After Galway...

Thank you all for a great conference!

Updated Conference Program

Galway Conference Program

Here is the final program of the ISPI Conference in Galway. Click on the image to enlarge.

Register Now!

Join us in Galway!

Click here to register now!

Galway 2009 Conference Sessions

Following are some Galway session descriptions keyed to presenters. 

Karen Carleton


Using the Six-P Framework to Holistically Determine ‘What Is’


Session Description + Objectives/Benefits


This participant-centered session introduces a holistic organizational performance assessment tool – the Six-P Framework. The Framework offers a unique eagle-eye view of an organization and will assist with the simulation activity. Suggested tools and methods for each “P” element, along with proposed stakeholder questions, will be presented. A case study and its findings will be discussed citing the framework’s application and its findings for an auto club’s community services.


PowerPoint slides, verbal discussion and job aids, will be used.


Session objectives:

• Participants will be able to customize the Six-P Framework with its Tools/Methods Table and Stakeholder Question Guide to holistically assess organizational performance 
• Participants will be able to immediately apply what they learn from the session to the simulation client case during the latter part of the session

Session Benefits:

• Learners will gain a new tool - the Six-P framework – to assist with organizational performance assessment
• Innovation or synthesis of ideas around data collection in people-centered research in organizations from idea exchange in group work
• Opportunity to collaborate with diverse colleagues, and discover new ways of approaching problems in organizations

Participant Experience Level: Beginner to Intermediate


Session Type: Workshop (interactive 90 minute session)


Dr. Roger Chevalier

Sharpening Your Analysis Skills: Performance Consulting and the Questioning Process

Session Description + Objectives/Benefits


The session serves to identify performance gaps and their underlying causes. While we have many macro-level models for human performance technology, the question that remains is, "How do we identify performance gaps and causes with our clients?” This session will provide a performance consulting guide, a structure for asking questions, and a performance analysis worksheet (integrating gap analysis, cause analysis and force field analysis) to assist in interacting one-on-one with their clients. An interactive case study will reinforce what has been learned. Participants will be able to:

a.  systematically interact with their clients using a performance consulting job aid;

b.  develop questions to assess and diagnose the needs of their clients;

c.  identify performance gaps and causes using a performance aid that employs gap analysis, cause analysis and force field analysis.


Participant Experience Level: Intermediate

Session Type: 90 minute Workshop

Deborah Smith Cook and Pam Coffey


Building a Bigger Box

Session Description + Objectives/Benefits


This session focuses on cutting-edge ways to identify multiple, feasible alternatives to ensure that the business results of decreasing costs while maintaining services, identifying resource sharing opportunities with neighboring communities, and offsetting costs with specific fees, are met. Traditional brainstorming methods are limited by our experiences. Participants will practice methods that more fully leverage the people capabilities to yield more complete decision making and better results.

Participant Experience Level: Beginner

Session Type: Briefing


Paul Coombs

Organizations, People and Their Data: Factors in Performance Improvement Interventions


Session Description + Objectives/Benefits


Does the way in which an organization is structured affect how its members process information, or is it the ways in which humans process information that shape an organization’s structure? Chicken-and-egg question beside, this session explores the inextricable relationship of structure, information processing, and their effects on organizational performance.

This session explores the parallels between organizational structure and data handling, and it builds a typology for understanding the factors that enable managers and HPT practitioners to identify interventions and implement them so that the likelihood of an effective outcome is enhanced. To ignore the interaction between an organization’s structure and how its people handle information is to limit HPT effectiveness.

Participant Experience Level: Intermediate

Session Type: Briefing

Nikhil Desai

Stress Management Through Yoga

Session Description + Objectives/Benefits

Changing lifestyles, technological advances and a very intensely competitive business environment have created tremendous tension for all of us. With the fast pace of life in the modern world we are all feeling burnt out as stress is slowly but surely taking its toll.

No executive or company can afford to ignore the effects of stress.


Stress affects decision making, interpersonal relations, the quality of work and the level of productivity.

To enable the participants to:

• Resolve and Dissolve Stress
• Learn The Benefits of Yoga
• Improve Concentration
• Develop Creativity
• Improve Performance and Productivity

Participant Experience Level: All levels

Session Type: Briefing


Camille Ferond and Adolf Theron

Creating and Evaluating a Symbiotic Context for Opportunities by the Performance Creation Team

Session Description + Objectives/Benefits

The session is intended to:

1.  share what the presenters have done so far;
2.  to generate discussions, ideas and suggestions of what existing measures can be used to evaluate organizational impact (without having to reinvent the wheel); 3.  used the above to help participants create their own set of assessment MEGA level tools, based on their knowledge and experience;
4.  discuss how best to integrate them as part of organizations’ evaluation system where Mega assessment may not yet part of the organizational practice;
5.  share insights about the benefits of the proposed business approach (see Business Case below for additional benefits)

Participant Experience Level: All levels

Session Type: Workshop (interactive 90 minute session)

Dr. Judith Hale

Politics – Developing Your Professional Capital

Session Description + Objectives/Benefits

Politics is the art of exchanging favors. It is all about who you know and what you owe. When done well is the oil that makes good things happen. When done badly it compromises personal and professional ethics, destroys trust, and demeans our profession. Judy will bring clarity to why politics is important and the value of doing it well. P.S. she hails from Chicago, the home of the best and the worst in politics.

Attendees will leave with practical tips and a deeper understanding of:

• The attributes of politics done well and done poorly
• The importance of building political support
• The necessity to engage in politics
• Their current level of influence and how to increase itValue to the attendee - Attendees will gain rules and tips for 1) increasing their own level of influence in their organization and 2) for managing people whose influence potentially impedes the success of projects or initiatives.

Participant Experience Level: Expert

Session Type: 90 minute workshop

Dr. Anthony Marker

Using the Six-Ps to Link Systems Thinking, Strategic Planning, and Evaluation to Create Sustainable Performance Interventions

Session Description + Objectives/Benefits

This session presents an adaptation of Kirkpatrick’s familiar 4-levels Evaluation Model to include environmental and social measures. If one thing is becoming clear, it is that human activity is harming the planet. While the traditional industrial economic paradigm has provided many benefits associated with economic prosperity these same achievements also have resulted in dramatic climate changes, increasing ecological degradation, and a growing gap between rich and poor. In contrast, there is an increasing movement toward responsible organizational behavior. This emerging paradigm of responsible economic development will require that we find new models for evaluating organizational success and performance improvement that take the organization’s Social Footprint into account. This session will provide participants with an opportunity to:

1.  Explore and examine one such model
2.  Familiarize themselves with some of the sustainability field’s concepts, language and tools.
3.  Consider what concrete things they could do to foster a sustainability culture in their own organization based on case illustrations.


Participant Experience Level: Intermediate and Expert

Session type: 90 minute workshop

Christine Marsh

Outsourcing in Reverse – A Case Study from the Public Sector

Session Description + Objectives/Benefits

At a time when many public organizations were looking to save money by outsourcing their IT (Information Technology) services, Torfaen County Borough Council in Wales took a strategic decision to reverse that trend. Their ICT (Information Communication Technology) Operations needed to provide a comprehensive service through turbulent times involving ongoing restructuring of the organization as a whole.

The challenge was to bring together a complex and diverse mix of existing internal and external providers.

Our objective is to share how ICT Operations has accomplished establishing their culture, structure, team interdependency and roles/accountability of each department whilst keeping inbuilt flexibility to make appropriate adjustments along the way.

Participants will acquire some tools/techniques to apply on a practical basis within their own organizations.

Participant Experience Level: Intermediate

Session Type: 90 minute Workshop

Belia Nel

A South African case study on the national direction of a Performance Improvement Management System in Parliament SA

Session Description + Objectives/Benefits

This session will provide a case study experience of the implementation of the new direction Parliament South Africa took to re-align their HR function to the principles and practices of HPT. This sets a new performance culture in the HR function as it delivers on a value chain which is based on thorough process mapping of all the key result areas. This case study will also focus on the rigorous performance audit which was conducted to set the foundation for the value chain design and process mapping outcomes.

The objective of the session is to share with the audience the case study and the lessons learned during the project implementation and evaluation. The case study will cover the outcomes as follows:

• The refinement of the Performance Management System where the organisational, team and individual performance is being aligned to provide overall results achievement
• The outcome of the performance assessment and audit of the entire HR function identifying the misalignments and gaps in the performance outputs and deliverables
• The objectives, competencies and performance measures for all the elements in the value chain as aligned with the HR Strategy and the contribution to a performance improvement culture
• The interdependencies and measures of each value chain element bringing about the anticipated results as well as clarifying the input, process and outputs for each role.

Participant Experience Level: Intermediate

Session type: Briefing

Dr. Edward Schneider

Is your Client Ready to Improve?

Session Description + Objectives/Benefits


Just because a client is anxious to improve its performance doesn’t mean it is ready to do so. Before we can plunge into improving performance, there are some basic assumptions we have to check, sine qua non “improvement” is at best a random process. In this session, we’ll explore what must be checked, and how to be tactful as you go about it. You’ll learn how to recognize the true starting point for your project, and whether your project should start at all.

Participant Experience Level: Beginner

Session type: Briefing

Analysis as an Intrinsic Part of Any Solution

Session Description + Objectives/Benefits

Time and again, clients balk at paying for extensive analysis of their performance problems. In their minds, they already know they have a performance problem, and don't see the value of gathering more data to prove it. This is a misperception of the analysis phase, brought about by the consultants listing a report of the analysis of the end product.

When the analysis is done collaboratively, the real result of the analysis phase is a change in the workers' perception of their jobs, and a convergence toward a common language to talk about the goals and processes of the enterprise. This session will describe a case study of the analysis process, emphasizing the transition from initial to final conditions, and de-emphasizing the reporting aspect.


Participant Experience Level: Intermediate/Advanced


Session type: Briefing

Arnoud Vermei and Han van der Zanden

In the End it’s all about People!

How an integrated improvement effort based on Process management and Lean/Six Sigma led to a winning combination for a large Chemicals Manufacturing site

Session Description + Objectives/Benefits

In 2004 a large Chemicals Manufacturing site in the Netherlands faced serious performance problems. An analysis of several existing incident surveys led to a large organizational change journey around three strategic spearheads:

• Building a shared Vision and Strategy
• Develop and implement a Process oriented site governance model
• Develop and implement a Common Improvement Methodology

Many improvement efforts impacted the existing systems and structures. Taking a holistic systems view helped to see the connections and interrelationships between the issues at hand. By continually exploring the link with business results, value creation was ensured during the length of the journey. The change of systems and structures however proved to be the easier part in this exciting journey. Aligning jobs, behaviours and culture to the new ways of working in the end was the biggest challenge. In this session two of the members of the change team present an overview of the case and invite you to actively engage in defining initiatives to address the human dimensions of this challenge.

Objectives:
Attending this session you will experience how common concepts of system thinking and value creation can be applied in a manufacturing environment. Consequently, this will enable you to recognise the challenges of the cultural and behavioural changes needed to make new ways of working effective.

Participant Experience Level: Intermediate

Session Type: Briefing

Prepare for the simulation

Joining us in Galway?

Soon we will be in Galway ready to work together, share, learn, and have lots of fun while at it.  Why not start warming up for our unique simulation? 

Read the Borough Simulation Case overview now! 

If you have not registered for the Galway Conference yet, don't wait more.  Please scroll down for instructions or click here.

Galway Conference - Register Now

Galway Conference Registration

 To register now, proceed as follows:

ISPI members / Holders of non-member account

Option 1:
First log on at http://www.ispi.org/ and proceed to online registration. Select ISPI Europe 2009 from the displayed. A new page will be displayed. Click on the “Register” button to enter the online registration form.
You may also go directly to http://my.ispi.org/myISPI/Core/Events/events.aspx , select the Europe Conference, then click on the ”Register” button and then log in to your member or non-member account.

Option 2:
Download the conference registration form at: http://pl.ispi.org/conf/euro2009-regform.doc
Fill out the form and fax to ISPI (1-301-587-8573). You may also call ISPI to provide your payment details by telephone or to get further assistance.

Non-ISPI members / No active non-member account

Option 1:
Open a non-member account (free of charge). Go to our Join Online page at: http://www.ispi.org/join/    Once you have created your account you may login and proceed to online registration to the ISPI Europe/EMEA Conference in Galway.

Option 2:
Download the conference registration form at: http://pl.ispi.org/conf/euro2009-regform.doc
Fill out the form and fax to ISPI (1-301-587-8573). You may also call ISPI to provide your payment details by telephone or to get further assistance.

Let us know if you have any questions or if you need help to process your registration.

Galway Preliminary Conference Program

Galway Conference Program

Here is an updated but still preliminary overview of the Galway Conference program.  Let us know if you have any questions. Click on image to enlarge.

2009 Galway Preconference Workshops - Short Descriptions

2009 Galway Preconference Workshops

Not to be missed!

Below is a short and updated description of our three preconference one-day workshops to be held on November 5th. Get in touch if you have questions or if you need additional information.

 Workshop 1 - HPT: The Essentials (Dr. Judith Hale)
Description: This workshop focuses on the how to apply the principles of HPT (Human Performance Technology), in ways that are relevant to clients, efficient in the use of time and other resources, and effective in producing meaningful results. This session is designed for people wanting to help clients focus on what matters, better understand what performance requires, and build sustainable solutions. It is ideal for professionals who want to distinguish their services from the purveyors of silver bullets and current fads.

Attendees will learn how to:
1. Quickly get to measures that matter.
2. Distinguish between means and ends so you are focused on the right goals.
3. Recommend a suite of solutions with lasting power instead of a silver bullet that will fizzle in time.
4. Communicate what you do and have done in ways that build stakeholder commitment.

Level: Beginner

Value to the attendee: Attendees will gain rules, tips, and tools they can apply on the job. All of the resources are designed to engage clients in the mutual discovery and design of performance solutions and their eventual evaluation.


Workshop 2 - BPTA 101, Principles of Business Process Management (Dee Carri)

Description: This course is the foundation for all courses in the Business Process Management curriculum and is required for BPM certification. It provides an overview and discussion of the principles, concepts and techniques required to transform your business from a traditional, functional organization to a process-centric organization. The course introduces a systematic approach and methodology for planning, monitoring, measuring and managing your company’s business process performance and for redesigning and improving specific processes.

Who should attend: This introduction to BPM is a must for everyone interested in business process improvement. It’s designed for business managers, business analysts, and practitioners involved in process-based change and the automation of process solutions. This course is the foundation for all other courses in the BPM curriculum. It establishes a methodology, a common language, and a baseline for all other courses in the curriculum.

What you will achieve:
• Understand the value and benefits of business process management
• Understand the principles of business process management and how to apply them
• Understand BPM best practices and methodologies
• Understand the respective roles of relationship management, process architecture, process analysis, process redesign, process improvement, process automation, and organization design – and how to make them work together.
• Understand basic BPM management and measurement techniques.

What you will learn:
• How to align your corporate strategy with a well designed business architecture
• How to integrate your business process architecture with human performance and IT implementation plans.
• The key considerations of a process-based approach to business process change management
• The strategic, tactical and operational considerations in a comprehensive BPM framework
• How to plan for cross-organization acceptance and implementation


 Workshop 3 - Optimizing Accountability in Teams and Client Partnerships (Lee Johnsen and Thomas Westbrook)

Description: In every organization, projects begin, tasks are assigned, efforts are made, and deadlines are met - or missed. Directions are given and results are promised but not delivered. Agreements are misunderstood or never made. It is not really anyone's fault - it's just how leaders and team members often fail to communicate. This highly-interactive pre-conference workshop offers a systematic way for individuals and teams to plan and complete tasks at expected performance levels. Workshop participants will immediately benefit from learning a process they can readily apply to the conference simulation by increasing the effectiveness of their consulting teams and enhancing their client interactions. Participants will take part in a variety of learning experiences from lecture, group discussions, video vignettes, and case studies.

Who should attend: Beginner or Intermediate experience levels.

What you will gain: The session is designed to enhance participants’ effectiveness as members and leaders of teams that are charged with accomplishing specific, measureable organizational results. Participants will use a job aid and application tools to learn the process and concepts taught in the workshop. They will also discuss how these tools may be applied in the conference simulation.

You will learn how to:
1. Apply the concepts of Responsibility, Empowerment, and Accountability and the role of each in achieving project success.
2. Create clear agreements that maintain focus and overcome obstacles to successful project completion.
3. Create guidelines for managing agreements, including updating and/or renegotiating.
4. Hold individuals, teams, and themselves accountable for agreed upon results.
5. Use recognition and reward to advance empowerment and accountability.

Galway Conference Registration Now Open

ISPI Galway Conference

Registration Now Open

To register now, go to: http://my.ispi.org/myISPI/Core/Events/events.aspx

The theme for the ISPI Europe/EMEA 2009 conference is:

An Organization IS Its People: Surviving and, In Fact, Thriving in Challenging Times.

Last month, we introduced Dee Carri of Torque Management in Ireland who will join us as a keynote speaker. If you missed that installment, you can scroll down to read about Dee Carri and you will see why we are so pleased to announce her as a featured speaker. Watch for details on our second keynote speaker, Barry Vorster of EPI-USE Worldwide, one of the world’s premier providers of information technology solutions.
We want to share some of the topics that you will find at this year’s conference, in addition to, and supporting, our hands-on centerpiece, a simulation, based on a real performance improvement effort in the public sector. So . . . if you are looking for an opportunity to:


• learn and share new ideas, tools and approaches
• network and work alongside a diverse and highly skilled group of professionals, and
• actually apply your skills and knowledge in a safe and supportive environment,


then . . . you’ll want to join us in Galway!


Some of the topics you won’t want to miss:


• In the End it’s all about People!
• Politics – Developing Your Professional Capital
• Is the Improvement effort worth the costs? Calculating PIPs for any project.
• Is Your Client Ready to Improve?
• Sharpening Your Analysis Skills: Performance Consulting and the Questioning Process
• Analysis as an Intrinsic Part of Any Solution
• Outsourcing in Reverse – A Case Study from the Public Sector
• Using the Six-P Framework to Holistically Determine ‘What Is’
• The alignment of Parliament South Africa’s Performance Management System to the Performance Improvement methodology and thinking”
• Building a Bigger Box


We are happy to also announce three high value, full-day pre-conference workshops:


1. HPT (Human Performance Technology): The Essentials - Leader, Dr. Judith Hale (CPT)
2. BPTA 101 - Principles of Business Process Management - Leader, Dee Carri
3. Optimizing Accountability in Teams and Client Partnerships - Leader, Lee Johnsen (CPT)


______________________


If you have ever attended an ISPI Europe/EMEA event, you already know that we believe that a conference is much more than its programs and presenters. Our participants consistently contribute enormous value. This year will be no exception. We are looking for participants who really understand the value of sharing their great questions and unique insights. That is, we are interested in your unique contribution! Don’t wait. Register today. You have until September 18th to qualify for an early bird discount!!


And, don’t forget our simulation. Once you have registered, feel free to contact us about the simulation and opportunities to begin the process of getting to know other participants, with a view to selecting teammates to work with in Galway! The simulation is another way that we ensure that all presenters and participants become integral to what is invariably an exceptional learning and sharing opportunity.


You can see that the learning and sharing outcomes you can expect from the Galway conference are really in your hands! Why not join us in Galway and be part of this inspiring event?


We invite you to contribute questions, comments and insights to our blog concerning the Galway conference and/or our upcoming special issue of the Performance Improvement Journal!


ISPI Europe/EMEA Board
Carol M. Panza - CMP@orgmap.com
Arnoud Vermei - info@webperformance.info
Grainne Fielding - grainne.fielding@sap.com
Adolf Theron - atheron@crcn.co.za
Paula Campos - paula.campos@wechange.pt


ISPI Europe/EMEA Conference Committee
Juan Pablo Ortiz - juanpablo.ortiz@yesp.se
Belia Nel - belia@leadersoflearners.co.za

2009 Conference and Pre-conference Registration and Lodging Options

Following is Galway (2009) conference and pre-conference registration information:


* Pre-conference workshops are as follows:

HPT: The Essentials - Leader, Dr. Judith Hale (CPT)
BPTA 101 - Principles of Business Process Management - Leader, Dee Carri
Optimizing Accountability in Teams and Client Partnerships - Leader, Lee Johnsen (CPT)


The conference hotel is the Hotel Meyrick, located on Eyre Square in central Galway. They are offering specially discounted room rates for conference participants.

www.hotelmeyrick.ie
1 Eyre Square
Galway, County Galway, Ireland
+353 91 564 041

Rates:
Wednesday 4th & Thursday 5th – Single €95 Bed & Breakfast, Twin/Double €135
Rates:
Friday 6th & Saturday 7th
Single: €135BB Double/Twin €165


The Skeffington Arms, which is located just a few steps away from the Meyrick, has also offered special room rates for conference participants. The rate is €75 bed and breakfast per person per night. Thus the total for a three night stay per person would be €225.

Skeffington Arms Hotel
Eyre Square,
Galway

The Callanan Hotel Group
Tel +00353 (0)91 563 173
Fax +00353 (0)91 561679
web:www.skeffington.ie

Galway Conference Registration

Register Today!!!

Registration is now open for the ISPI Europe/EMEA - 2009 conference,

An Organization IS Its People: Surviving and, in Fact, Thriving in Challenging Times.

Go to http://my.ispi.org/myISPI/Core/Events/events.aspx  (or to www.ispi.org under the heading Education) to register for this exciting and valuable event scheduled for November 5-7, 2009 in Galway, Ireland.

ISPI Europe/EMEA Announces an
Innovative Conference and a Compelling Keynote

ISPI Europe/EMEA has a track record and tradition of exciting, innovative conferences that consistently encourage and achieve a very high level of participation by attendees and presenters alike. This year, November 5-7, 2009, in Galway, Ireland, a new simulation will be introduced, that will serve as the core and organizing element for the conference.

Anyone wishing to get some insight into the simulation process and the real-life case on which it was built, can find a description below at the end of our 2009 Call For Proposals.

At ISPI Europe/EMEA, we believe that a conference is more than its programs and presenters. Our conference attendees are every bit as much a part of the total learning experience, as our fabulous presenters. We have always sought participants who really understand the value of sharing their great questions and unique insights. Of course, the use of a large-scale simulation, based on a real performance improvement project in the public sector, is another way that we ensure that all presenters and participants become integral to what is invariably an exceptional learning and sharing opportunity. So, even if you have not submitted a proposal to present. Only you can contribute your unique perspective!

Why not join us in Galway and be part of this important event?

We will welcome a compelling keynote speaker to the Galway conference. Dee Carri, of Torque Management in Ireland, is a strategic partner (for Europe) with BPTrends.com, an internet portal with 20,000 members (and growing), focused on Business Process Management. Several well know and revered ISPI gurus have contributed to BPTrends in the years since it was launched, notably Geary Rummler. We invite you to go to www.BPTrends.com to learn more.

As an accomplished professional, with a long track record of supporting organizations in realizing large-scale performance improvements, and as the European partner of BPTrends, Dee Carri will present her perspective on conducting a comprehensive, customer-focused performance improvement project with measurable and sustainable results.

Important to Dee’s perspective, is the influence of her impressive background. Dee Carri is a technology sector veteran with over 20 years experience in Vendor, User and Consulting organizations and as a Subject Matter Expert in IT Compliance for regulated sectors. Yet, her approach to performance improvement and management specifically recognizes the value of working with clients to define strategic, organization-level and marketplace-focused success goals and measures. Her approach, likewise, addresses the analysis, gap and/or opportunity specification, improvement planning and improvement action implementation, beginning at the mega and strategic level, all the way down to and including, performers.

Dee’s clients value her practical and actionable recommendations. Client satisfaction and loyalty is a key differentiator for her consulting practice. No waffle, no hype, just solid advice and proven methodologies. All too many performance improvement and Business Process Management (BPM) professionals provide unclear and/or highly impractical methodologies that cannot be transferred to the workplace. This leaves clients disillusioned and projects abandoned or stalled, with few, if any, results, but substantial related project costs. Following is a quote from Dee Carri. “We expect our trainees/ clients to hit the ground running and to immediately apply new learning in their workplace – and they do!”

You won’t want to miss the keynote session by Dee Carri.

Christine Marsh was among the group that gathered in Brussels nearly ten years ago to discuss ideas, plan and, ultimately, launch, what became known as ISPI Europe/EMEA. Christine went on to serve for many years on the Board of Directors for the group and continues to be a friend and active supporter of ISPI EMEA. So, we are pleased to update the blog with the following about one of Christine's recent client engagements.



Performance improvement is often viewed as the responsibility of an employer to provide the necessary opportunities for the individual to develop. Christine Marsh, CPT (Certified Performance Technologist) was invited to speak at a Conference for 30 Franchisees. The brief was for a light-hearted approach and an engaging, interactive session for participants, but with a serious message about their responsibility for making a success of their own business as well. The presentation was based on the theme of Newton's Principle - For each and every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.


Get a little insight into what happened by clicking on the link below!



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hM3nIcKuSEM

Announcing a special issue of the
Performance Improvement Journal

ISPI EMEA has guest edited a special issue of the Performance Improvement Journal (PIJ), which will be published in the Fall of 2009. PIJ is the journal published by the International Society for Performance Improvement (ISPI). It is our understanding that the final copy for our issue of PIJ was submitted on Friday, May 22, 2009. Look for this special issue in September 2009. Find out how to obtain a copy of this and other issues, by going to the ISPI web site at www.ispi.org.

Below, you will find the titles and authors of each of the six (6) articles in our special issue, along with a brief summary (abstract) of the content, and questions that the authors have raised, in order to engage anyone reading this, in a discussion relating to the content of their articles.

Please feel free to post comments, answers or follow-on questions, regarding the entire issue as a whole, any or all, individual articles, or directed specifically at questions listed below by each author. We welcome your thoughts and perspectives and look forward to some engaging discussions. Further, we hope that you will consider coming to Galway to continue sharing ideas in person and, possibly, submitting your own proposal to present at the conference, along with an article that we can consider for publication in 2010!


"The Pitfall of Long Term Relationships" by Arnoud Vermei

In the Netherlands WEB Performance organized an Executive Forum. The organizers aimed to create an environment where executives from non-competitive industries shared views and experiences on performance improvement strategies and tactics. The forum delivered valuable insights and taught the facilitators to be very careful with assuming ‘we already know’.

Discussion questions:

• What do you think of the idea of a Executive Forum? What opportunities do you see, and what barriers?

• How do you test the insights you’ve gathered working with clients over a longer period of time? How do you prevent yourself from having tunnel vision?

______________

"Analysis is Part of Every Solution" by Dr. Edward Schneider

Clients tend to resist Front-End Analysis when it is presented as an arcane mystery, to be performed as a wizard’s ritual. When it is presented as a jointly-conducted troubleshooting procedure, both the resistance and the defensiveness melt away. Both consultant and client come to realize that this form of analysis is an intrinsic part of any durable solution to performance problems.

______________

"Defining the Perfect Process" by Arnoud Vermei

Organizational performance is very significantly dependent on the effectiveness and efficiency of the organization’s processes. Therefore organizational leaders should focus much of their own and of their people’s efforts on operating and improving these processes. If you are seeking to improve, you need some sense of ‘what is better’. To this end, Terry Weight has sought to define the perfect process in his keynote speech to the 2008, ISPI EMEA Conference in Galway.

Discussion questions:

• How come we see so few examples of a perfect process?

• If performance depends on the efficiency and effectiveness of processes, why do so many organizations start improvement efforts with OD or people-focused interventions?

______________

"An Evaluation Six Pack for Sustainable Organizations: The Six-P Framework" by Dr. Anthony Marker

As Performance Improvement (PI) practitioners, we seek, not only to solve organizational problems, but also to add value. For some time, we have focused on financial value. However, we are beginning to be held accountable also for the impact of our interventions on society and the environment. The framework proposed here—the Six-P Evaluation Framework—can help PI practitioners develop a broader view of organizational value and engage in planning and evaluation activities that will contribute to sustainability.

Discussion questions:

• How do we look at both the short-term results of a human performance solution along with their longer term impacts in ways that let us add more value?

• How do we balance the necessary financial results against potential negative impacts of solutions on the environment and society. And, more importantly, how do we design our solutions with foresight so that being environmental and socially responsible actually adds value to that financial bottom line?

______________

"Framing Sustainable Performance with Six Ps" by Karen Carleton

A systemic needs assessment can help close performance gaps for continuous improvement. The Six-P framework assesses organizational sustainability with six elements – perception, potential, practice, profit, planet and people. Six-P builds on Kirkpatrick’s evaluation model, Philips’ ROI, and a triple bottom line focus, facilitating corporate social responsibility. The framework, with its question guide and suggested assessment methods, underscores the magnitude of societal and environmental performance. A case study follows illustrating Six-P’s application for assessing sustainability.

Discussion questions:

• Does your organization currently measure its: perception (internal/external), potential, impact on the planet, and impact on people? If so, how are each of the performance elements measured?

• In what way can organizations balance quantitative with qualitative measures of performance? How could such data be verified or triangulated to ensure accuracy?

______________

"Outsourcing in Reverse – A Case Study from the Public Sector" by Christine Marsh

At a time when many public organizations were looking to outsource their IT (Information Technology) services, Torfaen County Borough Council in Wales took a strategic decision to bring all their ICT (Information Communications Technology) services in-house. The key challenge was to bring together and integrate a highly skilled, complex and diverse mix of existing internal and external service providers. The success of any project is underpinned by the contributions and motivation level of the staff.

Discussion questions:

• In the ideal world, when presented with a blank sheet of paper, you can follow all the analytical best practices. You can have a real impact on the research process plus the design and delivery of the most appropriate interventions. What methods have you used when the strategic decisions have already been taken and you are only allowed a limited time slot to access the situation and make your recommendations? Remember, there is no agreed budget.

• How have you been able to influence the key decision makers to reconsider their own conclusions without telling them they were wrong?

______________

2009 ISPI Europe / EMEA Conference

An Organization IS its people

Surviving and, in Fact, Thriving in Challenging Times

7th ISPI Europe/EMEA Conference

November 5-7, 2009

A Unique Conference - Based on an interesting SIMULATION

You are invited

The International Society for Performance Improvement Europe (ISPI-Europe) invites you to submit a proposal for a unique conference organized around an exciting simulation and focused on the very timely theme - “An Organization IS its people: Surviving and, In Fact, Thriving in Challenging Times.”


The conference is scheduled from November 5-7, 2009 in Galway, Ireland. The original due date for submissions was June 1, 2009. However, in response to a number of requests from professionals interested in submitting proposals to present, we are extending the deadline for the 2009 Call For Proposals to July 1, 2009. We hope that you will take advantage of this opportunity!

Call for Proposals

Facing Challenging Times with Confidence

There is no doubt that we are facing challenging times that have had a dramatic effect on organizations of all sizes and types globally and will continue to do so for some time to come. Helping our client organizations (whether we are internal or external performance professionals or line managers) to not just survive, but to thrive, is an important objective. It means all investment in money and effort made by organizations, must count. No organization can afford solutions in search of a problem, programs that are only “nice to have” or approaches that are not linked to, or measured by, pay back in the form of customer satisfaction, loyalty, revenue or other valuable goals.

Most conferences provide value by assembling speakers who share their wisdom and insights against an interesting unifying theme. We at ISPI Europe/EMEA feel that we have a way to make our conference deliver significantly more value to both presenters and participants. Our conferences have always aimed to be smaller in size but much greater in level of participation and interactivity, than typical conferences. The 2009 conference will be our most innovative to date, beginning with this call for proposals. The 2009 Galway conference will be organized around a simulation that will run throughout the conference with all presentations selected based upon their ability to support participant success with the simulation, including the value of the content, design of the session and credibility of the presenters.

Therefore, we have attached the simulation description to this call for proposals to guide your ability to design and propose a session that will provide participants with ideas, models and approaches that they will be able to apply immediately to our simulation. Note that the simulation is not a fabricated case. It is based on a real client engagement. In this way, and through our design, which includes professionals acting as the client team, the simulation experience is able to come very, very close to what you would experience in the real world, but with the advantage of a safe and protected environment to experiment!


Join us in Galway, Ireland this November 5-7, 2009 to share your ideas, theories, observations, insights, case studies, testimonials, models and approaches to supporting performance improvement efforts that really work, are readily applicable and that truly address real world challenges and opportunities.

Invitation to come and join us

Those of you who joined us in Heidelberg, Germany, know that we successfully pilot tested our unique simulation-focused conference format. We started the conference with four (4) professionals playing the roles of key executives from the Executive Board of a real company that was seeking assistance in improving its results. The company and the situation presented were real with specifics and names changed to ensure the anonymity of the company and its executives.

The title of the simulation was, “How do you explain HPT to a client?” As we expected, the approaches, models, success stories and insights shared as part of last year’s many diverse presentations, as well as, during informal chat sessions, all served as resources for participant teams as they developed proposed project approaches to present to the Executive Board at the end of the conference. Encouraged by the very positive feedback from the Heidelberg conference, we plan to use our new simulation to both solicit presentation proposals and, then, in Galway as a way to support the active involvement of conference participants in discussing, sharing and applying performance development and improvement ideas, approaches and tools in a unique and practical way.

So, whether you are interested in sharing your experiences in a formal way by being a presenter or if you would rather come to learn, share, and contribute on a personal level, we encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity. This forum will be a way to:

• Reinforce the exchange within our European network about how to optimize performance and help our clients survive and thrive.

• Meet new business colleagues and professional partners in the fields of human performance improvement, human resources management and development, organizational development, training and learning, public policy, and business administration.

• Prepare for the challenges that lie ahead of all of us to create healthy, prosperous organizations and communities.

More information

For more information about the International Society for Performance Improvement, please refer to the description at the end of this document or check out the website http://www.ispi.org/. For more information about this upcoming ISPI Europe conference (such as conference venue and fees), please refer to the ISPI Europe website http://ispieu.blogspot.com/

The Application Process

If you are selected to present at the conference, you agree to the following:

• Register and pay the appropriate registration fee
• Prepare an article or “white paper.” White papers submitted will be considered as candidates for a special edition of ISPI’s PI Journal focused on Europe, Middle East, Africa (EMEA) to be published in 2010.
• Deliver your session on any of the conference days scheduled

You also agree that your session materials will be made available on the ISPI website after the conference.

Step One: Choose a Session Topic

The focal point for the conference is to apply concepts, models and tools around the theme of “Organizations ARE Their People, surviving and, in fact, thriving, in challenging times” to our simulation client case. We, of course, must keep in mind the key principles of improving performance:

• Focusing on outcomes and results
• Taking a systemic approach
• Adding value, focusing on the business and an organization’s purpose
• Establishing partnerships and working collaboratively

We are looking especially for sessions that will present successful examples of and/or models, approaches and tools that can be applied by participants to our simulation client case. That is, we will give the greatest consideration to sessions that will give participants the opportunity to discuss, share tools and job aids and/or review case studies focused on performance areas such as the following:

• Gaining and maintaining/growing the confidence of client team decision makers
• Obtaining the commitment and support of interview subjects
• Supporting the formation of linkages and partnerships within and among parts of the client organization
• Working effectively within a project team
• Identifying improvement opportunities and communicating them such that they are clear, specific, understandable by the client and defensible
• Making recommendations that are logical, valuable to the client and actionable
• Ensuring the transfer of “ownership” of findings and recommendations to key members of the client organization
• Leaving behind more than a set of findings and recommendations

Submitters will be asked to choose a category for their session topic from the following list of relevant performance areas:

• Determine “What Is”
• Identify Opportunity
• “Test” Findings
• Suggest Actions
• Project and Client Management – Client Relationship Management, Teaming, Team Leadership, Partnering

Step Two: Prepare Your Session Proposal

Your proposal should describe what you intend to discuss, how it links to and prepares participants for success with the simulation case, considering the conference theme. Further, your proposal should clearly present how you intend to facilitate the session, and your experience with the topic. Proposals should include a draft sample of a job aid/performance tool that you will share with session attendees and that will be made available on the conference website.

Participants at ISPI Europe conferences are very bright and typically very anxious to get involved and play an active role in learning and sharing. They are also a richly diverse group in terms of national origin, education and skills background, as well as, the industry or subject matter that has been the focus of their experience. The multinational character of ISPI-Europe makes it critical that all presenters are prepared to interact with participants who are non-native English speakers. Therefore, please give special consideration to how you will accommodate participants who do not speak English as their native language. Examples of how this may be done include, by providing clear, complete handouts, visuals or other supporting material with meaningful graphics. All session proposals must include a description of how the presenter(s) intend to accommodate a diverse audience consisting of many participants who do not speak English as their native language.

Your proposal will be evaluated by a team of reviewers against the criteria below.

IMPORTANT: Structure your proposal using the headings provided below. This will make it easier for reviewers to find required information and, hence, will increase the likelihood that your proposal will receive maximum consideration.

A. Title

The title for your session should be brief but descriptive and attract the participants’ interest. In addition to the title, please indicate the category that is the best fit for your session, i.e., WI - Determine “What Is”, IO - Identify Opportunity, TF - “Test” Findings, SA - Suggest Actions or PCM - Project and Client Management.

B. Session Description + Objectives / Benefits

Describe your session in 120 words or less. Use clear, conversational language. Include clear objectives and how/why participants will benefit from your session (including the ability of participants to immediately apply what they learn to our simulation client case).

In addition to your session description, indicate the level of experience participants should have with the subject matter of your session by selecting one of the following categories:

Session Prerequisite Knowledge

Beginner Participant is able to understand and make use of the core concepts
of the subject matter.

Intermediate Participant is able to apply core concepts and practices of the subject
matter to a problem or situation.

Expert Participant is able to fluently create and evaluate solutions to problems
in the area of the subject matter.

Indicate session type as described below and the level of interactivity and engagement participants can expect from your session by selecting one of the following categories:

Session Type

Briefing 60-minute intense briefing covering theoretical, research style aspects
of the subject matter. Activities are not required.

Workshop 90-minute laboratory-style workshop allowing the participants to apply
briefly introduced concepts to a given problem or situation in a team environment. Highly interactive with at least 30 minutes activity time.

Pre-Conference 3 hour or 6 hour extended workshop allowing the participants to apply Workshop comprehensively introduced concepts to given problems or solutions in a small team environment. Highly interactive with at least 60 minutes or 120 minutes of activity time respectively. Pre-conference workshops will take place on November 5, 2009.

The session description, the objectives/benefits, as well the information regarding the session prerequisite knowledge and session type will be published in the conference program to market your presentation.

Evaluation criteria are:

• Describes the content clearly
• Relates to the conference theme and is directly applicable to the simulation client case
• Includes performance-based objectives
• Describes the value of the workshop to the attendee
• Indicates the prerequisite knowledge for the session
• Indicates the session type and level of interactivity
• Is limited to 120 words

C. Link Session Design to Human Performance Technology and the Simulation

Describe in a paragraph or two how your session relates to, supports, or enhances the field of Human Performance Technology in and how it helps HPT practitioners to successfully support the simulation client and their ability to achieve valuable goals. Evaluation criteria include:

• Describes how the workshop will support ISPI’s mission, goals and values and/or explains the link to performance improvement; more specifically, it shows how the session content will help participants to create value for the simulation client case. (Refer to http://www.ispi.org/ to learn more about ISPI.)
• 
  
• Addresses a specific performance need or issue
• 
  
• Uses case studies and examples of successful, EMEA region-focused performance improvement projects
• 
  
• Supports participants working on the client simulation to:

1. Gain and maintain/grow the confidence of client team decision makers
2. Obtain the commitment and support of interview subjects
3. Support the formation of linkages and partnerships within and among parts of the client organization
4. Work effectively within a project team
5. Identify improvement opportunities and communicate them such that they are clear, specific, understandable by the client and defensible
6. Make recommendations that are logical, valuable to the client and actionable
7. Ensure the transfer of “ownership” of findings and recommendations to key members of the client organization
8. Leave behind more than a set of findings and recommendations

D. Session Design Plan

Provide a high-level design plan of your session. This section is important; it will receive the most attention by the team of reviewers. Evaluation criteria are:

• Session design appropriately reflects the session type (briefing, workshop, or pre-conference workshop)
• Demonstrates sound instructional design principles
• Matches the objectives/benefits and session description
• Matches the expected level of prerequisite knowledge of session attendees
• Includes a topic outline + time frames for each topic
• Includes instruction/presentation method for each topic (e.g., lecture, discussion, activity)
• Is achievable in the time requested
• Requires participants to engage with the content at the level stated in the objectives
• Provides enough detail for the reviewer to visualize the session delivery
• Describes how participants who are non-native English speakers will be accommodated

Please note that there are a limited number of pre-conference slots available for extended workshops (3hrs or 6hrs length). If you feel that your topic and/or expertise warrant such an extensive exchange with the conference participants, please provide an extended workshop design plan for both a 3 hour and a 6 hour version. Based on all submissions, the team of reviewers will discuss with you the preferred option for this conference.

E. Job Aid / Performance Tool (not applicable to briefing sessions)

Job-relevant information, references and/or tools are very important to ISPI audiences. Provide a draft sample of the performance tool which you will introduce during your presentation or refine with the attendees during your workshop (i.e., job aid, process model, idea synopsis, and reference guide). Evaluation criteria are:

• Is a well-designed performance tool
• Provides a reference for future use

F. Facilitator Personal Information / Presenter Experience

Please provide your personal data (Name, Position Title, Organization, Address, Telephone, and Email).

Describe your expertise regarding your session topic in 75 words or less per facilitator. Please do not attach resumes or list-style biographies!

Evaluation criteria are:

• Demonstrates sound expertise in session content by citing own relevant experience, research, or writing
• Demonstrates experience presenting to ISPI or a similar audience
• Is limited to 75 words

Step Three: Send in your Proposal

Save your proposal as a MS Word document. Additional material such as job aids etc. can be in other document formats, such as PPT or PDF. Send your combined proposal materials to arnoud@webperformance.info with “Session proposal for ISPI Europe Conference 2009” in the subject line.

Your proposal must be received no later than July 1, 2009.

The ISPI Europe conference program committee will confirm the receipt of your proposal via email. You will be notified via email by the end of July, whether your proposal is accepted, conditionally accepted, or rejected.

If your proposal is accepted, ISPI Europe will:

• Ask you to register for the conference and to reserve your hotel
• Request your audio-visual requirements
• Collect your session materials for publication on the conference website or via CD
• Ask you to commit to previewing your session, either following the opening ceremony for the conference or after the first keynote address.

Questions

If you have any questions regarding the submission of a proposal or the conference in general, please review the ISPI Europe’s blog at http://ispieu.blogspot.com/

Or contact ISPI Europe at:

• Email: arnoud@webperformance.info
• Phone: +31355431928