It’s been 10 years since I published T&D Systems View.

The word Training versus the word Learning – reminds me of the differences between Human Performance Technology versus Human Performance Improvement. The former is one of the many means to the ends of the latter.

There are many ways to Learn – Training is just one of them. There are many ways to Improve – and HPT is but one of them.

If the Business Plan is not, or turns out to not be adequate, then all of the HPT efforts may improve HPI, but that doesn’t guarantee that the business does well in the final analysis. Which is why I’ve been commenting of late on the CLO and the limits of their role. It takes a team to lead a village. And the CLO represents ONE of the many enablers – of the tribal leaders or of the Management Team leading the Tribe or Enterprise.

In our limited, but important role, there are many piece-parts, many wheels within wheels – to make it work well enough. It is rather complex – and denying that is a mistake.

Within the leadership and operations of a T&D – or L&D – SYSTEM – leaders need to think carefully about the Processes they have in place, AND how well they have resourced those processes with the people and non-people things that the people need to bring any paper process design to life.

The focus of this post is on 10 O’Clock…of my T&D Systems View model…

The 10 o’clock T&D system is divided into two categories: the Human Asset Management System and the Environmental Asset Management System. This system is divided because of its large size and importance. The T&D Human and Environmental Asset Management System is part of a larger EPPIC model – EPPA – Enterprise Process Performance Architecture.

Managing those Human resources – what I refer to as Human Assets – and providing those assets with the non-Human assets that they need to bring a Process to life – are critical responsibilities of Management – acting in manner reflecting their fiduciary responsibilities to the owners. It’s a management thing – not covered in any ISD Program. If you had your MBA, or worked on Instructional Projects crossing that domain, you might already be hip to it.

The goal of my book T&D Systems View was not to go on a Formalize EVERYTHING Campaign. But to simply assess the current adequacy given the current needs of the Enterprise. And then to look to the short, medium and long-term needs of the Enterprise – despite the ability to forecast accurately that is far out into the future.

The need to formalize is situational – just as the need to de-formalize is situational. And just as valid.

And making those determinations should not be done with some broad brush – our Processes are too formal and need to be de-formalized!

Oh really? All of them? All 47 of them?

47 of them!!! Yikes! Isn’t that OVERKILL IN THE EXTREME?

Me, I don’t think so. Your “View” may include less – or more. Fine. There are many ways to segment  the internal Processes of a Learning Solutions function/department, organizational entity.

But if you see yourselves working for the owners – the shareholders – or single shareholder – there is but one reason to formalize or de-formalize how you conduct your process business…the returns on the investments to do so.

Just because you can – formalize or de-formalize – doesn’t mean you should.

And just because other Training/ Learning professionals talk in the language of Level 1-4 evaluations – does not mean that you should either.

I mean, which of your Enterprise Leaders with a fiduciary responsibility to the owners really gives a hoot about anything but Level 4?

T&D Systems View is available as a free PDF here – and there is a free Workshop set of slides to run your T&D/L&D/KMS team through an assessment of your SYSTEM given your situation – here.

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