Chapter(5)

Framework for the HRD process

 Learning Objectives
➢ Understand the Framework of HRD Process ➢ Assess
HRD Needs
➢ Enunciate Methods of Strategic
Strategic/Organizational Analysis
Framework for the HRD
process
The goal of HRD is to improve an organizationʼs
effectiveness by: 1. Solving current problems (like an
increase in customer complaints) 2. Preventing
anticipated problems (such as a shortage of skilled
technicians) 3. Including those individuals and units
that can benefit most as participants In short, HRD is
effective if it successfully addresses some
organizational needs through conducting needs
assessments. Designing HRD interventions involves a
process, which includes a four-step sequence: needs
assessment, design, implementation, and evaluation
 Needs Assessment
Phase
HRD interventions are used to address some need or
“gap” within the organization. A need can be either a
current deficiency, such as poor employee
performance, or a new challenge that demands a
change in the way the organization operates (new
legislation or increased competition). Identifying needs
involves examining the organization, its environment,
job tasks, and employee performance. This information
can be used to: ➢ Establish priorities for expanding
HRD efforts ➢ Define specific training and HRD
objectives ➢ Establish evaluation criteria
 Design phase
Design phase The second phase of the training and HRD process
involves designing the HRD program or intervention. If the
intervention involves some type of training or development
program, the following activities are typically carried out during this
phase:
➢ Selecting the specific objectives of the program
➢ Developing the appropriate lesson plan for the program
➢ Developing or acquiring the appropriate materials for the trainees
to use
➢ Determining who will deliver the program
➢ Selecting the most appropriate method or methods to conduct the
program
➢ Scheduling the program
Implementation phase
The goal of the assessment and design phases is to
implement effective HRD programs or interventions. This
means that the program or intervention must be
delivered or implemented, using the most appropriate
means or methods (as determined in the design phase).
Delivering any HRD program generally presents
numerous challenges, such as executing the program as
planned; creating an environment that enhances learning,
and resolving problems that may arise (missing
equipment, conflicts between participants, etc.).
 Program evaluation
is the final phase in the training and HRD process. This is
where the effectiveness of the HRD intervention is
measured. This is an important but often underemphasized
activity. Careful evaluation provides information on
participantsʼ reaction to the program, how much they learned,
whether they use what they have learned on the job, and
whether the program improved the organizationʼs
effectiveness. HRD professionals are increasingly asked to
provide evidence of the success of their efforts using a
variety of “hard” and “soft” measures, that is, both bottom
line impact, as well as employee reaction. This information
allows managers to make better decisions about various
aspects of the HRD effort
 Definition and Purposes of
Needs Assessment
Needs assessment is a process by which an
organizationʼs HRD needs are identified and articulated.
It is the starting point of the HRD and training process.
A need assessment can identify:
➢ An organizationʼs goals and its effectiveness in
reaching these goals
➢ Discrepancies or gaps between employeesʼ skills and
the skills required for effective current job performance
➢ Discrepancies (gaps) between the current skills and
the skills needed to perform the job successfully in the
future
➢ The conditions under which the HRD activity will occur
However, despite its importance, many organizations
do not perform a needs analysis as frequently or as
thoroughly as they must for a number of reasons, such
as:
1. A needs assessment can be a difficult, time-
consuming process.
2. Action is valued over research
3.Incorrect assumptions are made as that a needs
assessment is unnecessary because available already
information specifies what an organizationʼs needs .
Strategic/Organizationa Analysis

Needs assessment at the organization level is usually

conducted by performing an organizational analysis.
Organizational analysis is a process used to better
understand the characteristics of the organization to
determine where the training and HRD efforts are
needed and the conditions within which they should be
conducted.
Components of a Strategic/Organizational
Needs Analysis

This type of analysis requires a broad or “whole system”

view of the organization and what it is trying to
accomplish. The organizational characteristics studied
may include goals and objectives, reward systems,
planning systems, delegation and control systems,
and communication systems. According to Irwin
Goldstein, an organizational analysis should identify:
1. Organizational goals 2. Organizational resources 3.
Organizational climate 4. Environment constraints
1-Organizational Goals
Understanding the organizationʼs goals and strategy
provide a starting point in identifying the effectiveness
of the organization. Areas where the organization is
meeting its goals probably do not require training
efforts, but should be monitored to ensure that
opportunities for improvement and potential problems
are identified early.
 2- Organizational
Resources
An awareness of the organizationʼs resources is
particularly useful in establishing HRD needs.
Obviously, the amount of money available is an
important determinant of HRD efforts. In addition,
knowledge of resources such as facilities, materials on
hand, and the expertise within the organization also
influence how HRD is conducted. Resource availability
can dictate some of the options to be considered when
designing and implementing HRD programs and can
influence the priorities given to HRD needs.
3-Organizational Climate
The climate within the organization is an important
factor in HRD success. If the climate is not conducive
to HRD, designing and implementing the program will
be difficult. For example, if managers and employees
do not trust one another, employees may not
participate fully and freely in a training program.
 4-Environmental
Constraints
Environmental Constraints Environmental constraints
include legal, social, political, and economic issues faced
by the organization. Demand for certain types of HRD
programs can be affected by these constraints.
Knowledge of legal issues can ensure that the HRD effort
is in compliance and will not itself be a source of problem.
For example, equal employment opportunity goals
should be considered when determining how people will
be assigned to a training program, especially if the
program is a prerequisite for entry into a particular job
 Chapter(6)
Designing Effective HRD Programs
 Learning Objectives
➢ Describe design of a HRD program
➢ Identify the objectives of HRD interventions
➢ Assess HRD programs
Designing HRD Program
Armed with needs assessment data, the focus now
turns to designing an effective HRD program. The key
activities involved in designing an HRD program are: 1.
Setting objectives 2. Selecting the trainer or vendor 3.
Developing a lesson plan. 4. Selecting program
methods and techniques 5. Preparing materials 6.
Scheduling the program
 Responsibilities of HRD
Professionals
Responsibilities of HRD Professionals Management professor
Ronald Sims stated that training and development initiatives must
emphasize “pivotal” employee competencies. To do this, HRD
professionals must engage in a number of significant actions,
including the following:
1. Identify the kinds and levels of KSAOs that employees need to
attain high levels of performance and to achieve organizational
results. Notes 97 2. Develop and maintain organizational -
structures, conditions, and climates that are conducive to learning.
3. Generate and provide the necessary resources to conduct a
program design.
4. Identify and provide access to off-the job as well as on-the-job
learning resources.
 6. Serve as role models and mentors to trainees and
the organization in the pursuit of mastery of “pivotal”
KSAOs.
7. Develop efficient learning processes that take into
account individual learning styles, abilities, and work
and life circumstances.
 Defining the Objectives of the HRD
Intervention

Defining the objectives for the training or HRD program is

one of the first things an HRD professional should do - after
completing the needs assessment. Robert Mager defines
an objective as a “description of a performance the HRD
managers want learners to be able to exhibit before they
consider them competent. As such, HRD or training program
objectives describe the intent and the desired result of the
HRD program. The results can be achieved in many ways
(such as lectures, role play, and coaching) but this is not
specified in the objective. Rather, objectives are used as the
basis for determining which methods should be used to
achieve the specified outcome.
 The qualities of useful objectives

Performance An objective always saysʼwhat a learner is

expected to be able to do and/or produce to be considered
competent; the objective sometimes describes the product or
result of the doing. Conditions An objective describes the
important conditions (if any) under which the performance is to
occur. Example, “Given all available eʼngineering data
regarding a proposed product, trainee will write a product
profile.” Criteria Wherever possible, an objective identifies the
criteria of acceptable performance by describing how well the
learner must perform in order to be considered acceptable.
Example: “The product profile must describe all the
commercial characteristics of the product that are appropriate
for its introduction to the market, including descriptions of at
least three major product uses.”
Guidelines for developing useful objectives

➢ An objective is a collection of words, symbols, pictures and/or

diagrams describing what you intend for the trainees to achieve.
➢ An objective will communicate your intent to the degree that
you describe: what the learner will be doing when he/she will be
demonstrating achievement or mastery of the objective, the
important conditions of the doing, and the criteria by which
achievement will be judged.
➢ To prepare a useful objective, continue to modify a draft until
these questions are answered: What do I want trainees to be able
to do? What are the important conditions or constraints under
which I want them to perform? How trainees must perform for me
to be satisfied?
➢ Write a separate statement for each important outcome or
intent; write as many as you need to communicate your intents.
Factors to consider before purchasing
an HRD program

Once an organization decides to purchase a program or part of a program

from an outside source, a vendor must be chosen. One rational way to do this is
to determine the match between the vendorʼs product or capability with the
organizationʼs needs and objectives. The criteria for these decisions vary
among organizations, but in general they include the following: Notes 103 1.
Cost: price relative to program content and quality 2. Credentials: including
certificates, degrees, and other documentation of the vendorʼs expertise 3.
Background: number of years in business and experience in the particular
content area 4. Experience: vendorʼs prior clients, success with those clients,
references 5. Philosophy: comparison of the vendorʼs philosophy to that of the
organization 6. Delivery method: training methods and techniques used 7.
Content: topics included in program or materials 8. Actual product: including
appearance, samples, or whether a pilot program is available 9. Results:
expected outcomes 10. Support: especially in terms of implementation and
follow-up 11. Request for proposal (RFP): the match between a vendorʼs offer
and the requirement spelled out in the organizationʼs request for a proposal.
Some of these factors will carr
 Selecting the Trainer
Once the organization has made a decision to design
its own training program, or has purchased a program
that it will run, a trainer must be selected. Selecting a
trainer can be fairly easy when an organization has a
large, multifaceted training staff with the
competencies and subject matter expertise to train in
high demand areas. Training competency involves the
knowledge and varied skills needed to design and
implement a training program. Effective trainers must
be able to communicate their knowledge clearly, use
various instructional techniques, have good
interpersonal skills, and have the ability to motivate
others to learn.
 Train-the-trainer programs

The purpose of train-the-trainer programs is to provide subject

matter experts (SMEs) with the necessary instructional
knowledge and skills to design and implement a training program.
Train-the-trainer programs are available through local professional
associations, colleges, and consultants. These programs range
from instruction in a single training technique (e.g., behavior
modeling) to a comprehensive program on how to design a
training program. The latter would present several training
methods and techniques with an emphasis on how each can be
used to maximize learning in different situations. Some training
providers, such as Development Dimensions International (DDI),
conduct train-thetrainer programs in which their clientʼs
employees become certified by the consulting firm to present
their programs to the organization.
 These programs should
focus on many of the issues
including
: 1. Developing trainee objectives and lesson plans
2. Selecting and preparing training materials 3.
Selecting and using training aids (e.g., Microsoft®
PowerPoint® slides, videos, overhead projectors)
4. Selecting and using different training methods and
techniques
 Preparing a lesson plan

Program objectives are necessary for pinpointing

desired outcomes of a training or HRD program, but
these statements alone are insufficient for determining
the content of the training program, as well as the
training methods, techniques, and materials. To
translate program objectives into an executable
training session, the development of a lesson plan is
recommended.
 Content to be covered

➢ Sequencing of activities
➢ Selection or design of training media
➢ Selection or development of experiential exercises, or
both
➢ Timing and planning of each activity
➢ Selection of the method of instruction to be used
➢ Number and type of evaluation items to be used