Designing Performance Support Resources

Overview

With increasing demands on L&D to reduce classroom time and move towards a more blended approach, the inclusion of performance support material is key in transferring learning into the workplace to help achieve results. L&D professionals need a tool kit they can quickly adapt to the requirements of the business by providing employees with a choice of accessible resources to support them in their job roles.

From ‘on demand’ online content, quick reference guides, how-to-video clips to laminated trouble-shooting guides located at the point of use, performance support material has to capture a workforce that no longer has the luxury of time or patience to read a user manual or wait for a formal course.

This blended course will provide delegates with a framework to build appropriate and effective resources to support performance ensuring the right media, content and consistency to deliver to best practice.

Benefits to the delegate

• Establish the role of performance support and its use within formal and informal learning solutions.
• Apply a framework for designing and developing content aligned to specific performance requirements.
• Select the appropriate performance support tools and media
• Ensure the resource is clear and easy-to-follow, applying a consistent style
• Establish a robust repository of support resources

Benefits to the organisation

• Respond quickly to changing business needs
• Reduce support calls by encouraging a more self-sufficient workforce
• Make an informed decision as to whether a formal learning solution or a series of performance support resources is more appropriate
• Ensure an accurate and successful transfer of learning

Course consists of 2 weeks online study plus 2-day classroom workshop

• Part 1 – Tutor-led online session (1 hour): ‘What is Performance Support?’ and self-paced online activities including reading, e-learning, forum work and critiquing performance resources (approx 3 hours)
• Part 2 – Self-paced online activities including reading, e-learning, and project work (approx 4 hours) and tutor-led online session ‘Planning for performance support’ (1 hour)
• Part 3 – Two day classroom workshop practical working, building on Parts 1 and 2. Planning, group discussions and producing a prototype for a work-based performance support resource

TAP certification

Due to their unique range and scope, TAP Qualifications provide individuals and organisations with a means to develop a career pathway based on achieving Certification of Learning and Development skills.

Prerequisites

L&D professionals who want to learn about designing and developing workplace support materials

Objectives

Delegates will create a prototype of a performance support resource to fulfil a specific performance need.

Leading to the TAP Certificate in Designing Workplace Learning.

Outline

1. Defining performance support

• Analysing the need, audience and specific task
• Working with the Performance Support Development Model
• Knowing what types of performance support and tools are available
• Identifying appropriate media for the environment
• Determining the support resources or suite of resources for the need

2. Designing performance support resources

• Breaking down the content into clear, easy-to-follow steps
• Writing the text
• Working with images
• Recording IT simulations
• Working with audio and video
• Applying company branding

3. Developing performance support resources

• Creating a prototype to include details of timing, text, animation etc
• Testing and reviewing the resources

4. Implementing, evaluating and maintaining support resources

• Establishing buy-in and support
• Encouraging uptake and marketing
• Measuring success
• Creating a maintenance schedule

Special Notices

This course is delivered as a blended format comprising three parts over a 3 to 4 week period; two live online session with self-paced activities followed by a two-day classroom event with assessed project work on the design of a performance support resource.

Part 1 – Online:

• Tutor-led live online session (1 hour): ‘What is Performance Support?’
• Self-paced activities of completing a short e-Learning module (approx. 15 mins), reading support material (approx. 15 minutes), noting observations on a given blog post (approx. 30 mins)
• Complete assignment 1- researching and critiquing some examples of performance support resources (approx. 1 hour)

Part 2 – Online:

• Self-paced activities- complete a short e-Learning activity on ‘coming to terms with performance’ (approx.15 minutes), research production tools and report on how they could be used for producing performance support resources (approx. 1 hour), reading online hand-outs to support Part 2 learning (approx. 15 mins)
• Tutor-led live online session ‘Planning for performance support’ which follows up on the activities so far and introduces the development model for designing performance support in preparation for completing Assignment 2 (approx. 1 hour)
• Complete assignment 2 the ‘analysis and concept ideas’ template and add it to the forum for tutor feedback ready for the workshop (approx. 30 mins)

Part 3 – Two-day classroom workshop to include:

• Discussions and practical hands on designing for given performance needs
• Planning, designing a suite of support resources and hands-on building a prototype support resources for one resource for a work based project which will form the final assessment