I recall decades ago when a colleague suggested to me while running down the halls of an NSPI (now ISPI) Conference – that “ISD is more than Curriculum Architecture” – which I knew. But I had done about 3 or 4 conferences in a row presenting on CAD – Curriculum Architecture Design via a Group Process. So I could see how he might think that I think that.

So I began working on the next years presentation and using some work I was doing with a couple of clients who wished to embrace my CAD methods eas a predecessor-methodology-set to development (via ADDIE or some equivalent tight or loose or individuals personal ISD process). We were looking at all of the processes of their departments, including ADDIE and CAD. So my colleagues words rang truer for me at that moment as I was framing all of those ISD and other processes into a holistic model that would enable us to see the big PROCESS chunks “and” all of the interactions between them as (if) they worked dynamically to deliver the products/services and value to their internal clients.

I was using the “Areas of Performance” chunking concept, where it represented a couple or many/many outputs and tesk-sets. And we were making it scalable up and down various levels of detail.

This is how I was framing a department, typically “functional” in nature and not process-oriented in nature. Like an Engineering Department working across all of the processes, they were functional in nature and needed to “get process-centric” in their functional behaviors. For their clients and for themselves – to walk that talk. So the model has 3 big chunks: LEADERSHIP PROCESSES and CORE PROCESSES and SUPPORT PROCESSES. Then those 3 hold 12 sets-of Processes in what I call SYSTEMS (or-Sub-Systems) that each hold processes – 47 in this case. Yours may vary.

And that’s the intention of the model. To provide something for one to edit (adapt) to their wording – as necessary. Then to use as a diagnostic – leaving no stone unturned – and also to use as a design tool. Especially when one can more easily recognize the needs and dependencies of one process on another – or more.

The book T&D Systems View is available as a free PDF at http://www.eppic.biz/ (which is currently under re-construction – but will be back up soon!!!).

Plus there are other resources on that site including a PowerPoint Show of a multi-day workshop – that you could use to walk yourself – and/or your team through the needs and returns assessment and then prioritization of what to tackle and in what order – as you see the inter-relationships so much better with the “clock-face views” that you and your team took of your situation.

And – just so it’s clear – that “even before working on improvements in your core ISD and deployment processes” – I think you should focus at 12 O’Clock – and your alignment with your internal clients and stakeholders. How well are you aligned – and how quick are you to re-focus or to simply add focus?

Putting in some sort of “Governance & Advisory System” to whatever level of formality necessary in your context is key to success – because you should improve your ISD process while working on critical efforts – not low hanging fruit.

At least that is how I feel about it!

Cheers!

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