• Do performance standards exist?
• Do performers know what is expected and what the standards are?
• Do performers agree standards are reasonable and attainable?

If the answer to any of these questions is no:

• Identify or clarify performance standards
• Communicate standards to performers

• Do performers get information about their performance that tells them what was done well as well as what needs improvement?
• Is the information:
• relevant?
• frequent?
• specific?
• immediate?
• understandable?

If the answer to any of these questions is no:

• Develop feedback systems:
• identify critical measures
• identify information needs of performers

• Develop collection and display or delivery systems

• Are there positive consequences for good performance?

• Are there negative consequences for good performance?

• Are there positive consequences for non- performance or poor performance?

• If no, provide positive consequences for good performance:
• non-financial incentives and/or recognition
• consider financial or cost-related incentives if value of improved is greater than the cost

• If yes, remove (or minimize) negative consequences for desired performance (or, if not possible, add stronger, more immediate positive consequences to offset negative)

• If yes, remove or minimize positive consequences for poor performance

• Can required tasks be accomplished without interference from other job requirements?

• Can tasks be accomplished in the expected time frame?

• Do performers have necessary tools and resources to accomplish required tasks?

• If no, re-design the job

• If no, prioritize competing tasks

• If no, provide additional tools or resources

• Has anyone ever done the job correctly?

• Is performance acceptable some of the time but not at other times?

• Could performers accomplish the task if their lives depended on it?

• If yes, find out what was different then

• If yes, identify what is different when the job/task is done correctly

• If no, provide training. (If they could do it if their lives depended on it, they already know how. Training will not help!)

• Do performers have necessary prerequisite skills for the job?

• Can performers tolerate working conditions required by the job such as:
• long hours
• work at a computer screen
• work in extreme temperatures
• etc.

• If no, can an investment be made to bring performers up to minimum job requirements? If not, transfer or terminate and change the selection process

• If no, can conditions be changed? If not transfer or terminate and change the selection process

• What is the value of improving performance?

• Time (wage or salary cost)
• Quality (accuracy, freedom from error, customer/ employee satisfaction, etc.)
• Quantity (production over time)
• Cost (raw materials, time to reprocess work, lost sales, etc.)

• Cost data (expressed in terms meaningful to the organization) will help reach decisions about the resources to be spent and potential ROI for the effort to solve the problem

• Cost data will help determine the value of correcting the problem. (Avoid expensive solutions to inexpensive problems!)

Develop evaluation model to collect data on:

• Participant reaction to training or changes
• Participant ability to perform; learned skills
• Use of skills or new process/procedures on the job
• Value of new skills or process/procedures in terms of cost/benefits