TM - November 2007 - (Page 14)

[human performance] by Harold D. Stolovitch, Ph.D. W W A Modest Al ternative or an Add-On to Obtain Worthy Performance What Are Job Aids? Job Aids: The Instant T alent Producer results (i.e., dial the right access number in Kiev; find the desired spot in an unknown city taking the right bus). • They offer an external memory. • They are talent levelers, requiring minimal capability for consistently maximal results. • They are usually cheap to design, develop and disseminate. tory that guides you to the right office. You find directories on cards, charts, in elevators and on highway signs. Known codes and symbols lead virtually anyone to a perfect result. • Decision Trees or Tables: These can guide from simple to highly complex decision making. A decision tree looks like … a tree. It spreads out “branches” each time a choice must be made. It has three components: nodes that pose questions, branches that state conditions or considerations and decisions (what to do). hen we hire talent, we expect superior results. After all, the origin of the word is an ancient Greek monetary unit, and the definition in the dictionary includes “a capacity for achievement or success.” This aligns with Thomas Gilbert’s term “worthy performance”: valued accomplishments that far outweigh the cost of attaining them. Given the current race to acquire talent, the venture can become very expensive. As banal as it sounds, I propose we revisit with fresh eyes a longtime, steady and remarkably effective worthy performance producer: job aids. They have been around for centuries (e.g., the sun dial), providing assistance and guidance in attaining near-expert results with minimal expertise. Generally, the cost to produce them is low, and the valued accomplishments can be remarkably (although often unnoticeably) high. Simply stated, job aids are external memory devices. I’m not exaggerating the valuable performance contributions job aids can generate from not necessarily “talented” individuals. Here are seven types of job aids that provide much greater value than cost: • Step-by-Step Procedures: Probably the most common type of job aid, they list series of steps that lead to desired outcomes. These are best used to guide error-free performance, especially if missing a critical step ruins the result, or if a procedure is infrequently performed. They are excellent when there are similar procedures to perform with subtle variations. • Worksheets: These paper or electronic assistants guide information entry and/or calculations en route to completing a task. They are great for repair estimation or tax calculations. Performers enter data and, voila!, they produce a sophisticated, valuable result. • Directory Displays: When you enter a building, there’s a direc- About the author Harold D. Stolovitch, Ph.D., is a principal of HSA Learning & Performance Solutions LLC and is emeritus professor of instructional and performance technology at the Université de Montréal. He can be reached at editor@TalentMgt.com. Simply stated, job aids are external memory devices. Dr. Marc Rosenberg runs a delightful seminar activity in which participants rummage through their wallets and purses to identify frequently used job aids. At one seminar, they included an international telephone access card with numbers for 60 countries, a restaurant tipping guide, a Jewish holiday calendar with sundown times, a CelsiusFahrenheit converter, an emergency “If … then” phone list, a city pocket guide with places and bus routes and a pill box with timer alarm. All share four characteristics: • They guide even the least talented to achieve near-expert November 2007 • Checklists: These common job aids are like to-do lists. They help to ensure pilots verify everything before takeoff, security guards inspect a worksite or trainers order the right supplies for a course. Checklists can guide sophisticated task performance such as proposal writing or preparing a legal writ. T alent or Job Aid? The goal is worthy performance. Talent might be the key, but job aids provide results. Keep up the talent hunt but also develop useful job aids for everyone. You never know when they’ll make the performance difference. 14 talent management magazine www.TalentMgt.com http://www.TalentMgt.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of TM - November 2007

Talent Management - November 2007 Editor's Letter Contents Letters to the Editor Human Performance Leading Edge Learning Connections Viewpoint Finding Candidates with the Right Fit Turning HR Data Into Business Intelligence Compensation Technology: Drive Higher Performance, Gain Competitive Advantage The Art and Science of Influence Training the Ethical Workforce Making the Best Managers Application: Pre-Hire Testing Drives Down Employee Turnover at Advnace Auto Parts Dashboard: The Role of Learning Business Process Outsourcing Insight: Nationwide Insurance: On Employees' Side Advertiser's Index Editorial Resources Full Potential

TM - November 2007

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