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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.
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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Seitenzahl: 635
Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2014
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
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
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
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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Cover
Table of Contents
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“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
Roy Pollock
Andrew Jefferson
Calhoun Wick
Copyright © 2014 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Published by Wiley
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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
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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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
D1: Define Business Outcomes
D2: Design the Complete Experience
D3: Deliver for Application
D4: Drive Learning Transfer
D5: Deploy Performance Support
D6: Document Results
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
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.
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.
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).
