Nov 27 2015

Final Friday of the Month: Part 11 – Assessing Your T&D/ Learning/ Knowledge Systems

In this month’s Final Friday Feature – for November 2015 – we will address…

10 O’clock: T&D Human and Environmental Asset Management System

10.1 T&D Staff Recruiting and Selection/Succession Process
10.2 T&D Staff Training and Development Process
10.3 T&D Staff Assessment Process
10.4 T&D Staff Compensation and Benefits Process
10.5 T&D Staff Rewards and Recognition Process

10.6 T&D Organization Structural Design Process
10.7 T&D Facilities Development and Deployment Process
10.8 T&D Equipment and Tools Development and Deployment Process
10.9 T&D Materials and Supplies Acquisition and Deployment Process
10.10 T&D Information Systems Development and Deployment Process
10.11 T&D Methods Deployment Process

T&D Human and Environmental Asset Management System – This system’s processes acquire and organize all of the assets, human and not, to conduct all of the work inherent in the T&D system’s leadership, core, and support processes. All people; facilities and grounds; machinery, equipment, and tools; data and information; materials and supplies; and consequences (positive and negative) are put into place to bring to life the enterprise processes and systems.

Preface

This 12-part Blog series addresses the systems and processes of an organizational entity addressing T&D/ Learning/ Knowledge Management.

Original source is my 2001 book… T&D Systems View… which is available as a free PDF, and as a paperback for $20.00 USD plus s&h.

The T&D/ L&D Clockface Model

We are “rockin’ round the clock” – so-to-speak – starting from the 12 O’Clock portion of the model – the most important sub-system in the system you have in place for T&D/ Learning/ Knowledge Management – IMO.

Your models and thoughts may vary. And may need to.

The T&D Clock-Face Model

The 12 clockface positions of the T&D Systems View model each represent a subset of the total system’s Processes of T&D. Not all are of equal consequence, and therefore, importance – and then worthy of improvement efforts. Sometimes you need to live with it as it is and do the best given current realites. But othertimes you need to address the improvement potential inheirant in any poor practices, policies and processes.

The T&D Systems View model’s (sub) Systems are organized into three groupings. Each of the 12 Systems’ Processes – the target of your assessment/analysis and/or design/development of improvement efforts. The 3 groupings are:

– T&D Leadership Systems and Processes

– T&D Core Systems and Processes

– T&D Support Systems and Processes

Another view of these is next…

Here is the “big picture” – ala the Clock-Face View – with System Call-Outs – for your once over…

Back to the model…

10 O’clock: T&D Human and Environmental Asset Management System

10.1 T&D Staff Recruiting and Selection/Succession Process
10.2 T&D Staff Training and Development Process
10.3 T&D Staff Assessment Process
10.4 T&D Staff Compensation and Benefits Process
10.5 T&D Staff Rewards and Recognition Process

10.6 T&D Organization Structural Design Process
10.7 T&D Facilities Development and Deployment Process
10.8 T&D Equipment and Tools Development and Deployment Process
10.9 T&D Materials and Supplies Acquisition and Deployment Process
10.10 T&D Information Systems Development and Deployment Process
10.11 T&D Methods Deployment Process

All people; facilities and grounds; machinery, equipment, and tools; data and information; materials and supplies; and consequences (positive and negative) are put into place to bring to life the enterprise processes and systems.

Note that 10.1-10.5 are the Human Asset Management System’s PROCESSES and 10.6-10.11 are the Environmental Asset Management System’s PROCESSES – in my framework. Yours may vary.

Adopt what you can and adapt the rest.

10.1 T&D Staff Recruiting and Selection/Succession Process Outputs and Their “Utilities”

The key outputs from the T&D Staff Recruiting and Selection/Succession Process include the following:

Key Outputs	Key Utilities
People to staff all of the roles/jobs articulated	Allow management to specify the selection requirements (both the “nice to haves” and the showstopping “got to haves”).

Is It Broken? Clues and Cues

Your T&D Staff Recruiting and Selection/Succession Process may be broken if

Your incoming staff members do not have the necessary entry knowledge and skills.
Incoming staff have wildly varying incoming knowledge and skills.
Existing staff are frequently not trainable or cannot be developed to competently meet the process requirements of the T&D systems and processes.
Staff complains that the job was not what they expected (the real job requirements do not match job incumbents’ incoming expectations).
Staff is not brought on board in a timely manner.

10.2 T&D Staff Training and Development Process Outputs and Their “Utilities”

The key outputs from the T&D Staff Training and Development Process include the following:

Key Outputs	Key Utilities
Trained and developed staff to the levels of competency required by the processes within which they perform	Will allow the T&D systems and processes themselves to run more efficiently: better, faster, and cheaper.

Is It Broken? Clues and Cues

Your T&D Staff Training and Development Process may be broken if

Your critical T&D staff is not as competent as they need to be for knowledge/skills capability items outside the scope of the recruiting and selection process.
Staff complains about the lack of T&D or lack of a clear path for development.

10.3 T&D Staff Assessment Process Outputs and Their “Utilities”

The key outputs from the T&D Staff Assessment Process include the following:

Key Outputs	Key Utilities
Staff feedback	Provide encouragement and reinforcement for desirable behaviors and attitudes, or provides discouragement and extinguishes undesirable behaviors and attitudes.
Inputs to other human asset processes	Ensure a link and consistency between systems and processes.

Is It Broken? Clues and Cues

Your T&D Staff Assessment Process may be broken if

Performance appraisals/staff evaluations don’t happen routinely, or as needed, or with quality and consistency.
The T&D staff does not know where they stand in management’s eyes regarding their competence and performance adequacy.
Staff T&D plans are not being driven by these formal assessments, which are driven by the needs of the business.
Performance appraisals and criteria are too general and/or do not match the job.

10.4 T&D Staff Compensation and Benefits Process Outputs and Their “Utilities”

The key outputs from the T&D Staff Compensation and Benefits Process include the following:

Key Outputs	Key Utilities
Total compensation goals and amounts determined for each staff position	Keep key staff from looking elsewhere due to compensation issues.

Is It Broken? Clues and Cues

Your T&D Staff Compensation and Benefits Process may be broken if

The staff complains about their salary compared to others elsewhere in T&D.
Pay is uneven across multiple jobs without solid rationale.
Turnover is greater than in other areas of the enterprise, and exit interviews indicate that people are leaving due to pay and benefits issues.

10.5 T&D Staff Rewards and Recognition Process Outputs and Their “Utilities”

The key outputs from the T&D Staff Rewards and Recognition Process include the following:

Key Outputs	Key Utilities
Noncash or small cash rewards and other forms of recognition	Motivate the staff.

Is It Broken? Clues and Cues

Your T&D Staff Rewards and Recognition Process may be broken if

No one ever or seldom receives rewards or recognition for jobs well done.
The staff feels that the rewards and recognition are being awarded unfairly.

Note: Here is where the model splits from human resources type systems and processes – to non-human resource type, or … environmental supports and the systems and processes needed by the enterprise primary and secondary processes in support of its Value Chain – or Value Chains.

10.6 T&D Organization Structural Design Process Outputs and Their “Utilities”

The key outputs from the T&D Organization Structural Design Process include the following:

Key Outputs	Key Utilities
T&D organization chart	Portray reporting relationships.
T&D job designs for both full- and part-time positions and for permanent or outsourced staff	Will be used to drive both the recruiting/selection system elements and the T&D elements presented earlier.

Is It Broken? Clues and Cues

Your T&D Organization Structural Design Process may be broken if

Job responsibilities overlap or are gapped.
Organization responsibilities overlap or are gapped.
Staff, management, and/or customers do not know who does what.

10.7 T&D Facilities Development and Deployment Process Outputs and Their “Utilities”

The key outputs from the T&D Facilities Development and Deployment Process include the following:

Key Outputs	Key Utilities
Current and future T&D facility designs	Guide development, acquisition, and implementation efforts over the long haul.
T&D facilities available	Meet current needs.

Is It Broken? Clues and Cues

Your T&D Facilities Development and Deployment Process may be broken if

Your space needs are not being met.
Your space is not conducive to what you are doing and how you are doing it.
There is no short- and/or long-term, strategically driven view of what those needs will be.

10.8 T&D Equipment and Tools Development and Deployment Process Outputs and Their “Utilities”

The key outputs from the T&D Equipment and Tools Development and Deployment Process include the following:

Key Outputs	Key Utilities
Current and future T&D equipment/tool designs	Guide development, acquisition, and implementation efforts over the long haul.
T&D equipment/tools available	Meet current needs.

Is It Broken? Clues and Cues

Your T&D Equipment and Tools Development and Deployment Process may be broken if

The equipment and tools required to get the job done are lacking (totally, or in the correct quantity) or are otherwise inadequate for the tasks of the processes.
There are budget overruns and high costs for outsourcing and/or last-minute expediting.

10.9 T&D Materials and Supplies Acquisition and Deployment Process Outputs and Their “Utilities”

The key outputs from the T&D Materials and Supplies Acquisition and Deployment Process vary tremendously.

Key Outputs	Key Utilities
Various materials and supplies are available	Meet the T&D system’s needs for such consumables.

Is It Broken? Clues and Cues

Your T&D Materials and Supplies Acquisition and Deployment Process may be broken if

Materials and supplies constantly run out.
Incorrect materials and supplies are ordered and inventoried.
Costs paid for materials and supplies often include expediting charges for rush orders.

10.10 T&D Information Systems Development and Deployment Process Outputs and Their “Utilities”

The key outputs from the T&D Information Systems Development and Deployment Process include the following

Key Outputs	Key Utilities
Information systems design	Guides development, acquisition, and implementation efforts over the long haul.
Information system in place	Meets current needs in support of existing processes or future processes.

Is It Broken? Clues and Cues

Your T&D Information Systems Development and Deployment Process may be broken if

The current IT/IS system is inadequate to the task, from space (storage size) to speed (computational power and bandwidth in the distribution pipes).
There is no near-term or long-range plan for the IT/IS system.

10.11 T&D Methods Deployment Process Outputs and Their “Utilities”

The key outputs from the T&D Methods Deployment Process include the following:

Key Outputs	Key Utilities
T&D methods documentation	Guides staff performance.

Is It Broken? Clues and Cues

Your T&D Methods Deployment Process may be broken if

You don’t have methods documented for key process performance tasks.
Variation in how things are done is causing problems with consistency in quality, cost, or schedule performance.

Part 11 Summary

This part of the model is typically one of the forgotten areas of T&D/ Learning/ Knowledge Management Systems. Yet it – the people and the non-people stuff – is what brings the “paper process” designs for all other T&D Systems processes “to life.”

Many of these processes are conducted in conjunction with or are tightly controlled by others in the Enterprise. The first 6 of the 11 in this assessment model are typically the province of HR/Personnel. The others are often owned or co-owned by other Enterprise organizations with greater variance enterprise to enterprise.

Prior Posts In This 2015 Series

Part 1: 12 O’clock: T&D Governance & Advisory Systems – January 2015

Part 2: 1 O’clock: T&D Strategic Planning Systems – February 2015

Part 3: 2 O’clock: T&D Operations Planning & Management Systems – March 2015

Part 4: 3 O’clock: T&D Cost/Benefits Measurement Systems – April 2015

Part 5: 4 O’clock: T&D Process Improvement Systems – May 2015

Part 6: 5 O’clock: T&D Product and Service Line Design Systems – June 2015

Part 7: 6 O’Clock: T&D Product and Service Line Development Systems – July 2015

Part 8: 7 O’Clock: T&D Product and Service Line Deployment Systems – August 2015

Part 9: 8 O’Clock: Marketing & Communications Systems – September 2015

Part 10: 9 O’Clock: Financial Asset Management Systems – October 2015

Part 11: 10 O’Clock: Human and Environmental Asset Management Systems – November 2015

Part 12: 11 O’Clock: Research & Development Systems – December 2015

Free Book PDF

Again – for more on this model please see the free 400+ page book: T&D Systems Viewatwww.eppic.biz – which is intended as both an analytic and design tool – here. It is also available as a $20 paperback.

Guy W. Wallace

Guy W. Wallace, has been an external ISD/HPT consultant since 1982, is the president of EPPIC Inc., and is a past president of ISPI – the International Society for Performance Improvement.

He has consulted with 75+ clients on Instruction and Documentation efforts since 1982, including projects with more than 45 F500 firms.