Chapter 8
Other Useful Tools
The topics found here either do not easily fit in the other chapters or are so useful that while they might be found in another chapter they are reserved for this high traffic chapter and link to from where ever else they might otherwise be found in this toolkit.
Fuzzy boundaries between categories in HTP
Many models used in HPT categories their constituent parts into what seems to be somewhat rigid classifications. For example: consider Gilbert's BEM. On occasion there can be some difficulty in choosing to place an item into the tools or the data section, or the motive or incentive section or the knowledge and capacity sections of the BEM.
A useful tool to help understand and accept these conundrums of classification is found in Ludwig Wittgenstein's Philosophy of Language.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Private_language_argument and his idea of the "Family resemblances." in the strands of a rope. Various items that we may classify into the BEM or some other modeling tool may have a family resemblance to each other, for they are all part of the organization being assessed but still like we may distinguish the ends and the middle of a rope we can like wise classify certain items into categories of a given HPT too. In both cases it is up to us to decide where which starts and stops where depending on how useful it is to say for a given circumstance.
Systems thinking
The concept of viewing every single thing as part of some system. Added to this is the idea that system are interconnected by sharing components or some systems being part of larger systems.
"Systems thinking is characterized by these principles
thinking of the Big Picture
balancing short-term and long-term perspectives
recognizing the dynamic, complex, and interdependent nature of systems
taking into account both measurable and non measurable factors
remembering that we are all part of the systems in which we function, and that we each influence those systems even as we are being influenced by them"
The popular movie Mind Walk introduces the concept of systems thinking as a way of 'solving the worlds problems.' It is a good piece to use as a starting point for talking about using complicated concepts as systems thinking to solve complicated real world problems.
Wikipedia entry This entry is not specifically written for performance improvement but it still has its value in discussing complex systems.
Causal Loop Diagramming per Anderson, Johnson
Causal Loop Diagrams are a modeling tool to model systems. There are two general types of causal loops; balancing loops and reinforcing loops. Balancing loops have variables that lead to one another to create a self stabilizing system. Reinforcing loops have variables that lead to one another to either create a system that either constantly increases in effect or diminishes into non-existence. All systems can be categorized into one of these two types of loops.
Balancing Loop Example
Reinforcing Loop Example
C-Map Software by IHMC CmapTools
Concept maps are another type of tool useful for systems modeling. At its core concept mapping is just linking variable noun concepts with variable action verbs, much in the way that the english language works. But this is not the only way this tool can be used. For example the linking variables do not need to be an action verb or an action at all, it can be another concept, an entire sentence, or even an entire concept or even an image. It has amazing potential to arrange items in novel ways to allow for more creative consideration of complex problems. In fact it was used to generate most of the graphics for this toolkit.
Click on the individual nodes of the map to be forwarded to their C-maps, othewise click on these links to be forwarded to the c-maps
Organizational and Structural Interventions
Comunications and Documentation Interventions
Knowledge and Skill Interventions
The above Concept Maps created by Carlos Diaz, Holly Foster, Tona Mitcham, Charles Bostaph, and Nathan Snyder
Writing Objectives
Robert Mager's model for writing objectives
Performance - what the performer should be doing
Condition - the circumstances under which they are performing
Criterion - the details that constitute a good performance
For example: The performer will build an HPT Toolkit from material he/she has collected from previous classes, or other material collected and deemed as useful. The Toolkit will be clear, concise, accurate and will reflect what the performer find useful to understanding the practice of HPT.
From BSU IPT 536 FA04 class notes
Harless's 13 Smart Questions video from owyheesound
This video was originally created as an "in class" presentation for BSU IPT 536 FA04. It was assembled from mostly copyright free films from archive.org's Prelinger Archive. The video shows two examples of using the list of questions and makes a humorous reference to Fredrick Taylor's Pig Iron Factory experiment.
This Living Toolkit
As this toolkit persists it will continue to be added to and modified. Making it an online electronic version was the best way to ensure that it would continue to be useful and grow. (This toolkit was last updated March 11th, 2009)
Wikipedia.org (the free online contributor driven encyclopedia) is a sort of living encyclopedia and is a great reference as a starting point of information. Because anyone can contribute wikipedia is not the most reliable source. But, it most often does give reliable information and with a little investigative power the information found their can be validated through triangulation or discovered to be inaccurate and reported as such. Because of it's usefulness it is heavily linked to in this toolkit. This may be considered not an entirely high standard practice but as the way information is collected and archives changes with the WWW wikipedia seems to be the best general and highly accessible resource to appeal to.
Films that have some relevance to HPT
Spotswood AKA The Efficiency Expert
Xerox Incentives (owyheesound library, 16mm film print)
