to be effectively taught.

Commitment
Time Needed - Weekly coaching for 3 weeks.
Regular inclusion in reporting meetings,
performance evaluation and group
discussions thereafter

The commitment phase of the solution requires frequent follow-up by management and peers. The
frequency of the follow up needs to be intensive for the first three weeks and then can fade to regular
usage through regular tools of organizational performance measurement. Scheduled weekly coaching
sessions for the first three weeks then special attention given to the value during performance reviews
and project status reviews will provide the structure necessary for the value to gain commitment in your
organization.

Innovation Solutions
Innovation Solution Types
#1 Original Creative and/or #2 Lessons Learned
Original Creative Thought or Actions
Time Needed - 4 hours to 1 full day

Sample Objective

Original creative thought and action is the most ignored element of intellectual capital generation for most
businesses. Making time to be inventive seems counterintuitive. Inspiration doesnt just happen on
command. However, by dedicating time and materials and people to the task of creative thought you can
seed the clouds of inspiration. Sessions like these are most effective if they are planned and advertised
at least one month prior to execution. A half day is the minimum amount of time that should be used. A
full day is optimal. Multiple day sessions dedicated to creative thought and action are not usually very
productive after the first day. An objective for innovative solutions is usually quantitative. For example:

Participants will create more than 3 and less than 10 new product concepts during this full day
session.
Tactics to be employed during such a session can include brainstorming, directed brainstorming,
discussion, and a variety of other idea generating techniques. More important than the techniques is the
mix of roles your organization has participate. The more diverse the roles and personalities, the richer the
session. A session should include group, small group and individual time for idea creation to
accommodate different thinking styles.

Lessons Learned
Time Needed - 4 hours per topic (1/2 day)

Sample Objective

Learning from current and past activities and artifacts is more frequently done in business. This is
sometimes referred to as a post-mortem, autopsy or lessons learned session. The value from such a
session comes from two sources. First, when new ideas, tools or processes are either created in reaction
to the situation or when the work-arounds created by project members or employees are fleshed out in
enough detail to be adopted by other groups within the organization to achieve better results. Objectives
for a lessons learned session may also be quantitative in nature. For example:

Participants will review their participation in the project and create a list of 5-10 lessons learned to
pass on to other organization members.
Tactics to be employed can include individual and group analysis of objective data (financial reports,
statistical analysis, trends and forecasts). Other tactics include creating a timeline of events and
reviewing tools or tasks that helped overcome obstacles to success. The publication and distribution of
the lessons learned is a key factor in helping your organization not repeat history, especially the darker
moments of history. Once again, a half day is the minimum that can be effectively employed for such a
session and a full day is optimal. Multiple day lesson learned sessions can become corrosive and
destructive.

Skill Solutions
Skill Solution Types are:
#1 Demo and Initial Effort / #2 Practice and Review / #3 Deepen and Refine
Demonstration and Intial Effort
Time Needed - 1/3 of available instructional
time

Sample Objective

To teach a new person a new skill, with any positive impact to your organization, you need to design
solutions that address at least the first two levels of skill solutions. Objectives for teaching skills need to
identify the task and an associated unit of measure (either quantitative or qualitative or both). For
example:
Participants will demonstrate how to ride a bicycle for a distance of 100 yards.
Participants will demonstrate correct use of behavior interviewing tools.
The key element is either the qualitative (correct) or unit of measure (100 yards) element that participants
are shooting for. So called soft skills are no exception to this rule. If the intellectual capital element your
organization needs is a skill, it means there is a right or wrong way to do it. To do it correctly will require
practice and review.

Practice and Review

Time Needed - 2/3 of available instructional
time

Deepen and Refine

Time Needed - Annual or Semi-Annual events

Skills vary from easy to complex depending upon the learner and the task. As a rule of thumb you should
think about the time you have available for solution implementation and apply 1/3 of that time to
demonstration and initial effort and 2/3 of the time to practice and review. There is a multitude of ways to
demonstrate skills. But the key to success is practice. The more realistic the setting and tools used in the
practice, the faster the skill will be mastered by the learners.

Deepening and refining skills is often ignored by organizations. Once learners reach a certain level of
proficiency (usually outlined in the initial objectives) additional learning and practice often cease. Regular
(annual or semi annual) skill deepening sessions will pay large dividends.

Context Solutions
Context Solutions Explained
Time Needed - Ranges from hours to days.
Limited by ability to absorb and recall
information.

Effective context solutions communicate information in a manner that allows for rapid and efficient recall
by learners. By definition context learning refers to the background, history, current events, products,
ideas and news within which an organization functions. By providing this type of intellectual capital your
learners actions and decisions should be influenced for the betterment of the organization. Sexual
Harassment training is one example. Participants can identify what is and what is hot harassment and
explain what steps to take if they observe harassment in their workplace. Recent market innovations
and /or technical improvements to a product are vital in the effective presentation and marketing for sales
development employees.
Another way to describe this type of solution is declarative knowledge. The limiting factor on creating a
solution of this type is the ability of your learners to absorb information effectively to recall it later. Creating
solutions that engage multiple senses, especially visual clues for recall are needed. Workshops,
symposiums, presentations, discussion and individual review materials are all effective vehicles for
context solutions. The danger with these solutions is two-fold; Time and Accountability.

Dealing with Time and Accountability

If the material is put into engaging print or multi-media formats and made available for self serve use it will
likely never be used. People tend to believe that they have spare time and that they will get to this
information when things calm down. They never calm down. You will need to create time in their
schedule, either through mandate or having them come to a particular location at a certain time, to get this
information.
To avoid the second danger it is vital to have a participant report out on what they have taken away from
the experience. This is best done in a written report form. It can be done in a testing format as well, but
is not as powerful. A sample objective for a context solution could be:
Sample Objective
Participants will attend the two day conference on technology and create a 15 slide PowerPoint
presentation highlighting what elements of the conference they can apply to their roles.

Follow Up
These participant materials need to be reviewed and feedback given to the participants.

Operations Solutions

Operational Solution Types:

Business Procedures > Use of Tools and Systems > Escalation Process > Practice and Review
Time and Complexity
Time Needed - Real time task multiplied by a
factor of 3.

The complexity and length of a procedure and the number of procedures needed to be implemented
govern the creation of an operational solution. As a rule of thumb you take the amount of time it should
take a person to perform the procedure in the correct manner with the correct tools under normal
circumstances and multiply that time by a factor of 3. A visual representation of the procedure, followed
by practice using actual tools and a discussion and practice of what to do when things go wrong is the
best approach.
So, if it takes a person 30 minutes to hire a new employee into your companys HR computer application
you should plan on 90 minutes to teach it.
If it usually takes half a day for a person to complete all the procedures necessary to perform inventory
counts you should plan on a day and a half to teach it.
If a persons workday consists of multiple procedures then you should plan on three days to teach the
entire package of procedures performed during that workday. A sample objective for an operational
solution could be:

Sample Objective

Participants will explain and demonstrate the procedure for entering a new employee into the HR
system.

Practice and Review

The difference between success and failure for operational solutions is in the practice and review. If your
participants have an opportunity to use what they have been taught and experience what the doing of the
task feels and looks like at their level they will be able to perform the task on their own. If you just explain
and demonstrate the likelihood of their transferring what theyve seen to what they do is small.