The Field Guide to the 6Ds - Andrew McK. Jefferson - E-Book

The Field Guide to the 6Ds E-Book

Andrew McK. Jefferson

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Beschreibung

Practical guidelines for implementing the six disciplines of breakthrough learning

The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning has become a standard for companies serious about increasing the return on their investment in learning and development. Now the authors help workplace learning professionals apply the concepts of their bestselling book. With real-world applications, case studies, how-to guidelines, and practical advice and examples for implementing the 6Ds, The 6Ds Fieldbook: Beyond ADDIE will help organizations substantially increase the return on investment and decrease "learning scrap," the potential value that goes unrealized in many learning and development initiatives.

  • Helps OD professionals apply the concepts of the bestselling Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning
  • Includes all new case studies, examples, tools, and best practices in use by organizations that have successfully used the 6Ds
  • Taps into the experience and expertise of 6Ds practitioners

Linking to social media to enhance the lessons of the book, The 6Ds Fieldbook is an easy-to-use and widely-applicable guide to getting the most from learning and development.

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Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014

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Contents

About This Book

Acknowledgments

Contributors

Introduction

Part I: The Six Disciplines

D1: Define Business Outcomes

Understand the Business You Support

Talk to Your Stakeholders

Decide Whether Training Is Appropriate

Complete the Performance-Gap Analysis

Differentiate the Business Objectives of Training from Learning Objectives

Use Business Objectives to Explain Benefits to Participants and Managers

D2: Design the Complete Experience

Treat Learning as a Process, Not an Event

Manage Expectations

Create Intentionality

Emphasize Benefits, Not Features

Initiate Learning Before Class

Redefine the Finish Line

Provide a Sense of Accomplishment

Putting It All Together

D3: Deliver for Application

Address the “Can I?” and “Will I?” Questions

Teach for How People Learn

Avoid Cognitive Overload

Ensure Adequate Practice

Connect the Dots

Monitor Perceived Relevance and Utility

D4: Drive Learning Transfer

Apply Process Thinking

Assess and Improve the Transfer Climate

Maintain Share of Mind by Reminding Learners

Engage Managers

Ensure Accountability for Training Transfer

D5: Deploy Performance Support

Make Performance Support Part of the Design

Identify When and Where Support Will Be Most Valuable

Use People, Technology, and Materials Creatively to Provide Support

Design, Test, Improve, Deploy, and Improve Again

Ensure That Job Aids Are Used

Introduce Job Aids in (or Even Before) the Training

Have Managers Reinforce the Use of the Job Aids

D6: Document Results

Start with the End in Mind

Don’t Confuse Activity with Productivity

Decide What to Measure Before Worrying About How

Measure the Relevant Outcomes

Ensure Credibility

Make a Compelling Case

Use Resources Efficiently

Prove and Improve

Build a Strong Learning Brand

Coda: Getting Your Money’s Worth

Get Started Now

Build the 6Ds into the Process

Continue to Learn and Grow

Part II: Tools: Maps, Planners, Scorecards, and Checklists

Tool I.1: 6Ds Application Scorecard

Tool I.2: 6Ds Pathfinder

Tool 1.3: 6Ds Flow Chart

Tool I.4: Wisdom from the Field

Tool D1.1: 6Ds Outcomes Planning Wheel™

Tool D1.2: Flow Chart: Is Training Necessary?

Tool D1.3: Checklist for D1

Tool D2.1: Manager’s Guide to a Pre-Training Discussion

Agenda

Detailed Coaching Guide

Tool D2.2: Sample Learning Contract

Participant’s Responsibilities

Manager’s Agreement

Tool D2.3: Flow Chart for Phase I Learning (Pre-Work)

Tool D2.4: Purposes and Examples of Phase I Learning (Pre-Work)

Tool D2.5: Manager’s Guide to a Post-Training Discussion

Overview

Detailed Coaching Guide

Tool D2.6: Checklist for D2

Tool D3.1: Glance Test for Slides

Tool D3.2: Value Chain Planner

Tool D3.3: Checklist for D3

Tool D4.1: Learning Transfer Climate Scorecard

Tool D4.2: Transfer Climate Improvement Planner

Actions to Consider to Improve Transfer Climate

Tool D4.3: Checklist for D4

Tool D5.1: Performance Support Planner

Tool D5.2: Kinds of Performance Support and Their Application

Tool D5.3: Checklist for D5

Tool D6.1: Checklist for Evaluation Credibility

Tool D6.2: Evaluation Planner

Tool D6.3: Checklist for D6

Tool C.1: 6Ds Personal Action Planner

Directions

Part III: Case Histories (“How We”)

Case I.1: How We Transitioned Our Focus to Results

Background

What We Did

Results

Case I.2: How We Use the 6Ds to Differentiate Our Services

Background

What We Did

Results

Case I.3: How We Prepare a Proposal and Design a Process Using the 6Ds Outline

Background

What We Did

Results

Case I.4: How We Are Lighting Up the Fire of Continuous Improvement for Our Lean Sigma Green Belts

Background

Actions

Results

Case I.5: How We Used the 6Ds Framework to Redevelop Our Sales Leader Curriculum

Background

What We Did

Results

Case I.6: How We Introduced the 6Ds to Our Team

Background

What We Did

Results

Editor’s Note

Case D1.1: How We Moved from Order Takers to Business Partners

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D1.2: How We Turned a “Feel Good” Training Program into a Successful Business Transformation

Background

What We Did

Results

Endorsement by CEO, Essar Hypermart

Case D1.3: How We Defined Business Outcomes and the Learning Continuum for iteach

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D1.4: How We Used In-Depth Analysis to Design the Right Intervention to Achieve Business Objectives

Background

What We Did

Key Insights from Using PrimeFocus

How These Insights Helped Us

Results

Case D1.5: How We Incorporated the 6Ds into Our Learning Services Tool Box

Background

What We Did

Original Business Needs

New Business Needs

Results

Case D2.1: How We Increased the Volume and Variety of Learning Solutions While Decreasing the Time to Develop Them

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D2.2: How We Use Alumni to Help Set Expectations for New Program Participants and Their Leaders

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D2.3: How We Build Enterprise High-Potential Talent at Agilent

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D2.4: How We Moved the Finish Line for Leadership Development

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D2.5: How We Enhanced and Stretched Our First-Level Managers’ Learning Experience

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D2.6: How We Bring Employees Up to Speed in Record Time Using the Learning Path Methodology

About Learning Paths

Background

What We Did

Results

Keys to Success

Case D2.7: How We Designed a Complete Experience for Our Signature Induction Program “SteerIn”

Background

What We Did

Module 1: Know Your Company

Module 2: Know Your Manufacturing Process

Module 3: Know Your Products and Commercial Processes

Module 4: Know Your Business

Results

Case D2.8: How We Made Learning Relevant to Deliver Business Impact

Background

What We Did

Results

Lessons of Experience

Keys to Success

Caution

Case D3.1: How We Use Experiential Learning to Engage Learners’ Hearts as Well as Minds

Background

What We Did

Results

Keys to Success

Case D3.2: How We Improved the Signal-to-Noise Ratio to Transform the Presentation Culture at KLA-Tencor

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D3.3: How We Designed a Complete Experience to Deliver Business Results

Background

What We Did

Results

Lessons of Experience

Keys to Success

Cautions

Case D3.4: How We Increased Leadership Effectiveness by Delivering for Application

Background

What We Did

Results

Lessons of Experience

Keys to Success

Caution

Case D3.5: How We Turn Front-Line Supervisors into Safety Leaders

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D3.6: How We Fostered a Proactive Approach to Leader Development

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D4.1: How We Implemented an Immediate Application Checklist to Ensure Learning Transfer

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D4.2: How We Achieved Lean Improvements with Learning Transfer

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D4.3: How We Implemented a Low-Cost, Low-Effort Follow-Up

Background

What We Did

Results

Lessons of Experience

Case D4.4: How We Used Spaced Learning and Gamification to Increase the Effectiveness of Product Launch Training

Background

What We Did

Results

Success Factors

Case D4.5: How We Develop Managers to Leverage Learning Transfer

Background

What We Did

Results

Keys to Success

Case D4.6: How We Engage Managers to Acknowledge the Achievements of Leadership Program Participants

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D4.7: How We Sustain Priority-Management Training

Background

What We Did

Results

Lessons of Experience

Keys to Success

Cautions

Case D4.8: How We Turn Learning into Action

Background

What We Did

Results

Keys to Success

Case D5.1: How We Engage Key Contributors to Disseminate Corporate Culture

Background

What We Did

Results

Lessons of Experience

Case D5.2: How We Use Proficiency Coaching to Improve Performance

Background

What We Did

Results

Keys to Success

Case D5.3: How We Engage Participants for Optimal Learning Transfer

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D5.4: How We Deployed Performance Support for a Technical Capability Building Initiative

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D6.1: How We Guide Our Clients to Design with the End in Mind

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D6.2: How We Used Measurement to Drive “SOAR—Service Over and Above the Rest”

Background

What We Did

Results

Final Word

Case D6.3: How We Used NPS to Track and Improve Leadership Impact

Background

What We Did

Results

Keys to Success

Case D6.4: How We Use Success Stories to Communicate Training’s Value

Background

What We Did

Results

Case D6.5: How We Created a High Impact Mars University Brand

Background

What We Did

Results

Case C.1: How We Are Incorporating the 6Ds Methodologies into Our Culture, One Step at a Time

Background

What We Did

Results

Part IV: How-to Guides

H2 D1.1: How to Use the Planning Wheel to Clarify Business Purpose

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D1.2: How to Decide Whether Training Is Necessary

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D1.3: How to Use (and Not Use) Learning Objectives

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D2.1: How to Communicate to Motivate

Introduction

Guidance

Checklist

Keys to Success

H2 D2.2: How to Create Results Intentionality

Introduction

Guidance

Keys to Success

H2 D2.3: How to Start Learning Before Class to Improve Efficiency

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D2.4: How to Move the Finish Line for Learning

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D3.1: How to Use (and Not Abuse) PowerPoint

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D3.2: How to Gain and Hold Learners’ Attention

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D3.3: How to Re-Engage Learners After a Break

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

Answers

H2 D3.4: How to Build Scaffolding

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D3.5: How to Build a Value Chain for Learning

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D3.6: How to Introduce Exercises

Introduction

Guidance

Keys to Success

H2 D3.7: How to Improve the Predictive Value of Assessments

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D4.1: How to Remind Learners to Apply Their Training

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D4.2: How to Engage Learners in Action Planning

Introduction

Guidance

H2 D4.3: How to Make the Business Case for Learning Transfer

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D5.1: How to Provide Performance Support for Managers and Coaches

Introduction

Guidance

Keys to Success

H2 D5.2: How to Utilize Peer Coaching

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D5.3: How to Develop Great Performance Support

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D6.1: How to Ensure Your Measures Are Relevant

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D6.2: How to Improve the Credibility of Evaluations

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D6.3: How to Make Your Evaluations More Compelling

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D6.4: How to Conduct a Success Case Method Evaluation

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

H2 D6.5: How to Write Better Surveys

Introduction

Guidance

Key Success Factors

References

Index

About the Authors

About the 6Ds Company

End User License Agreement

List of Illustrations

Figure I.1. Transfer Is an Essential Step in the Process by Which Training Creates Business Value

Figure I.2. A Typical Approach to the Post-Training Period

Figure I.3. The “Moment of Truth” That Determines Whether Training Adds Value or Is Scrap

Figure I.4. Both Critical Questions Must Be Answered “Yes!” for Training to Create Value

Figure I.5. The 6Ds®: The Six Disciplines That Turn Learning into Business Results

Figure I.6. The 6Ds Extend and Complement Instructional Design Models Such as ADDIE

Figure D1.1. The 6Ds Outcomes Planning Wheel™

Figure D1.2. Lack of Knowledge or Skills Is Only One of Many Potential Causes of Suboptimal Performance, But It Is the Only One That Training Can Remedy

Figure D1.3. The Learning Objectives of Training Exist to Support Business Unit Objectives, Which Together Create Business Success

Figure D2.1. Management Expects Training to Produce Improved Performance

Figure D2.2. The Finish Line for Training Should Be Redefined as Improved Performance at Work

Figure D2.3. Providing a Sense of Achievement Is the Fourth Phase of the Learning Process

Figure D3.1. The Brain Receives More Input Than It Can Process. Attention Is Strictly Limited; Most Input Is Filtered Out and Ignored

Figure D3.2. The Elephant and the Rider Must Work Together for Training to Succeed

Figure D3.3. Schematic of Key Steps in Learning, Storage, Retrieval, and Application

Figure D3.4. A Value Chain for Learning Shows the Links Between the Training and the Ultimate Business Outcomes

Figure D4.1. Learning Leaders Estimate that 80 Percent or More of Training’s Value Is Never Realized for Lack of Transfer

Figure D4.2. The Answers to Two Critical Questions Determine Which Path Learners Take

Figure D4.3. The PDCA or Deming Cycle for Continuous Improvement

Figure D4.4. Main Components of the Transfer Climate

Figure D4.5. The Spectrum of Managers’ Actions Related to Training

Figure D4.6. For Most Learners, Applying What They Learned in Training Is a Low Priority

Figure D5.1. Learners Who Experience Early Success Are Motivated to Continue; Those Who Experience Early Failure Are Likely to Abandon the Effort

Figure D5.2. Managers Also Need Performance Support

Figure 6.1. Clear Definition of the Business Objectives (D1) Is Prerequisite to Meaningful Evaluation (D6); They Are Bookends

Figure 6.2. Measures of Training Activity Are Not What the Business Really Wants to Know

Figure 6.3. Brinkerhoff’s Success Case Method

Figure I.1.1. Summary of Actions We Took to Transition to a Results Focus

Figure D1.3.1. Desired Business Outcomes for iteach

Figure D1.3.2. The Five Phases of iteach

Figure D2.1.1. The New Agile Structure of the Learning Group Includes Three Cross-Functional Teams

Figure D2.1.2. Pre- and Post-Agile Implementation Results

Figure D2.1.3. Almost One Hundred More Learning Assets Were Delivered in the Same Time Period After Implementing Agile

Figure D2.1.4. Work Units Delivered in Q1 2013 (Post-Agile) Versus Q1 2012 (Pre-Agile)

Figure D2.1.5. Comparison of Types of Deliverables Before and After Agile Implementation

Figure D2.6.1. The Learning Paths Methodology

Figure D3.2.5. Glance Test Scorecard for “Noisy” Slide in Exhibit D3.2.4

Figure D3.4.1. Expectation Setting by Managers Before and After Training

Figure D3.4.2. Addressing Performance Issues by Managers Before and After Training

Figure D3.4.3. Accountability for Performance by Managers Before and After Training

Figure D4.4.1. Forgetting Curve (after Ebbinghaus, 1885)

Figure D4.5.1. Four Phases of the Program

Figure D6.2.1. Leading Indicators of Change by Service Pillar

Figure D6.2.2. Number of Customer Complaints About Call Center Service Following SOAR Training

Figure D6.2.3. Application of Service Pillars by Shift Team Leaders with Consultants

Figure H2 D1.1.1. The 6Ds Outcomes Planning Wheel™

Figure H2 D1.2.1. The Acid Test for Whether Training Is Needed

Figure D2.2.1. The Process of Transforming Training into Results Involves Four Phases: Preparation, Learning, Transfer, and Achievement.

Figure H2 D3.4.1. Use Scaffolding to Make the Learning Curve Less Steep

Figure H2 D3.5.1. Training Value Chain

Figure H2 D3.7.1. Cognitive Processes of Bloom’s Taxonomy of Educational Objectives (after Krathwohl, 2002)

Figure H2 D6.4.1. Three Steps in the Success Case Method

List of Tables

Table D1.1. Comparison of Learning Objectives to Business Objectives of Training

Table D1.2. Examples of Business and Learning Objectives for Training

Table D3.1. Causes of Low Perceived Relevance or Utility Scores

Table 6.1. Examples of Relevant Measures for Business Objectives for Training

Table D2.6.1. An Example of a Proficiency Checklist for Support Service Aides

Table D3.5.1. Key Supervisor Activities and Their Effect on Safety Culture

Table D3.5.2. Key Supervisor Activities and Their Links to Leadership Practices

List of Exhibits

Exhibit C.1.1. Examples of Goals for Applying the 6Ds

Exhibit I.3.1. Portion of the Spreadsheet Flow Chart for the 6Ds

Exhibit I.4.1. Comparison of Green Belt Course Before and After Implementing the 6Ds

Exhibit I.4.2. The Green Belt Learning Path Includes Prerequisites, Core Curriculum, and Post-Class Project Work. Course Listing from LMS Is Shown.

Exhibit I.4.3. The Production Plant Layout Used in the Capstone Session

Exhibit I.4.4. Example of Checkpoints Following Green Belt Training

Exhibit I.4.5. Triangle of Continuous Improvement Green Belt Fire

Exhibit I.5.1. An Example of a Slide Linking the Training Initiative to the Business Outcomes

Exhibit I.6.1. The Winning Entry. Andrea Kahudova Takes the Six Disciplines to New Heights in Norway.

Exhibit I.6.2. A Strong Contender. Alban Le Nech Takes a Brisk Dip into the Six Disciplines in a Mountain Lake at Three Thousand Meters in the Taurus Mountains of Turkey.

Exhibit D1.4.1. PrimeFocus™ Model Showing Relationships Among the Eight Critical Elements

Exhibit D2.2.1. Overview of the Excellence Through Leadership Program from the LOD Website

Exhibit D2.2.2. An Example of a Testimonial from a Prior Participant on the Website

Exhibit D2.2.3. Learning Project Presentations Are Posted on the Program Website

Exhibit D2.3.1. Part of the Nomination Process Form Highlighting the Need for Senior Leader Sponsorship

Exhibit D2.3.2. An Excerpt from the Commitment Form for Emerging Leadership Managers and Coaches

Exhibit D2.3.3. Excerpt from Emerging Leaders Program Checklist

Exhibit D2.3.4. An Example of the Timeline for the Emerging Leaders Program Business Project

Exhibit D2.3.5. An Excerpt from the ELP Participant’s Guide Illustrating the Personal Board of Directors

Exhibit D2.5.1. The Agenda for the Complete Learning Experience for First-Level Manager

Exhibit D2.5.2. A Screen Capture from the SharePoint Site for the First-Level Managers Program

Exhibit D2.7.1. A Distinctive Logo and Brand Were Created to Give the Program a Strong Identity

Exhibit D2.7.2. Summary of Planning Wheel for SteerIn Induction Program

Exhibit D2.7.3. The Four Modules of the SteerIn Induction Program

Exhibit D2.8.1. The PowerUpSuccess Approach for Delivering Business Impact

Exhibit D3.1.1. Our Four-Step Process for Ensuring a Successful Learning Experience

Exhibit D3.1.2. Posters Used for Different Stations of the Learning Carnival

Exhibit D3.2.1. Map of the Complete Solution

Exhibit D3.2.2. The Glance Test

Exhibit D3.2.3. Slide with High (Good) Signal-to-Noise Ratio

Exhibit D3.2.4. Slide with Low (Poor) Signal-to-Noise Ratio

Exhibit D3.3.1. Impact Map to Create Learning Intentionality for the Tools for TOUGH Talks Program

Exhibit D3.3.2. An Example of an Intersession Learning Assignment

Exhibit D3.3.3. Action Plan to Move from Learning to Results

EXHIBIT D4.1.1. IMMEDIATE APPLICATION CHECKLIST

Exhibit D4.3.1. Example of a Reminder Email to Participants

Exhibit D4.4.2. Example of Feedback on Answer

Exhibit D4.7.1. The Commitment-to-Apply Contract (Bilingual Template)

Exhibit D4.8.1. Example of a Typical Action Plan

Exhibit D4.8.2. ACTION Methodology

Exhibit D4.8.3. An Example of an Impact Dashboard

Exhibit D4.8.4. Example of an Individual Case Study

Exhibit D5.1.1. Key Design Elements and the 6Ds

Exhibit D5.2.1. Causal Chain from Training to Business Results

Exhibit D5.3.1. The Five Phases of the imPACT Program

Exhibit D5.3.2. The Coach’s Application Planner Used in the Field Exercises

Exhibit 5.4.1. An Example of a Performance Support Check Sheet

Exhibit D6.1.1. Logic Model for Training

Exhibit D6.1.2. Mind Map for a Management Development Program

Exhibit D6.1.3. Time Line from Training to Results

Exhibit D6.2.1. Emirates Airline Is One of the World’s Top Ten Airlines

Exhibit D6.5.1. The Mars University Logo

Exhibit H2 D1.1.1. Sample Memorandum of Understanding

Exhibit H2 D1.3.1. Checklist for Learning Objectives

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Guide

Cover

Table of Contents

Begin Reading

Praise for The Field Guide to the 6Ds

“The Field Guide to the 6Ds is the most pragmatic guide book I have ever seen. It provides learning professionals with specific tools, concrete cases, and how-to guides. We are greatly impressed by the authors’ practical and business-oriented approach to enhancing the value of learning and development.”

—Tao Zhou, P.hD., president, Shanghai TopLearning Management Consulting Company, China

“This book is an amazing treasure chest to those looking for ideas and evidence of learning value in the organization. Real cases illustrating field applications of the 6Ds are especially valuable to help you come up with your own solutions suitable to your organization. It doesn’t matter which industry you work for or what country you live in.”

—Mijeong Kim, Ph.D., director, Learning & Performance Institute, Credu, Korea

“The sharing of the successful implementation by many organizations and the ‘how-to’ guides on implementation of the 6 Disciplines make this a complete field guide and a tremendous resource for all heads of training who are serious about delivering training for business results.”

—Jim Kee, associate director, Group Education & Development, AIA Group, Singapore

“By incorporating the principles found in The Field Guide to the 6Ds, we were able to better implement our programs, and measure the actual learning transferred. This was evident in both the new skills and attitudes learned, and performance in the field as well.”

—Randy Eppard, Ph.D., executive director, International Department of Education and Training, United Brotherhood of Carpenters

“The Field Guide to the 6Ds is the perfect follow-up to The Six Discipines. It takes the concepts of the 6Ds and provides a framework for immediate implementation. Anyone who is leading the learning function will benefit from the case studies and tools to help take their organization’s learning to the next level.”

—Meg Pletcher, national director of learning & development, Emeritus Senior Living

“Pollock, Jefferson, and Wick have developed an immensely resourceful guide for anyone in the training and human development field. With the focus on business outcomes, efficient delivery, conducive environment for learning transfer, and results documentation, the 6Ds is ultimately about going the extra mile to ensure that training attains its best possible value to the learners, trainers, and the organization.”

—Zairi Chew Long Po, product & technical faculty, Prudential BSN Takaful Berhad, Malaysia

“The Field Guide to the 6Ds is a ‘practice what you preach’ manuscript for professionals to take 6Ds theory and put it into practice. The guide connects ‘how to’ with ‘why to’ for people committed to change the way they think about development. My copy is already full of sticky notes. Thank you for taking the time to do it right.”

—Chris Pellegrino, director of learning and development, Genworth Financial

“The Field Guide repackages the compelling 6Ds model as a flexible action kit to deliver the goods at your place. Check where your organization sits now, see how others have tackled the change, plan your strategy, and choose your weapons. It’s all there, a goldmine for managers and learning professionals committed to turning training into performance.”

—Clint Smith, director, LearnWorks Performance Design Services, Australia

“Continuing improvement in the field of learning. This Guide extends the success of the 2nd edition of The Six Disciplines by staying current and providing the most practicable checklist for learning transfer success. And with compelling case studies to boot.”

—G. Edward Todd, senior executive consultant, De Bono Global; author, Survive and Thrive, A Blueprint for Innovation in Challenging Times.

“The Field Guide to the 6Ds is a must-have handbook for all types of trainers. It provides awesome and practical insights with holistic yet user-friendly processes to guide the whole process from identifying business goals, design of learning, deliveries, and measurements to achieve desired business results.”

—Alicia She Tu, training manager, PruBSN Takaful BhD, Malaysia

“If you live in the world of instructional design, organizational development, change management, HR, or human capital—this is a must for your bookshelf. I loved the direct-to-the-reader way this was written. It’s crisp and clear with take-away prescriptions in every section.”

—Beverly Kaye, founder of Career Systems International and co-author of Love ‘Em or Lose ‘Em: Getting Good People to Stay and Help Them Grow or Watch Them Go: Career Conversations Employees Want.

“This Field Guide provides a wealth of practical advice that anyone working in training and development can use in their own organization to help drive learning transfer. The sections covering Tools, Case Histories, and How-to Guides are especially helpful resources.”

—Tony Bingham, president and CEO, ASTD

The Field Guide to the 6Ds

How to Use the Six Disciplines to Transform Learning into Business Results

TIPS, TOOLS, CASE STUDIES, AND PRACTICAL ADVICE

 

Roy Pollock

Andrew Jefferson

Calhoun Wick

 

 

 

Copyright © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

Published by Wiley

One Montgomery Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94104-4594

www.wiley.com

Cover design by Wiley

Cover photograph © Creativeye99 | Getty

Authors’ photographs by Terence Roberts

Illustrations in Part I: The 6Ds © 2014 The 6Ds Company unless otherwise noted.

6Ds Illustrations by Ris Fleming-Allen

No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, scanning, or otherwise, except as permitted under Section 107 or 108 of the 1976 United States Copyright Act, without either the prior written permission of the Publisher, or authorization through payment of the appropriate per-copy fee to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400, fax 978-646-8600, or on the web at www.copyright.com. Requests to the Publisher for permission should be addressed to the Permissions Department, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030, 201-748-6011, fax 201-748-6008, or online at http://www.wiley.com/go/permissions.

Limit of Liability/Disclaimer of Warranty: While the publisher and author have used their best efforts in preparing this book, they make no representations or warranties with respect to the accuracy or completeness of the contents of this book and specifically disclaim any implied warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose. No warranty may be created or extended by sales representatives or written sales materials. The advice and strategies contained herein may not be suitable for your situation. You should consult with a professional where appropriate. Neither the publisher nor author shall be liable for any loss of profit or any other commercial damages, including but not limited to special, incidental, consequential, or other damages.

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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Pollock, Roy V. H.

The field guide to the 6Ds: how to use the six disciplines to transform learning into business results: tips, tools, case studies, and practical advice / Roy Pollock, Andrew Jefferson, Calhoun Wick.

pages cm

Includes index.

ISBN 978-1-118-64813-1 (paper/website); ISBN 978-1-118-67738-4 (ebk)—ISBN 978-1-118-67714-8 (ebk)

1. Organizational learning. 2. Employees—Training of. 3. Performance. 4. Organizational effectiveness. I. Jefferson, Andrew McK. II. Wick, Calhoun W. III. Title.

HD58.82.P65 2014

658.3'124—dc23

2013047961

About This Book

Since the first publication of The Six Disciplines of Breakthrough Learning in 2006, companies around the world have realized greater value from training and development by applying its principles. We included case studies and recommendations for implementation in both the first and second editions, and we continue to provide advanced training in the 6Ds® through online and live workshops. Even so, readers have asked us for additional examples, tools, and recommendations. The Field Guide to the 6Ds is designed to fill that need.

The Field Guide is intended to be used as you would a guidebook to Yellowstone Park or the Pantanal in Brazil, that is, to help you go where you want to go and know what to do when you get there. Especially valuable in such guides are first-hand accounts of travelers who have gone before you. That is why we are particularly pleased that this guide includes forty-three accounts (“how-we” case histories) submitted by innovators across five continents who agreed to share their stories and advice. Without them, this book would not have been possible.

The Field Guide is organized by the Six Disciplines (the 6Ds). It contains numerous cross-references and diagnostic tools to help you find what you are looking for. Part I includes an overview of each discipline for those who have not yet read The Six Disciplines, accompanied by quick checks with recommendations for action. Part II contains tools, checklists, and flow charts to help you implement the 6Ds in your organization. Part III includes forty-three examples of putting 6Ds principles into action across a wide range of programs, companies, industries, and countries. Part IV contains specific “how-to” guides on twenty-five topics.

Additional information, materials, and tools are available at the 6Ds website: www.the6Ds.com and through 6Ds Workshops.

Acknowledgments

This book would not have been possible without the help of the hundreds of learning professionals around the world who have used the 6Ds and shared with us their insights, challenges, and triumphs. We are especially indebted to those who took the time to prepare case studies and obtain the necessary permissions to publish them.

Special thanks also to our colleagues at the Fort Hill Company with whom we began this journey, to the exceptional professionals at Wiley who have partnered with us to bring the 6Ds to market, to the 6Ds Company staff, and, of course, to our families, who continue to encourage and support our efforts to make a difference.

Contributors

Steve Akram

, Director, North American Sales Force Development, Oracle

Sujaya Banerjee

, Ph.D., Chief Talent Officer and Senior Vice President, HR, The Essar Group

Colonel Bernard B. Banks

, Ph.D., Professor and Department Head, Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership, United States Military Academy at West Point

Ishita Bardhan

, Assistant General Manager, Learning and Development, Management Development Centre of Excellence, Tata Motors Academy

Rob Bartlett

, Corporate Trainer, DirectWest

Paul Beech

, Manager, Emirates Global Contact Center

Karen Bell-Wright

, Vice President, Emirates Retail and Contact Centers

Melanie Brunet Relyea

, Training and Development Manager, Oneida Nation Enterprises, LLC

ChiChung Chan

, Lean Sigma Master Black Belt, Underwriters Laboratories PLC

Anand Justin Cherian

, Manager, Learning and OD, The Essar Group

Michelle Cooper

, Training Supervisor, Oneida Nation Enterprises, LLC

Terrence Donahue

, Corporate Director, Training, Emerson, Inc.

Joyce Donohoe

, Manager, Strategic Commercial and Service Initiatives, Emirates Group Learning and Development College

Joshua Ebert

, Lean Sigma Master Black Belt, Underwriters Laboratories PLC

Russell Evans

, Managing Director, Primeast Ltd.

Mike Girone

, Director, Global Learning and Leadership Development, Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Christopher Goh Soon Keat

, Director, Global Learning and Leadership Development, Agilent Technologies, Inc.

Patricia Gregory

, Senior Director, North American Sales Force Development, Oracle

Maria Grigorova

, Marketing College Director, Mars University

Lauren Grigsby

, Learning Coordinator, Plastipak Packaging, Inc.

Charlie Hackett

, Corporate Improvement Team Leader, Hypertherm Inc.

Eric Haddon

, Lean Sigma Master Black Belt, Underwriters Laboratories PLC

Wanda J. Hayes

, Ph.D., Director, Learning and Organizational Development, Emory University

Diane Hinton

, Director of Corporate Learning, Plastipak Packaging, Inc.

Glenn Hughes

, Director of Global Learning, KLA-Tencor

Jon Hurtado

, Senior Learning Consultant, Coventry Workers’ Comp Services

Royce Isacowitz

, Performance Consultant, Sydney, Australia

Kaliym A. Islam

, M.Ed., Vice President, Depository Trust & Clearing Corporation

Alex Jaccaci

, Corporate Improvement Training Facilitator, Hypertherm Inc.

Cecil W. Johnson, III

, Director, Management Development, Janssen Pharmaceuticals

Ted Joyce

, Esq., LL.M., Adjunct Professor, Rouen Business School, and Visiting Professor, Université Paris 1, La Sorbonne, France

Justin Keeton

, Manager of Organizational Effectiveness, Development and Training, Methodist Le Bonheur Healthcare

Sonal Khanna

, Senior eLearning Instructional Designer, Kaiser Permanente

James

Kirkpatrick

, Senior Consultant, Kirkpatrick Partners

Wendy Kirkpatrick

, Founder and President, Kirkpatrick Partners

Marc Lalande

, M.Sc., CTDP, CRP, President, Learning Andrago, Inc.

Duncan Lennox

, CEO, Qstream

Jonathan Low

, Managing Partner, PowerUpSuccess Group

Richard Low

, Senior Specialist, Learning and Development, Merck & Co., Inc.

Alberto Massacesi

, Lean Sigma Master Black Belt, Underwriters Laboratories PLC

Susan McDermott

, Lean Sigma Master Black Belt, Underwriters Laboratories PLC

Sumita Menon

, Divisional Manager, Learning and Development, Tata Motors, Ltd.

Debra Modra

, Lean Sigma Master Black Belt, Underwriters Laboratories PLC

Robert Moffett

, Customized Learning Director, Mars University

Praise Mok

, Principal Consultant, ROHEI Corporation Pte. Ltd.

Sylvain Newton

, Senior Leader for Business and Regions, GE

Rebecca Nigel

, Manager, Marketing Communications, BST

Cheryl Ong

, Director and Principal Consultant, Global Trainers, Inc.

Peggy Parskey

, Strategic Measurement Consultant, KnowlegeAdvisors

Raymond Phoon

, Managing Partner, PowerUpSuccess Group

Anjali Raghuvanshi

, Program Manager, Tata Motors, Ltd.

Hemalakshmi Raju

, Assistant General Manager, Learning and Development, Tata Motors, Ltd.

John Resing

, Lean Sigma Master Black Belt, Underwriters Laboratories PLC

Geoff Rip

, Research Director, Institute for Learning Practitioners

Steve Rosenbaum

, President, Learning Paths International

Conrado Schlochauer

, Ph.D., Partner, AfferoLab

Mike Schwartz

, Learning Program Manager, Cox Media Group

Kanika Sharma

, Senior Manager, Learning and Development, Management Development Centre of Excellence, Tata Motors Academy

Mary Singos

, Learning Professional, Plastipak Packaging, Inc.

Tom Stango

, Learning Consultant, Coventry Workers’ Comp Services

Tahseen Wahdat

, Senior Manager, Learning and OD, The Essar Group

Emma Weber

, Founder and Director, Lever Learning

Clive Wilson

, Deputy Chairman, Primeast Ltd.

Introduction

Shortly after the turn of the millennium, we became interested in the challenge of creating even greater value from training and development. We knew that learning speed and effectiveness would become even more important in an increasingly competitive, global, and knowledge-based business climate. We were convinced that well-executed training would be an important source of competitive advantage, but we were certain that training could—and should—yield a greater return on investment than it does today.

We recognized that training creates value only to the extent that it is transferred and applied to work in a way that improves performance (Figure I.1). We focused our efforts on improving learning transfer, since there was overwhelming evidence that transfer is the weakest link in the value chain for learning (see, for example, review by Grossman and Salas, 2011).

Figure I.1. Transfer Is an Essential Step in the Process by Which Training Creates Business Value

More often than not, training accomplishes its learning objectives—that is, the instruction successfully imparts new skills and knowledge—but then the process falters. Trainees fail to transfer their new skills and knowledge to their work environment or apply them well enough to improve performance. We coined the term “learning scrap” to describe the wasted time, effort, and opportunity represented by training that was delivered, but never used (Wick, Pollock, Jefferson, & Flanagan, 2006, p. 101). The analogy, of course, is to the cost of manufacturing scrap—the materials, labor, capital, and opportunity cost wasted producing products that fail to meet customers’ expectations. Both manufacturing scrap and learning scrap are expensive; both adversely impact a company’s competitiveness.

Initially, we focused on the post-training period, as that was where the bulk of the slippage seemed to occur. Historically, the process by which training is converted into business results had received inadequate attention (Figure I.2). Together with our colleagues at the Fort Hill Company, we developed a software system (ResultsEngine®) specifically designed to support learning transfer. We were able to show that it measurably increased transfer and results . . . but only in some programs and not others. That perplexed us. Given that the software and approach were constant, there had to be additional factors that influenced why some organizations achieved much better results than others. We set out to understand why.

Figure I.2. A Typical Approach to the Post-Training Period

© Sidney Harris/www.cartoonbank.com. Used with permission.

Origin of the 6Ds

By studying the results of our clients, reading the literature, talking to learning leaders, and observing programs across a range of companies, disciplines, and industries, we came to realize that many factors—before, during, and after training—influence whether learning is transferred to produce business benefit or scrapped. Surprisingly—although we really should have known it—these factors extended far beyond the traditional responsibilities of the training department. For example, we discovered that unless the business purpose of the training was clearly and explicitly defined at the onset, it was perceived to be of little value. Likewise, training—no matter how brilliantly conceived and delivered—foundered unless it had buy-in and active support from the trainees’ supervisors.

Moment of Truth

We came to realize that the value of all the effort that went into analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation of training was determined at what we came to call “the moment of truth” (Pollock & Jefferson, 2012). The “moment of truth” is that instant, back on the job, when employees decide (consciously or unconsciously) how they will accomplish a task. They have two choices: perform the new way they have just been taught or perform the old way they have always done it—which might include doing nothing! (See Figure I.3.)

Figure I.3. The “Moment of Truth” That Determines Whether Training Adds Value or Is Scrap

Which path the employee chooses depends on the answer to two questions:

Can I?

Will I?

Both must be answered in the affirmative in order for the employee to use the new approach, which we have drawn as uphill because it requires additional effort to change behaviors. The whole learning experience—from the invitation, to the instruction, to the post-training work environment—needs to be designed to ensure that at the moment of action, employees respond, “Yes, I can!” and “Yes, I will!” Unless employees answer yes to both questions, they will slide down the easy path back to old habits and the training will fail to create value (Figure I.4). We will refer to these two questions throughout the discussion.

Figure I.4. Both Critical Questions Must Be Answered “Yes!” for Training to Create Value

The Six Disciplines

We distilled our insights into the six disciplines practiced by the most effective training organizations, which we named the 6Ds® to make them easier to remember (Figure I.5). We called them disciplines because they had all been described before; one could almost say they are common sense. But they were not—and still are not—common practice. What differentiates more effective training organizations from less effective ones is not their knowledge of these principles, but the thoroughness, consistency, and discipline with which they execute them.

Figure I.5. The 6Ds®: The Six Disciplines That Turn Learning into Business Results

Relationship to Instructional Design

It is important to note that the 6Ds are not a replacement for the science and art of instructional design. Rather, they are an extension and complement to instructional design models, such as ADDIE, which are mainly concerned with the instruction itself. In contrast, the 6Ds are a holistic process approach that strengthens the business linkage on the front end and that drives and measures learning transfer on the back end (Figure I.6).

Figure I.6. The 6Ds Extend and Complement Instructional Design Models Such as ADDIE

The core concept of the Six Disciplines is that in corporations, training is a business function. It is a means to an end—improved performance—and not an end in itself. The more that training departments shift their focus to performance, rather than learning per se, the more they will be valued by their business partners. Applying the 6Ds has helped training organizations go “on beyond ADDIE” to create greater business value and greater appreciation for the contribution of the training function. We trust that you will enjoy similar success.

Evidence of Effectiveness

In the years since we first began teaching and writing about the 6Ds, more and more training organizations have adopted them as operating principles. Proof of their value is illustrated by the forty-three case histories (“How We”) from around the world included in this Field Guide.

The 6Ds apply to both internal training departments as well as external consultants and training providers. In Case I.1, Sonal Khanna, senior e-learning instructional designer at Kaiser Permanente, describes how the 6Ds helped her Front Office Operations Improvement Department take an end-to-end approach focused on performance. In Case I.2, Cheryl Ong, principal consultant for Global Trainers in Singapore, explains how she uses the 6Ds to do a better job of meeting customers’ needs and to create a competitive advantage for her training and consulting practice. In Case I.3, Royce Isacowitz, an independent performance consultant in Sydney, Australia, explains how he created a 6Ds outline to help him explain and deliver his value proposition to clients, and in Case I.4, Alberto Massacesi and a team of Black Belts from Underwriters Laboratories describe how they used the 6Ds process to continuously improve a worldwide training program on continuous improvement.

The 6Ds have proven useful not only in designing and executing individual programs, but also in thinking holistically about an entire curriculum spanning a number of courses or complete career path. In Case I.5, Cecil Johnson III, director, management development, for Janssen Pharmaceuticals, describes how he and his team used the 6Ds framework to help them successfully redesign their entire sales leadership curriculum.

Getting Started

Our goal for this book has been to create a guide to the 6Ds that is both readable and action-oriented. You can start at D1 and read through to D6, if you like, but a field guide should help you get to where you want to go without having to read from beginning to end. So you can also go straight to a topic of interest or just browse. Each chapter and each case are intended to stand on their own.

If you aren’t certain where to start, use the 6Ds Application Scorecard (Tool I.1, page 143) to help identify your greatest opportunities for improvement. Then use the 6Ds Pathfinder (Tool I.2, page 147) to locate relevant sections, case studies, tools, and how-to guides.

An alternative approach is to use the 6Ds Flow Chart (Tool I.3, page 151) to help identify the best trail to follow.

If you prefer, you can go straight to the compilation of the recommendations from the field (Tool I.4, page 159) and start with the ones that are most relevant to you.

Whichever route you choose, you will find ideas that—when put into practice—will increase the value of training and development and firmly establish you as a strategic partner in the success of your business.

Introducing the 6Ds

The 6Ds are best practiced as a “team sport,” that is, when all of the learning professionals in your organization share a common understanding of the 6Ds’ concepts and terms and when the six disciplines are built into your design and implementation processes. In Case I.6, Ted Joyce explains the creative way in which he introduced the 6Ds to his learning team at Deloitte.

You could, as Ted did, start by having everyone read The Six Disciplines and then discuss and debate the ideas and their application. Alternatively, the 6Ds Company and its certified providers can deliver customized, in-house 6Ds Workshops for learning teams and their business partners. There are also public workshops offered by Wiley, ASTD, and other organizations. These interactive, live, and online workshops provide an opportunity to explore the 6Ds in depth and to practice applying them to your own programs. Dates and locations can be found at the 6Ds website: www.the6Ds.com.

PART IThe Six Disciplines

D1: Define Business Outcomes

D2: Design the Complete Experience

D3: Deliver for Application

D4: Drive Learning Transfer

D5: Deploy Performance Support

D6: Document Results

D1Define Business Outcomes

In her book, Strategic Learning Alignment, Rita Smith (2010) succinctly summarized the core concept of D1: “The only reason that learning organizations exist is to drive business outcomes” (p. 10). In other words, organizations invest in training and development with the goal of improving performance in areas critical to their strategy and objectives. Thus, training is valued to the extent to which it visibly and convincingly contributes to improved performance. When training consumes resources (time and money), but fails to demonstrably improve performance, it is seen as wasteful and expendable.

Therefore, the first and most critical discipline is to truly understand what the business needs to accomplish. As Patricia Gregory, senior director, and Steve Akram, director, North American Sales Force Development at Oracle explain in Case D1.1, focusing on business outcomes repositions training and development professionals from mere order takers to strategic business partners.

Conversely, failing to clearly define the business outcomes dramatically increases the risk of pouring time, effort, and money into a training program that won’t actually scratch the itch. In Case D1.2, Sujaya Banerjee, chief talent officer and senior vice president, and her colleagues of the Essar Group, explain how investing the time to truly understand the business needs helped their Corporate Training Group avoid creating another “feel good” training program. By focusing on business outcomes, she and her colleagues were able to make a significant contribution to business transformation and produce results that the CEO recognized and applauded.

Key steps in the practice of D1 include:

Understanding the business you support

Talking to your stakeholders

Deciding whether training is appropriate

Completing the performance-gap analysis

Differentiating learning objectives from business objectives

Using business outcomes to explain the benefits

Understand the Business You Support

A core principle of the 6Ds is that training is a business function. It follows that the better that training professionals understand the organization they serve—its goals, vision, mission, and operations—the better they are able to contribute, and the greater the respect they command. Training departments that are viewed by business leaders as truly aligned with their businesses enjoy much greater support than those that are seen as “doing their own thing” (Bersin, 2008, p. 82).

Use Quick Check D1.1 to evaluate your alignment with the business and to identify actions to take that will improve this important skill set.

QUICK CHECK D1.1: BUSINESS ALIGNMENT

Can you succinctly explain how your organization makes money (or for nonprofits, fulfills its mission) and the key challenges it faces in doing so?

Yes

No

Congratulations. Understanding the business you are part of is essential for you to become a trusted advisor rather than simply an order-taker.

You will increase your contribution and your value to your organization by deepening your knowledge of the business. Greater business savvy will allow you to design more relevant and more effective programs.Suggested actions include:

Find a mentor in the business who can help by explaining key terms and concepts.

Review the business plans for the units you support.

Ask to sit in on business reviews and planning sessions; ask your mentor about any aspect you don’t understand.

How would the business leaders rate the alignment of your training department with their business needs?

Good to Excellent

Fair to Poor

I Don’t Know

Terrific. Training departments that are seen as aligned to the business’s needs receive greater support and, interestingly, less scrutiny.

This is a problem. If Training is not seen as fully aligned with the business, then it will have to produce more data to justify its value and it is more likely to have its budget cut.Suggested actions include:

Interview business managers to find out where they feel there is misalignment.

Require a clear understanding of business needs before beginning any design work.

Interview business leaders using the Planning Wheel (page 173) to identify the real business needs and criteria for success.

You need to address this gap in your knowledge, as it could prove fatal for your department. If Training is not seen as aligned with the business, then it is likely to be viewed as expendable.Suggested actions include:

Survey or interview training’s business clients to assess their perceptions of training’s alignment with their needs.

Take appropriate action to rectify the situation based on the results.

Talk to Your Stakeholders

The business is training’s customer. Directly or indirectly, the business pays for the cost of providing training and, in the end, decides whether or not the resulting value justified the expense. What the business “buys” from training is the expectation of improved performance; courses and programs are only a means to this end. Whether the training department stays in business depends on whether its customers feel they “got their money’s worth” and are therefore willing to continue to invest.

Customer satisfaction requires listening to the “voice of the customer” and understanding their goals, needs, and definitions of success. In this regard, keep in mind that in corporate training, the participants are not the ultimate customer; they don’t usually make the purchasing decision. So while we need participants to be engaged, to learn, and to apply what they learned, it is the business leaders who need to be satisfied with the results. Thus, there is no substitute for talking directly to these stakeholders; they are the ones who should decide which training needs are the highest priority—not the training department.

A good starting place is the 6Ds Outcomes Planning Wheel™ (Figure D1.1). Although the wheel’s four questions seem deceptively simple, they have helped both large and small organizations create much greater—and shared—clarity about the real business issues behind a request for training.

Figure D1.1. The 6Ds Outcomes Planning Wheel™

The “how-to” guide H2 D1.1 provides a brief introduction to using the Planning Wheel (Tool D1.1). Additional details can be found in Wick, Pollock, and Jefferson (2010, pp. 41–45).