Corporations spend millions of dollars on performance improvement, employee training and development, work system redesign, and other organizational improvement efforts. Much of this money is wasted because the preliminary analysis and diagnosis has not been done to link these programs to an organization's real business needs, goals, and processes. The truth is that in order for any performance improvement effort to add value to the organization, deep analysis is required. Analysis for Improving Performance details a systematic approach for doing the rigorous preparatory analysis that is vital to shaping and developing successful performance improvement efforts. Richard A. Swanson's methods enable program developers and managers to define clear objectives, assess existing systems and missions, analyze worker knowledge and expertise, define desired performance and evaluation standards, and develop a performance improvement plan that will meet the desired performance goals. This new edition has been extensively revised throughout and presents expanded concepts and updated cases, as well as a new chapter on documenting and improving work processes and documenting process-referenced tasks. Written for take-charge managers, performance improvement specialists, and workers wanting to improve their organizations, Analysis for Improving Performance provides “real-world” knowledge, tools, examples, graphics, and exercises aimed at developing your expertise in diagnosing organizational performance and documenting workplace expertise—the keys to long-term organizational success. In short, it is a complete guide to ensuring that the time, money, and effort you invest in organizational development are well spent.

Analysis for Improving Performance provides the tools for doing the crucial -yet often overlooked-upfront analysis essential to the success of any performance improvement effort. Human resource development expert Richard A. Swanson's step by step method allows program developers and managers to: * Assess an organisation's real business needs and the status of its supporting systems * Analyse necessary worker skills, knowledge and attitudes * Specify performance requirements and evaluation standards * Produce a viable and comprehensive performance improvement design Tools for diagnosing organisations & documenting workplace expertise.

This book comprehensively outlines what a holistic and effective Root Cause Analysis (RCA) system looks like. From the designing of the support infrastructure to the measuring of effectiveness on the bottom-line, this book provides the blueprint for making it happen. While traditionally RCA is viewed as a reactive tool, the authors will show how it can be applied proactively to prevent failures from occurring in the first place. RCA is a key element of any successful Reliability Engineering initiative. Such initiatives are comprised of equipment, process and human reliability foundations. Human reliability is critical to the success of a true RCA approach. This book explores the anatomy of a failure (undesirable outcome) as well as a potential failure (high risks). Virtually all failures are triggered by errors of omission or commission by human beings. The methodologies described in this book are applicable to any industry because the focus is on the human being's ability to think through why things go wrong, not on the industry or the nature of the failure. This book correlates reliability to safety as well as human performance improvement efforts. The author has provided a healthy balance between theory and practical application, wrapping up with case studies demonstrating bottom-line results. Features Outlines in detail every aspect of an effective RCA ‘system’ Displays appreciation for the role of understanding the physics of a failure as well as the human and system’s contribution Demonstrates the role of RCA in a comprehensive Asset Performance Management (APM) system Explores the correlation between Reliability Engineering and Safety Integrates the concepts of Human Performance Improvement, Learning Teams, and Human Error Reduction approaches into RCA

In Performance Analysis: Knowing What to Do and How, Dr. Dale Brethower takes a fresh look at finding out what will work to change and improve performance. The book presents a systems thinking approach to improving performance and contains tools for creating interventions that will be implemented, will have a favorable impact and can be maintained and continually improved.