Designing Effective HRD

Programs
Chapter 5

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Phase One: Needs
Assessment
Should be completed before you start
Phase Two
You know:
 Where training is needed
 What kinds of training are needed
 Who needs to be trained
 Conditions for training

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Phase Two: Design

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Phase Two: Designing the
Training or HRD Intervention
Key activities include:
Setting objectives
Selecting the trainer or vendor
Developing lesson plans
Selecting methods and techniques
Preparing materials
Scheduling training
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Objectives
Three parts:
 Performance

 Conditions

 Criteria

Source: R. F. Mager (1997).

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Performance
What is to be done – e.g.,
Increase upper body strength
Assemble a chair
Catch a football pass
Graduate from college

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Conditions

Conditions under which performance is

done – e.g.,
… using standard conditioning equipment
… using a screwdriver and hammer
… at a full run under man-to-man
coverage
… without cheating or outside help

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Criteria
The level of acceptable performance –
e.g.,
… by 25 percent within one year
… within one hour without mistakes
… at least 80% of the time without
penalties
… within 5 years and with a “B”
average

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Sample Objectives

Inventory 1,000 pieces of bulk

merchandise an hour with an error rate
of less than 1% using industry standard
inventory tools.
Run 40 yards in less than five seconds
on a dry, level field with winds less than
10 mph.

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Sample Objectives – 2

After training, be able to identify the

four basic stages involved in HRD within
five minutes.
Completely assemble one child’s bicycle
within one hour using common hand
tools and instructions provided on
December 24 without cursing.

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“Make or Buy” Decisions
You cannot be an expert on everything
You can’t afford to maintain a full-time
staff for once-a-year training
You can’t afford the time or money to
build all of your own training programs
Implication: Much training is purchased,
rather than self-produced

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Factors to Consider Before
Purchasing an HRD Program
Level of expertise available/required
Timeliness
Number of trainees
Subject matter
Cost
Size of HRD organization
“X” Factor (other conditions)
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Other Factors to Consider
Vendor credentials
Vendor background
Vendor experience
Philosophical match (between vendor
and organization)
Delivery method

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Other Factors to Consider – 2
Content
Actual product
Results
Support
Request for proposal (RFP)

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Selecting the Trainer

Training competency
 How well can he/she train?
 If they can’t train, why are they employed?
Subject Matter Expertise
 How well is the material understood?

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If No Subject-Matter Experts
(SMEs) are Available…

Use a team to train

Use programmed instruction or CBT
Train your trainers…
 You are training subject matter experts to
be trainers
 You are not training trainers to be SMEs

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Preparing Lesson Plans
Content to be covered
Activity sequencing
Selection/design of media
Selection of trainee activities
Timing and phasing of activities
Method(s) of instruction
Evaluation methods to be used
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Selecting Training Methods

Consider the following:

Program objectives
Time and money available
Resources availability
Trainee characteristics and preferences

Note: Training methods are covered in Ch. 6.

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Training Materials
Program announcements
Program outlines
Training manuals and textbooks
Training aids, consumables, etc.

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Scheduling Training
Must be done in conjunction with:
Production schedulers
Shift supervisors
Work supervisors/managers
Trainees

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Training During Normal
Working Hours
Issues to consider:
 Day of week preferred
 Time of day
 Peak work hours
 Staff meeting times
 Required travel

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Training After Working Hours

Are workers/trainees getting paid? If

so, by whom?
What about personal commitments?
What do you do for shift workers?

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Registration and Enrollment
Issues
How, when, and where does one
register?
Who is responsible for logistics?
 Travel
 Lodging
 Meals
 Etc.
How do one cancel/reschedule?

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Summary
As in building a house, design issues
must be addressed before training:
 Objectives
 Who will conduct the training
 Lesson plan
 Appropriate methods/techniques to use
 Materials needed
 Scheduling issues

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