I recently attended a presentation by Lisa Giacumo Ph.D., and Steve Villachica Ph.D., from Boise State University who presented on the topic of the LeaPS model on instructional design. They shared their insights that shed light on the evolving landscape of performance improvement and instructional design. Giacumo and Villachica Steve approached the discussion from the perspectives of performance consultants, which allows them to bridge the gap between learning design and practical application, ultimately driving impactful solutions within organizations.
Central to their presentation was the LeaPS ID model for Human Performance Technology (HPT) work. This systematic model emphasizes a phased approach: Emphasize, Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, and Evaluate. The process is grounded in heuristics and iterations, allowing projects to evolve over time. An intriguing analogy used in the presentation was that of an organization as a hospital. Different departments with separate goals collectively work towards a common objective – just as various hospital departments collaborate for patient care. This metaphor underscores the importance of considering stakeholders, partners, managers, SMEs, clients, sponsors, learners, and customers in the performance improvement process.
One notable insight shared by Giacumo and Villachica is that many clients struggle to accurately identify the root causes of performance issues within their organizations. This highlights the necessity of unbiased needs assessments conducted by a third party. Such assessments pave the way for a comprehensive understanding of the challenges at hand and enable the development of targeted solutions. Giacumo and Villachica pointed out the limitations of behaviorism when it comes to teaching workers how to solve novel problems. Traditional behaviorist approaches often fall short in preparing individuals to tackle complex, real-world challenges. Giacumo and Villachica stressed the importance of demonstrating the value of interventions, including focusing on ROI, addressing organizational pain points, and aligning projects with the concerns that keep managers up at night.
I walked away from this presentation with a better understanding of the importance of accounting for the wide variance of learners’ backgrounds during the analysis phase of projects and how empathy for learners should be considered from day one of a project. The presentation also hints at a shift in the role of instructional design departments towards focusing more on human performance. In a rapidly evolving landscape, instructional designers will increasingly need to showcase their ability to drive performance improvement and demonstrate ROI to businesses. The ideas shared by Giacumo and Villachica emphasize the strategic alignment of interventions with organizational goals and shed light on the evolving role of instructional designers as catalysts for positive change.
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