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other words, he only told her what she needed to know to get to the game’s objective.
The book followed that conversation. In fact, the last element of the book explained opening moves—the point at which most such books begin.
So, how did this author’s technique work? Actually, quite well.
In the preparation of the book, the author tested the approach and discovered that people learned faster and more completely than with traditional texts.
Later the technique was introduced as a method for develop- ing programmed instruction. It identified what a typical student needed to know; what the student did not need to know, and what the student needed to have reinforced—exactly the type of infor- mation required to write a programmed instruction. In recent years the technique has been used to identify training needs for all types of training and educational programs and courses. To succeed the interviewer must know the contents of the proposed training and the job for which the training will be provided. The interviewer has to be able to answer all questions and know what information to provide at what points.
A Software Conversion
The following is a rather long story, but it describes the tech- niques and advantages of the Need-to-Know Process quite well.
One of the country’s leading mutual funds companies dis- covered it was necessary to change to a completely new soft- ware system. The one it had been using from its inception had performed well, but it was now limiting future expansion.
After some research the company located a perfect system for its requirements—one that had the ability to expand with company growth.
The system designers customized and debugged it. It was first installed and operated with new accounts to ensure it would meet the needs of the company and its customers. It was then time to convert. However, there were several gov-
erning factors. Parallel systems could not be run. Parallel sys- tems are a procedure where a new system is installed and for a time both the new and old systems are simultaneously run. This continues until everyone is satisfied that the old sys- tem can be dropped. However, for technical reasons this could not be done at the mutual fund company. Running par- allel systems was not a possibility.
Sometimes it is possible to install a new system in stages—
converting partially at each stage. Because of the interrela- tionships among existing client accounts, this too was not an option for this company. All existing accounts had to be converted at one time.
The business was an ongoing one. From the client’s view- point it was important that nothing must appear to change, and particularly because the company was dealing with its clients’ investments, it was important that the clients re- mained confident in the company’s operations and proce- dures. When the system converted, customer relations representatives had to behave as they had before and had to be able to completely interface with the new system.
The new system also required new hardware. The customer service representatives had been using terminals. These al- lowed access to information and recording of information, but not in real time. The recorded information was posted to the individual customer accounts at night.
Since stock markets can change in a few hours, this was seen as a disadvantage by clients. Moreover, competitive companies offered immediate real-time access for decisions.
Making this change required replacing all the terminals with PCs.
A survey of existing customer service representatives discov- ered that only 55 percent of them were PC-literate to the de- gree required, and over half of those who were not PC-literate were deeply concerned about having to use PCs.
In total there were 570 customer service representatives who had to be trained to operate the new system. The company providing the new system estimated it would require eighty
hours of training per employee. That would mean a total of 45,600 hours of training. Assuming there would be about fif- teen participants per class, that was more than sixty weeks of training. Obviously, a shorter yet effective training ap- proach was required.
The company decided to use the Need-to-Know Process to determine exactly what training was required—what the train- ing needs of the customer representatives were.
A randomly selected group of twenty-five existing customer service representatives was chosen to participate in the study. All participants had been in their jobs long enough to know the procedures. Some were evaluated as excellent performers; some, as poor performers; most as typical per- formers.
The individuals conducting the Need-to-Know Process were skilled trainers (for the existing system) who had undergone the typical training provided by the system design company, so they were thoroughly familiar with the details of the exist- ing system, the new system, and the customer service repre- sentative job. A final test was first developed for the training.
The test was designed to ensure that someone passing it had all the information and skills necessary to operate the new system.
The trained people then conducted need-to-know interviews with the randomly selected customer service representatives.
Each interview was one-on-one. The actual process went something like this: A room was provided with a PC on which the new software was loaded. The interviewee was brought into the room and the purpose of the procedure was ex- plained. Next, any questions the interviewee might have were answered.
The interviewees were asked to talk as they proceeded, de- scribing what they were thinking and trying to accomplish.
The interviewer then administered the test that had been de- veloped.
The first item on the test required the interviewee to report the current number of shares in a client’s account and the
current value of the shares. None of the participants knew how to perform the request, but as they talked and attempted to reason the procedure, the interviewer took notes. It was discovered that some steps were obvious, but for others in- formation was required. When the participant identified a specific piece of information or action required, the inter- viewer provided it.
The process proceeded in this manner through all of the sys- tem’s transactions. At the conclusion of each interview, the interviewer knew what the participant was able to do with no additional training and where in the process the participant needed additional information or instructions.
When the results of all twenty-five interviews were compared and combined, it was discovered there was a remarkable consistency among results. (This was true for both the group requiring PC training and the one not needing such training.) Two training courses were created based on these results.
One was for the PC skills required, and one was for the new system. The systems course based on the Need-to-Know Process information was twenty-four hours in length versus the eighty hours recommended by the system design com- pany.
The PC course had been estimated as requiring two days.
Based on the need-to-know information, the final course was four hours in length. The savings in time and cost were sig- nificant.
So what were the final results? How effective was the training?
Over one weekend the system at the mutual funds company was changed to the new one. The following week there were no significant problems encountered by any of the trained customer service representative with the new system. There was a slight decrease in the number of clients dealt with each hour (a de- crease that vanished within three days), and no mistakes were made to any customer account.
When to Use the Need-to-Know Process
The Need-to-Know Process is best used when a number of people are to be trained. However, conducting it with one person both
identifies training needs and simultaneously trains the individual.
It then becomes an individual coaching session.
The process can be used to teach a new subject as well as to make revisions to existing training. The mutual funds example is very typical of its use. An additional advantage to the process is that it can also be used to design the training course. The training then is conducted on the same need-to-know basis. That is also what happened at the mutual funds company.
The mutual funds training was designed to be conducted using the Need-to-Know Process. For the new system train- ing, the participants were brought into training rooms and seated at a PC. The trainer then began by asking the partici- pants to report the current number of shares in a client’s ac- count and the current value of the shares—the same item that was the first request in the Need-to-Know Process.
Again, the trainer’s role was to supply information when it was requested. The training course proceeded in the same way through all elements of the new system with the trainer serving the role as an information provider and coach.
The Technique
To use the Need-to-Know Process, whoever will conduct it re- quires full knowledge of the ultimate training course content or job for which training is to be provided. Only with that knowledge will the person be able to answer questions and know when to supply required information.
The people to be interviewed in the process must be typical of those to be trained. If only a few are to be interviewed, they should be typical performers. If a number of people are to be inter- viewed, then you should have some from various levels of per- formance. All should have the length of service typical trainees will have.
If the training is for new employees, you do not want to inter- view those who have been in their jobs awhile. Likewise, if the training is for experienced employees, you do not want to inter- view those just joining the organization.
Planning
The first step is to identify exactly what the outcomes of the train- ing are to be. Start with the overall outcome such as the ability to play chess or operate a new system. Then determine the specifics the trainee must have to accomplish to meet the overall outcome.
(Chapter 17 will discuss how to write specific training objectives.) In effect you are preparing a ‘‘final exam’’ for the training course—an exam that, if passed, indicates the participant has learned every- thing the course was designed to impart.
Assume the training will be to learn how to operate a new piece of equipment. For planning a Need-to-Know Process, this final out- come should be subdivided into its basic elements so that the trainee will be able to:
❐ Turn on equipment
❐ Set equipment controls
❐ Operate equipment
❐ Troubleshoot
❐ Turn off equipment
The ‘‘final exam’’ would require the trainee to demonstrate competency in performing all of these actions. With this exam pre- pared and the necessary knowledge obtained, the interviewer is ready to conduct a Need-to-Know Process.
Implementation
With the planning completed, a participant is brought into a pri- vate location with whatever equipment and materials are re- quired. The process then proceeds as follows, beginning with your explanation to a potential trainee:
As you may know, our company is going to be introducing a new processing machine. It is one we believe will improve your job and increase your productivity. That is going to re- quire training for all employees who will be using the equip- ment.
I have asked you here to spend sometime today to assist in determining exactly what is needed in the training. We will accomplish that by taking you through the operation of the new equipment. As that occurs, what you ask and tell us will assist in identifying what other employees need to learn.
How this works is that I will ask you to do something using the new equipment. You may or may not know how to do what I ask, but I want you to talk about what I ask and what you know. I want to hear your thinking process. If you have questions or need additional information, ask me. I don’t ex- pect you to be able to perform all the tasks I request, but that is the purpose of our meeting—to discover what you need to know. Now, are there any questions?
You will probably receive some questions. Answer them fully and be sure the participant is comfortable before beginning. Then say:
Please operate the equipment.
Be patient. Wait for responses. Listen to what the participant is saying. In most cases the first response will be, ‘‘How do I turn it on?’’
You answer by supplying that information, and you record this question. You proceed in the same manner—providing informa- tion as required and making note of what is asked and what is provided. At the conclusion—when the participant has success- fully demonstrated all the required outcomes, ask the participant for her/his reactions to the process and the new training. Record any additional information that may be of assistance, and thank the participant. You will then have not only identified the training needs, you will also have a training course outline and structure.
Developing Skill in the Need-to-Know Process
The easiest way to learn the Need-to-Know Process is to use it with a relatively simple task. For example, select a somewhat com- plicated form that requires completion. Give it to someone and ask him or her to complete it. In the process, you will discover
what items on the form require no training, and what items re- quire training.
With that information create a short training course that fol- lows a similar flow and have someone participate in the training.
Again, ask him to complete the form, but this time be prepared to provide information at the points identified in the interview.
Chapter 11 deals with the most used procedure for identifying the training needs of individual employees—performance stan- dards and objectives.