POINT-OF-WORK ASSESSMENT (PWA) WORKSHEET & “Confessions of a Performance Ninja“
I wrote this book shortly after I retired, or as I call it, Redeployed my life as a Writer of Things. Seems the Performance Consultant in me refused to die, so I’m offering the PWA Worksheets free of charge for anyone who would like to check them out. I feel it would be a waste for me to allow thousands of hours of consulting experiences over the last 35+ years and useful tools to turn to ash just because I may have burned out on pushing the paradigm of Point-of-Work, never mind that it worked every time I used it. I’m done, but you don’t have to be. Keep pushing!
The original intent was for this book to serve as a road map or a field guide, and the WORKSHEET for use on the job. There are best practices highlighted and other opportunities from which to flee. This is an exciting time for the “Point-of-Work” discipline, and this book is intended to smooth the transition into a productive future for up-and-coming Ninjas. Black pajamas and cheap sunglasses are optional, but they are very cool.
This collection of confessions and experiences came from 35+ years in CorporateLearning and Development (L&D). This book is a roadmap regarding my journey in the hopes that others who adopt their versions of “Point-of-Work” do not step on the same landmines. My confessions cover intentional and unintentional successes as well as epic failures.
The confessions I share combine best practices highlighted as successful, land mines to avoid, and situations from which to flee. This is an exciting time for the “Point-of-Work” discipline, and this book is intended to smooth the transition into a productive future for up-and-coming Ninjas. Black pajamas and cheap sunglasses are optional, but they are very cool.
The PWA Worksheet (offered as a freebie) is significant and is exactly what I hated most in life – a Form. That said, I rarely used it as a form but routinely utilized several tabs to save time and serve as a road map for the ISD team members that followed my discovery work . In the PWA Workshop I offered, the form was used extensively.
The Worksheet is not rocket science, and you may be able to utilize a lot of it without reading the book. Regardless, the read would be well worth the time since many missteps may be avoided in the Discovery process when the effort does not sound nor feel like a Traning Needs Assessment – which a Point-of-Work Assessment is not. Plus complete instructions for using the Worksheet are in section 5.
This book and worksheet combination is designed for a Performance Consultant role and supports a Workflow Performance Methodology where performance outcomes are primary, with learning happening in a secondary role. Sound strange? Hey, most paradigm shifts do that when shifting from status-quo learning mindsets. This is about leading with performance at the Point-of-Work, and if learning happens as a result of producing measurable outcomes in the flow of work, that’s a bonus. We’re training if we are not locked hard and fast on measurable performance outcomes.
L&D is currently facing a tipping point, call it a sea-change if you like, regarding the tsunami of digital initiatives infiltrating enterprise workflows, not the least of which is Digital Transformation with exploding cloud-based technology options. The implied changes represent disruptions impacting every corner of the enterprise and every workforce member. Status quo Training strategies are falling short, held hostage by the long-held Myth that TRAINING DRIVES PERFORMANCE. This Myth perpetuates a false narrative that limits effectiveness when we depend on training as our default solution. This book debunks the Myth by going to a new ground zero for Discovery – Point-of-Work.
Is the Myth truly a myth? Yes, because an assumption is commonly made that if Training is completed, work competencies are met to improve performance. However, measurable PERFORMANCE has yet to occur. Why? The workforce has yet to return to their respective Points-of-Work to execute and produce measurable value. Therefore, the only deliverable L&D can brag about is POTENTIAL.
Stakeholders want proof of a measurable impact on the bottom line. Where do bottom-line results manifest? In post-training workflows at numerous Points-of-Work! This book shares many confessions on good, bad, and ugly experiences completing the Point-of-Work adoption journey.
In this book, you will learn about Intentional Design based on a new ground zero – the Point-of-Work by using a Point-of-Work Assessment (PWA) to accomplish holistic discovery over six categories of performance-restraining attributes. You will learn about performance-accelerating technology like Digital Adoption Platforms (DAPs) that make intentionally designed support assets accessible contextually within workflows at moments of need. You will create Learning Performance Solution Road Maps that enable collaboration with ISD/DEV resources and are compatible with Workflow Delivery Technology like the DAP. The book provides access to PWA Worksheets (Excel Workbook) and instructions on completing a PWA.
NOTE: Typical Performance Ninja wardrobe items like black pajamas and cheap sunglasses are not included in this book.
Complete PWA Master Worksheet Template Instructions
are found in Part Five of “Confessions of a Performance Ninja” at Amazon.com
The Excel spreadsheet is not password protected and has nine (9) tabs.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Before using this template, open it in Excel and immediately SAVE AS with a different filename (i.e., PWA Worksheet – WORKING COPY) so the Master version remains a true Master. Any future update downloads will contain an Update Version # and retain this naming convention (PWA Master Worksheet Template – Version 4.0). Always begin a new PWA discovery from your WORKING COPY file and SAVE AS a new filename. Much of this spreadsheet has embedded links; keeping your Master as a Master will protect those links. The spreadsheet is NOT password protected, so making a master copy is a good plan.
Click to Download
100323-PWA-Worksheet-Template – V4.0
I welcome any comments you may have. Best wishes and watch where you step!
Take good care!
G.
Gary G. Wise
Writer of Things
Author, Storyteller, Embellisher of Truth,
& Other Anomalous Things