This article shares experiences that participants had playing the game of STRATEGO and how the activity may be linked to strategic planning and thinking. Among the human performance technology implications of playing this game are that gamers agreed on a framework for rules, took stock on where they wanted to go in the future, and generated a risk…

A domestic credit union engages in a systematic performance improvement plan to better leverage a technical application within its organization. By engaging stakeholders early in the process, standardizing the organization's nomenclature, and building strategic partnerships, the credit union was able to achieve both quantitative and qualitative…

The business of training and performance improvement has always been cyclical, with the fortunes of human resource development (HRD) and performance improvement professionals rising and falling with the economic fortunes of the workplace. The current economic downturn and nascent recovery represent an opportunity for HRD and performance…

Higher education institutions struggle with planning for future needs, growth, and, sometimes, contraction. As student populations expand and as faculty members adopt new technologies, universities struggle to support these needs. To the casual observer, it may seem that the technology planning process is haphazard. This article details a process…

Most people understand the importance of objectives and the link between having objectives and accomplishing results. However, there is a difference between a well-defined objective and a poorly developed objective both in how they are constructed and in what they ultimately lead to. In this article, we explore three levels of objectives, provide…

Geary Rummler developed a powerful methodology to design organizations that sustainably deliver desired performance. And he was always interested in further developing his ideas. This article uses a specific project to illustrate how Rummler's work can be used to create a complete organization and explores where future methodological developments…

Strategic plans and performance objectives define the results to be accomplished, but selecting a suitable set of performance technologies for your organizations requires more than just knowing the intended benefits. The systematic procedures described in the article will guide you through practical processes and valuable tools for identifying…

Discussion of information technology and competitive advantages in organizations focuses on the scope of knowledge management, its goals, components, and outcomes. Highlights include the relationship between effective identification and use of existing knowledge; the creation and re-use of new knowledge; and the ability of an organization to…

Explains how to conduct an organization's performance analysis that focuses on customer needs by identifying the desired state, determining the current state, and identifying the current or predicted gap in performance. Considers the organization's mission, a vision or strategic plan, the organization's cultural values, and organizational goals.…

Examines employer-assisted tuition support as a means that organizations use to improve human performance, considers how these programs are aligned with the overall strategic interests of the organization, and makes recommendations about how to measure performance improvement efforts in alignment with organization strategy. (LRW)

The nature of project management is change. Even though all knowledge areas in the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) are rooted in controlling change, none of these areas specifically addresses the human elements of change. There is a significant distinction between directly controlling change relative to the nonhuman aspects of a…

This article provides a case study template for creating and "selling" an enterprise-wide leadership development initiative in a highly decentralized organization. Using a story-telling approach, the authors delineate the five separate but highly interdependent stages used to achieve this. Sandwiched between a prologue and epilogue are five…

Discusses organizational change and myths that decisionmakers have about the change process, including knowing all about change; designing the solution; the role of strong executive level leaders; the importance of strategic plans; and culture change and values. Describes tactics for preventing these myths from interfering with efforts to manage…

Examines the differences between traditional training and performance improvement. Highlights include the role change for human resources professionals from managing employee training to shaping strategic plans for the organization; incorporating a systems approach; engaging a task force; and enlisting top management support. (LRW)

Generalizes the corporate mission, values, strategy, tactics model and applies it to basic personal life questions based on experiences at the Performance Development group of Walgreens. (Author/LRW)