I Started Moving to Async Training in 1981

In 1981 Bill Wiggenhorn at MTEC – Motorola’s Training  & Education Center, the forerunner of Motorola University, challenged his new staff at this new corporate training team, to move as much content as possible out of Classroom, group-paced to self-paced modes.

The reason for doing so – was to facilitate a more flexible delivery – or access – to Training – for learning how to perform on the job better, faster and cheaper. We were greatly influenced by people like Geary Rummler and Neil Rackham.

I began to design – post analysis – most of my programs for self-paced modes – which was quite controversial in the Motorola Manufacturing, Materials and Purchasing audiences I was focused on. I did – along with my hired consultants “The Legal Aspects of Purchasing” in a self paced book.

And I did a pilot-test for manufacturing supervisor’s book on the ABC’s of Supervision (a misnomer – for it was really about the 7 Basic Tools of Quality) using a new printing technology where – in the mode of Programmed Instruction – one would use a highlighter pen device to select and mark answers and the hidden invisible text would come up/out and let the Learner know if they got it right – and if wrong – where to go back to reference the related text. I still have that book in my archives – but the pen has dried out over the past 30 years and no longer works it magic.

In that particular effort, several of the Pilot-Test participants confided in me that they took the Training home with them where they had their wives read the materials to them – as they could not read well enough to do the Instruction. As I had promised a skeptical Project Steering Team that if this little experiment failed – they had really wanted Group-Paced, Classroom Instruction – that I would convert the content to that format.

But hold on – they told me not to do so. They were intrigued by the possibilities of this delivery mechanism – and regarding the lack of reading skills uncovered in my Pilot-Test experiment – they now had a heads up of bigger issues coming down the pike.

For coming down the pike were “computer technology on the factory floors all across Motorola.” Reading was going to be critical. This discovery led to Motorola partnering with Community Colleges in their areas and paying for free “Reading Classes” for any and all of their staff.

The Rule That Guided the Design

The rule that guided me, as I explained to Bill Wiggenhorn when he came to visit my cubical in 1981 – I skip-level reported to him for the first 9 of my 18 months at MTEC – and he saw my Learning Path for my Supervisor Audience on large sheets of paper taped together  - which was mostly Self-Paced course with a few Group-Paced courses – a modular curriculum design – was:

If it can be Self-Paced – it will be Self-Paced.

Only when it absolutely had to be Group-Paced would it be.

And even then I’d shave off the potential Self-Paced content and use that as Pre-work to the Group-Paced course. Until I became discouraged by the reality that most Learners would show up without having done the pre-work – as they were always too busy.

So much for my experiment in Flipping the Classroom – back in 1981.

I left MTEC in November 1982 to join Ray Svenson’s consulting firm where I became a partner – and it wasn’t until one of my Chicagoland clients, MCC Powers (now Siemen’s Building Technologies) who actually sent Learner’s home on the airplane if they failed the pre-test – proving whether they had done the pre-work or not – that I began to incorporate pre-work into my designs.

No one else would actually do that – send the Learners back home if they didn’t do their pre-work – and invariably the Instructors would cover that pre-work material – rewarding those who didnt do it and punishing those who had.

Talk about flipped.

Video – Rummler on Performance-based Training

45 minute Video – note this video was produced in 1983 but shot in 1981, in April. I know, I came in from Saginaw a week early – before my official first day at MTEC – to attend this one day Workshop. I had been working in Saginaw at Wickes Lumber in a Training group where Geary’s brother-in-law worked and I had become a Rummler-ite years before (1979).

Video – Rackham on Design Criteria

57 minute Video – I was also in this session, back in the day – a week after the Rummler workshop – during my first official week on the job at MTEC. The video was produced in 1982 – but again, was shot in April 1981.

Note: Geary is not pronounced like “Gary” – but more like “Gear-ee.”

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PACT Video Shorts Series – Intent

The intent of this Video Series of The School of PACT - is to help others in the development of their Performance Competence in whatever Instructional Design and/or Performance Improvement roles that they have, and help them master the PACT Processes – as either adopted or adapted – for the sake of the Enterprise and its Stakeholders – and to produce significant Performance Impact and Return On Investments (ROI).

PACT has 3 levels of flexible ISD – and shared, common Analysis and Project Planning & Management tools and techniques. PACT has been field tested and proven in dozens of Enterprise Contexts – on hundreds of external client projects by myself and my staff,  and hundreds and hundreds  more on internal projects conducted by my client’s staffs – and can be adapted for any Enterprise context’s needs and constraints.

The PACT Video Shorts Series Index and Links

There are multiple Videos of varying lengths in each of the 8 Categories below…

A- PACT Overviews

B- PACT Analysis

C- CAD – Curriculum Architecture Design

D- MCD – Modular Curriculum Development

E- IAD – Instructional Activity Development

F- Project Planning & Management

G- Group Process Facilitation Tips

H- EPPI – Performance Improvement

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Additional Resources for staff development include:

• audio podcasts
• books
• workshops.

Email me, Guy Wallace for more information:  guy.wallace@eppic.biz

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The Behavior Engineering Model (BEM) developed by Gilbert and presented in
his landmark book, Human Competence: Engineering Worthy Performance
(Gilbert, 1978, p. 88), provides us with a way to systematically and systemically
identify barriers to individual and organizational performance. The BEM
distinguishes between a person’s repertory of behavior (what the individual brings
to the performance equation) and the environmental supports (the work
environment factors that encourage or impede performance).

This presentation was chosen on several occasions in the past as an “Encore Presentation” when ISPI used to select the top 5 presentations from each Conference for repeating at the next Conference.

In a two-day workshop Roger has done for other companies – the performance analysis part that this video covers – was a day and a half – and then the portion on evaluation made up the last afternoon.

This abbreviated version of his customized one or two-day performance analysis workshops are developed to meet the unique requirements of the clients he serves. Contact him for more details via email at: rdc@sonic.net

The Video

85 minutes

Here Are Links To Resources Mentioned In The Session

• Visit Roger’s homepage – and then click on Articles/Resources to access the six articles I mentioned in the presentation: http://www.aboutiwp.com

• For the article that contains the expanded Performance Analysis Worksheet presented in the article, “The Evolution of a Performance Analysis Job Aid” - http://www.aboutiwp.com/Evolution%20Performance%20Analysis%20Job%20Aid.pdf  and

• For an example of how the Performance Analysis Worksheet is used in a case study - http://www.aboutiwp.com/Analyzing%20Performance%20An%20Example.pdf

Here is Roger’s article: Updating the Behavior Engineering Model - Updating BEM

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Alchemy is an influential philosophical tradition whose early practitioners’ claims to profound powers were known from antiquity. The defining objectives of alchemy are varied; these include the creation of the fabled philosopher’s stone possessing powers including the capability of turning base metals into the noble metals gold or silver, as well as an elixir of life conferring youth and immortality.

Whole Lot of Shaking Goin’ On

Or is that “Snakin’ – as I’ve read a few posts/tweets, etc., about Myth Busting – that provided new Myths.

The only issue is that there was no data. Nothing quoted other than the expertise of the self-designated Expert.

Or a friend/colleague of the Expert.

It was just a bunch of reasonable sounding/reading – made-up-stuff – to be polite.

Replacing Straw Man Myths With More Myths

“Because I said so,” they seem to say.

Oh really?

And when I went to look further into their background – it was thin gruel indeed.

Those real Myth Busters out there – you have miles to go before you sleep – you are opportunity rich, and – you have your work cut out for you.

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Today’s ASTD Forum Session was on “performance-based Curriculum Architecture Design – Using a Group Process”

Here are a listing on key Resources you may wish to follow up on.

These are the tip of the proverbial iceberg.

Audio Podcasts

• PACTPodcast_Series_2007_-_1 – PACT
• PACTPodcast_Series_2007_-_2_-_CAD
• PACTPodcast_Series_2007_-_3_-_MCD
• PACTPodcast_Series_2007_-_4_-_IAD
• PACTPodcast_Series_2007_-_6-_Practitioner_Qualification-Certification
• PACTPodcast_Series_2007_-_9_-_PACT_and_the_ECA_and_the_WELL

Books & Chapters

Free Book PDFs (note: these are also available as Paperback books For Sale)

• lean-ISD (1999) — PDF – Paperback
• T&D Systems View (2001) — PDF – Paperback
• Management Areas of Performance (2007) — PDF – Paperback
• Employee performance-based Qualification/Certification Systems (2008) — PDF – Paperback

Videos

• Video Shorts A1- PACT Is…  – 9:50 minutes- http://blip.tv/play/AYLU4TQC
• Video Shorts A2- PPTT – PACT Processes Technology Transfer – 4:27 minutes - http://blip.tv/play/AYLU4gcC
• Video Shorts A3- PACT and EPPI – 11:03 minutes - http://blip.tv/play/AYLU414C
• Video Shorts A4- PACT Case Studies – 9:24 minutes - http://blip.tv/play/AYLU40gC
• Video Shorts A5- PACT for New Hires – 5:17 minutes - http://blip.tv/play/AYLU5BcC
• Video Shorts A6- PACT for Incumbents – 9:01 minutes - http://blip.tv/play/AYLU5GoC
• Video Shorts A7- 1 Approach to ROI – 5:55 minutes - http://blip.tv/play/AYLU5EwC

Innovative CAD via The PACT Processes – 2012

12 minute video

Curriculum Architecture Design – Architected or Artisan Process? – February 2012

26 minute video

Today’s Webinar – Slide Deck

PB CAD Session for ASTD Forum May 15 2012 – PDF version to share

But Wait! There’s More!

There are hundreds and hundreds of other related resources.

Check them all out in the Resources Tab.

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All 60+ videos from my series may be found here: http://eppic.biz/resources/videos-by-guy-w-wallace-plus-other-favorites/guys-video-locker-drawer-hpt-practitioner-and-legacy-series/

About HPT and the Intent of the 2 Series of Videos

HPT – Human Performance Technology – is the means to the ends of Human Performance Improvement – HPI.

• All performance is a Human endeavor.
• Performance is both the behaviors and the results – and is affected by many other variables that may need improvement, including the Process itself and the Environmental Assets.
• Technology is the application of Science.

HPT requires EBP – Evidence Based Practices – or else it’s potentially Foo Foo or Snake Oil.

- Practitioner Series – short 2-10 minutes, following a script. Intended to show the diversity of HPT and HPT Practitioners.

- Legacy Series - longer 15-40 minutes, also scripted, with added stories of other NSPI/ ISPI’ers from the earlier days of the Society. Intended to capture the stories of the people from the Society’s past.

All videos were shot, edited and produced by Guy W. Wallace – unless otherwise noted.

For more about HPT – and ISPI – please go - here.

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I’ve been doing this for a while now, speaking about Learning Paths from a Curriculum Architecture Design effort that is.

This is a Learning Path From 1989

Perhaps more of a menu than path…

Guy Overviewing This Path In the Keystone Event – 1989

My clients wanted me to help “catch everyone up” to the Curriculum Architecture done 3 years earlier (1986) – that was communicated and marketed – but most Learners who came to the 8-day event, the final blue box of the 1000 Series on the Path above – were unaware of all of the content (some Instruction and a lot of Information Events (modular Events)) that they ideally should have been exposed to and read/ watched/ attended prior to being in this 8-day Event: Product Management Process Training – Basic Skills.

The 1st Blue Box on the Path was this 11 minute video Event:

Again, most Learners hadn’t been shown this 1st Event on their Learning Path. Their managers/supervisors didn’t take the time to do this. So I was asked to do this later – down – the Path. Better late than never I guess. It was the client’s call.

I delivered this 8-day Event 31 times for my client – including 5 sessions in The Netherlands.

Here is a video that includes some shots from one of the classes in The NL. Check out the 1:18 (hr:min) mark on this video to see some short clips from that session – lasting just over a minute. The rest of the video is from my weekend touring around The NL – it was an 8 day course.

Curriculum Architecture and T&D/Learning Paths

The first article on Curriculum Architectures and Learning Paths was published in TRAINING Magazine in September 1984.

CAD – Training Mag – 1984 - 6 page PDF – the first publication about Curriculum Architecture Design via a Group Process – published in Training Magazine in September 1984. Original manuscript (30 pages) – How to Build a Training Structure That Won’t Keep Burning Down.

And the first national presentation was done in April 1985.

CAD – NSPI – 1985 - 21 page PDF – this is the first national presentation on the Curriculum Architecture Design methodology which Guy Wallace delivered at the NSPI Conference on April 24, 1985 (the 1st presentation of this was done for the Chicago Chapter of NSPI the previous fall).

It took me many years to write “the book” about Curriculum Architecture and Learning Paths/Roadmaps/Blueprints/etc.

I started in 1983.

The Book: lean-ISD

This 1999 book – is available now as a free 410 page PDF – here – and also as a Paperback – here.

It was updated and reconfigured into a series of books in 2011 – see more about that here.

All of this ties into another book – about Performance Testing and their Administrative Systems – based on work done in the 1980s and 1990s – to build Pay for Performance Systems – but of the kind that paid more for demonstrated Performance Capability – than “what you did for us these past 12 months.”

The Employee performance-based Qualification/Certification Systems – Book

That 2008 book – is also available as both a free PDF – here – and as a Paperback – here.

A Rose Is a Rose – But With Thorns – So Be careful!

Many approaches today to Learning Paths and Learning Architectures are pretty old school IMO. The names/language has been updated from T&D Paths and Curriculum Architectures – but they are older school in their methods than the 1984 version (published by TRAINING Magazine) – and are often pretty weak in their Process – the approach for employing their methods in some predictable manner.

When I read about Learning Architecture and Learning Paths – I don’t see many of the earmarks that I would expect – and you should too – of architecture – the engineering of content. Instruction and Information. That’s what’s old school IMO.

They have weak analysis components, and then when it comes to design they simply place events in a sequence. They create Paths of Modules – not Modular Paths.

But as they say: “Caveat Emptor.”

Or – “Let the buyer beware.”

12 Minute Video on Innovative Curriculum Architecture Design

From the sub-title of the TRAINING Magazine article from 1984 – created by their editors.

And let’s remember one key thing: it’s not about Learning – even for a “Learning Organization” – it’s about Performance.

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Practice – doesn’t make perfect. Not by itself.

But – don’t “miss practice.”

Your performance probably depends on it.

Perfect Practice Makes Perfect

Can’t expect to do well on the field of Performance – without having a great series of Practice sessions.

Learning is much more than a video of some info and a demo – or a speech or a story – and then reflection.

Practice.

With feedback.

And then spaced learning.

Which is why you should practice those tricky things more than once. And over time. With feedback.

Reflect on that. And then act on that.

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They cannot tell you what you need and want – because that detailed knowledge has been forgotten after being tucked away – in the subconscious. They cannot tell you anywhere close to 100% – even if they were highly motivated to do so!

The Implications Are Huge!

• Do SMEs deliver your courses?
• Do you develop your content based on Interviews and Observations with one or two SMEs?
• Do SMEs populate Knowledge Management Systems or build Content using authoring tools?

Group Process Analysis

This is the method I have been using since 1979.

The 1984 article in the NSPI (now ISPI) Journal – overviewed in the video is mentioned next.

Models and Matrices- NSPI PIJ -1984 - 5 page PDF – the first publication of the performance and enabler analysis methods for ISD, from NSPI’s (ISPI’s) Performance & Instruction Journal, November 1984.

The USC Center for Cognitive Technology

The staff of the Center for Cognitive Technology conducts and analyzes interdisciplinary research on the role of new technology in the development of advanced expertise and performance motivation.

Their mission is to improve learning, assessment, and motivation in diverse settings.

The CCT has a number of papers on the non-conscious aspect of expertise and a number of references on CTA – Cognitive Task Analysis.

Visit their web site – here.

My Book

Here is my book that covers my approach to Analysis – as well as the more traditional approach.

More information about the book and how to order is available - here.

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