Week 4 Discussion 1
Workplace Assessment and Testing
In the world of learning and performance, Assessment is the act of passing judgment on the value of a problem and its proposed solutions. Measurement is the act of gathering data and then using what is found out as a basis for decisions as to the worth of a problem and the value of a solution. Measures are the attributes that the people doing the Assessment pay attention to when making a judgment, such as customer service, timeliness, security, return on investment, and so on. Metrics are units of measurement such as how frequently a behavior occurs, how long before a behavior appears in seconds or hours, how many checks or levels of approval there are, and how much money is gained in hundreds or thousands of dollars. For example, if a client wants to measure customer service, the metric might be how frequently people exhibit the previously determined desired behaviors. If the measure is time, the metric may be years, days, or milliseconds, depending on the circumstances. Taken together measures and metrics are what people accept as evidence that there is a problem and that circumstances improved after a solution was imposed.
Mosele, J. & Dessinger, J. (2009). Handbook of Improving Performance in the Workplace. (Volume 3). Pfeiffer-Wiley
To prepare for this Discussion, pay particular attention to the following Learning Resources:
• Review this week’s Learning Resources, especially:
o Read Week 4 Lecture – See Word doc.
o Read Chapter 11-12 – See Word doc
Assignment:
Respond to two of your colleagues’ posts in one or more of the following ways:
• Ask a clarifying question about your colleague’s description of their response
• Suggest one or more additional feedback your colleague could use regarding subject.
• Relate an example from your own experience of a positive, effective, and/or to what your colleague shared.
• 3 – 4 paragraphs
• No plagiarism
• APA citing
1st Colleague – Stephen Jarman
Stephen Jarman
Week 4 Discussion – Workplace Assessment and Testing
Hi everyone – is it just me, or is this course moving along faster than it seems possible? Time flies when we’re having fun, right?
The topic of training with testing is one that I have a high level of energy for and that goes hand-in-hand IMHO. Looking forward to reading and learning from others this week.
Verifying Capability to Perform = Testing
Our text clearly describes that testing for knowledge, performance, and/or skill level is the best way to that someone knows how to do the job and is ready to “go solo” and that’s the fact of the matter (Moseley & Dessinger, 2010). In my work in manufacturing, in a majority of the positions inside the production domain – direct workers vs. indirect or support – there are usually various degrees of conditions that present hazards to the employee, product safety hazards to customers, product quality standards that can increase rework cost or wreak the brand or even negatively impact market share. Knowledge of the work is one of the fundamentals of a production worker’s tasks. Performance, or skill level, is the second side of the same coin. Having only one of the two – knowledge or skills but not both – is akin to knowing the main parts of a bicycle but unable to actually ride one (or vice versa). Someone unable to ride a bicycle will not get very far, and someone unknowledgeable of the bicycle’s parts will eventually be unable to maintain it and not get far for very long.
Advocating for Organizational Testing as a Strategy
Our text goes on to explain the following four keys that make up a testing strategy that verifies capability to perform that is included in italics below. In brackets, I either advocate for each of the four keys or amend them according to the world-class training strategy that I was exposed to within a Japanese vehicle manufacturer.
• Develop an overall testing plan that supports and is integrated with business management practices [product quality as a strategy was second only to employee safety as the utmost priority that translated into standardized work, training, and testing. Ultimately, the market a 3rd party benchmark for initial quality and durability proved this to be a winning tactic]
• Develop testing plans for strategic areas of the performance; do not test everything [certified team trainers provided the skills of each step of the vehicle manufacturing process as defined by strict and detailed written standard work instructions with annotated illustrations that defined these key task steps with key points and reasons why each key point is important. In addition, every person qualified by certified trainers were required to write in their own words the key steps, key points, and reasons why for knowledge of the work they performed]
• Design a logical “library” of tests that can be used in training, on-the-job, or even in selection situations [the library of tests is debatable depending on the industry, regulation by outside agencies, and level of complexity. The tests for lower-skilled types of tasks that are non-regulated will be as described in the previous key – these were job write-ups that were then compared to written standardized work. Where there are factors such as increased skill levels required, regulated bodies that require knowledge about theory of operation, or processes with higher levels of risks, e.g., boilers, then standardized knowledge tests are indeed called for]
• Use performance testing when possible and knowledge testing only when required or when there is no other alternative [not at all, in almost every place of employment, it may be sufficient to only use performance testing for entry level workers, but in the wider world where competitive advantage ensures survival, operational excellence of existing processes ensures business for today, but innovation wins the market for the future. Inclusive of innovation, it is desirable for a number of employees to be designated as trainers of others and that requires theoretical knowledge of the work in order to ensure trainees perform the work with the knowledge of why it’s done as it is versus taking shortcuts in order to increase throughput at the risk of employee safety or product quality] (Moseley et. al.).
Testing within My Current Work Environment
An area that contributes to low performance in my current work environment is a lack of standard training and testing. Recently, the organization’s Learning Coordinator and I have deployed Continuous Skills Development as a key program for strengthening training and testing primarily for the manufacturing domain. As has been published in previous discussion posts, we have defined as Five Tenets Training Testing Method as is briefly explained in the table below with a description of the application for each one:
Tenets Explanation Application
Training & Development Assure that proper methods to perform critical operations have been set forth and applied through knowledge and skills transference Needed competencies are transferred to personnel through qualification and/or certification in order to perform work with favorable outcomes
Demonstrated Capability (also known as Performance Testing) Once qualified and/or certified to perform the work for favorable outcomes, personnel must demonstrate that they are capable to actually execute on the skills or knowledge correctly Not to be overlooked, personnel are qualified or certified appropriately by demonstrating that understanding is grasped and able to be applied – testing is not enough
Capability Documented Verifiable documentation that training and development has occurred and is tracible Provides significance by detailing to a very specific and basic level, three-way documentation on file by i) the qualified or certified employee, ii) a certified instructor, and iii) the employee’s supervisor or manager – this establishes a three-way contract to hold all three accountable to the process and outcomes
Verifiable Performance Indicator Personnel must be given clear and reliable standards of performance that are to be assigned and referenced for accountability purposes Examples of Performance Indicators:
i. Audits – frequent or scheduled observations while personnel are performing their work
ii. Standards – routine checks of in-process product or service to identify whether personnel have or have not performed critical actions correctly to a quality standard
iii. Performance – e.g., throughput reports that provide feedback on personnel adherence to standards and rates
Follow Up (ideally to include periodic knowledge tests) Routine checking, recognition and enforcement Once the first four tenets are firmly in place, three things must be used to follow up:
i. Routine observation of the performance indicators
ii. Consistent recognition of desired performance
iii. A progressive discipline policy and process must be documented and enforced consistently
Wishing everyone a nice weekend,
Stephen
References
Moseley, J. L., & Dessinger, J. C. (2010). Handbook of Improving Performance in the Workplace (Vol.3), pg 71. San Francisco, CA: Pfeiffer. ISBN: 9780470504000
2nd Colleague – Dorian Wilson
Dorian Wilson
Week 4 Discussion
This week you learned about Assessment and testing. Some might feel that testing does not have a place in the organization while others feel it is critical to the success of an organization. In a debate-like format, take a stance on organizational testing strategies and how you feel about their need within the workplace. Be sure to summarize the use of testing within your current work environment.
Hello Class,
Organizational testing strategies used in a workplace, some testing strategies used in a workplace do not always work and the company have to find different ways to improve the structure of the testing strategies, making sure you are, by arriving early, focus on the tasks, reduce the amount of added stress so that you are able to complete your tasks. “Although different facets of managerial third-party intervention in organizations have been explored, we know little about how managers should intervene in different disputes for resolving them successfully.” (Elangovan, A. R. (1998
I feel that staying motivated in the workplace is very important and is standard for the most part to keep your business growing and improving. Having a stable environment and structure company that are promoting good work ethics and standards enhances the company in many ways. In my current work place there is always someone watching your every move not only the mangers and leadership which watch you less, but the staff do more of the watching and going back to report every little detailed which makes it an hostile working environment and there is not much motivation when this is constantly going on, now at this point my motivation is taking care of my family and in order to do so I have to work.
Reference: Elangovan, A. R. (1998). Managerial Intervention in Organizational Disputes: Testing a Prescriptive Model of Strategy Selection. International Journal of Conflict Management, 9(4), 301–335. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb022813
