Conducting Performance Analysis in Training

Definition of Performance Analysis

Performance analysis is an action where a client and consultant agree to determine what factors influence an individual's performance in a managed environment.

Why Do Performance Analysis?

1. Head off potentially needless or negligible training efforts in advance.
2. Determine factors that affect employee performance while developing training for those performers.
3. Keep forward momentum of training delivery without succumbing to analysis paralysis.

Two Methods of Performance Analysis

Performance analysis can be conducted at two points in a training request situation: at the point of an initial request, or while in a project's analysis phase.

Method 1: At the point of request

Use this when you own the engagement and intake process, and/or have resources and time to conduct.

Audience: Business sponsors, project managers, business analysts

Steps:

1. Meet with client
2. “Tell me about your business”
3. Listen
4. Ask follow-up questions
5. Level-set next steps, which includes conducting a Business Needs Analysis (BNA)
6. Follow-up after reviewing the BNA

Sample BNA Questions:

1. Why is the request necessary?
2. What business unit goals do you expect to be impacted by this request?
3. Is there a gap between current and expected work performance?
4. How is the work measured?
5. What is the current level of performance?
6. How will you know if success is achieved?
7. What do you think are reasons for the gap between what employees should be doing and what they are doing now?
8. If your request is implemented, what other reasons would prevent people from performing as expected?

Method 2: Within the Project

Use this when you have received the project as a pre-defined learning initiative, even if the Business Needs Analysis (above) was conducted.

Audience: Managers and individual contributors in the target audience

Steps:

1. Recognize and affirm the training need
2. Educate client about the analysis process
3. Gain agreement for the need of analysis
4. Create two questionnaire versions: manager & individual contributor
5. Share surveys with client before deploying
6. Conduct Audience Performance Analysis (APA) using the Behavior Engineering Model below

Conclusion:

1. Keep the focus on the expressed need or want of the business partner. The client holds a real perceived need there that we cannot dismiss, so acknowledge and address it.
2. The use of a learning project’s Analysis phase is a natural way to embed performance analysis without giving the client the perception that the engagement is taking too long, or is interfering with the perceived issue.
3. Once the analysis phase is complete and before moving on to design training, report the findings to the client as a natural part of the engagement.

[1] Gilbert, Thomas. Human Competence: Engineering Worthy Performance. 1996: International Society for Performance Improvement, Washington, D.C. pp. 82-88.