Competency Assessment: How To Do It, and How To Get a Big
Return On Investment Presented by Terry Ogle, January 2011
Slide 2
Introduction Will give some insights on what has worked very
successfully in implementing competency and assessment solutions
Lets start with what very successfully means
Slide 3
A Case Study In a plant operating environment with an aging
workforce (need to hire replacement for retirees) over a four year
period operating efficiency went from 62% to 82% During the same
period training time to competence across all positions was reduced
by 50% Huge gains in profitability, huge reductions in overhead.
How was this done? The key is assessment of competence!
Slide 4
Competency Profiles The goal is workplace competency; a
prerequisite to assessment is a structure of competency profiles A
competency is a workplace behavior that by definition is observable
If its observable it can be assessed Assessments are more objective
if there is a formal statement of performance criteria, conditions
of observation, etc. poll
Slide 5
Who Does the Assessment? Self-Assessment unreliable but engages
workforce Instructor Assessment more reliable but conflict of
interest issues Supervisor Assessment integrates competency
management with day to day operations time issue Assessor trained
third party role is Assessor plus For dialogue For feedback on
learning needs General not specific +ve ve halo Yes!
Slide 6
What Supports the Assessment? Behaviorally anchored assessment
Performance criteria Performance criteria detail Evidence
supporting assessors judgment Personal Electronic Portfolio to
which referenced e-files are uploaded poll
Slide 7
Competence: Use Project management software PC: Create and
define a project PC: Enter and edit information about project tasks
and resources PC: Update information about project progress PC:
Select and use appropriate tools and techniques to display and
report on project status
Slide 8
PC: Enter and edit information about project tasks and
resources PCD: 2.1 Identify types of tasks, milestones, deadlines
and constraints PCD: 2.2 Enter and edit information about project
tasks PCD: 2.3 Identify time and resources required for the project
PCD: 2.4 Apply a task calendar for scheduling tasks PCD: 2.5 Enter
and edit information about resources for use in the project PCD:
2.6 Mark any dependencies between tasks PCD: 2.7 Assign resources
to tasks
Slide 9
Automation is Crucial Access to competency profiles, assessment
records and evidence required for employee, supervisor, instructor
and assessor Personal electronic portfolio with capability to
reference evidence to required competency Automation should enable
workplace assessment SkilSure software is designed for this role
poll
Slide 10
Importance of Electronic Medium Changes the workplace
assessment paradigm Traditionally the evidence that supported
workplace assessment was on the job checklists, etc. There is still
a place for documentary evidence but Currently: non-documentary
evidence is predominant Poll Some evidence stats from one of our
servers across variety of employee types:
Slide 11
Why is 67% Non documentary? Assessors and employees like it its
more authentic, easier to obtain, often has more face validity
Employers like it because its easier to implement than documentary
assessment and is not a bureaucratic nightmare Use of smart phones,
tablets, laptops in workplace makes it easy to collect non
documentary evidence Automation allows the direct uploading and
referencing of evidence into a competency assurance application
like SkilSure
Slide 12
Key Elements of Assessment That Will Give Good ROI Competency
profiles: Performance criteria Performance criteria detail
Workplace Assessment behaviourally anchored supported by evidence
Automation E-portfolio to contain referenced evidence Defined
assessment process with clear roles for actors New paradigm for
evidence
Slide 13
Handheld Assessment Smart phones, tablets, laptops in workplace
makes it easy to collect non documentary evidence poll
Slide 14
Why DO This Kind of Assessment? The focus is workplace
performance, improving that improves all the key business metrics;
productivity, profitability, etc. Outcomes of learning are now
directly associated with workplace performance; not only are you
evaluating the learners but also the workplace relevance of
learning resources
Slide 15
Why Require Evidence? Makes assessment more objective, has high
face validity for employees, unions and supervisors In an
organizational environment where compliance is an issue it is an
auditable record of the support for the assessment
Slide 16
How do I get started? Build competency profiles Design
competency model Select automation tool Pilot Review data from
pilot Modify Communicate Roll out poll
Slide 17
Thank you!
Slide 18
SkilSure Development Directions Presented by Terry Ogle,
January 2011
Slide 19
Development Themes 1 stop shop for administration Progress
reporting Quality assurance Funding reporting
Slide 20
Development Themes Killer QCF ULN record Credit calculator
Slide 21
Development Themes QCF and apprenticeship Integration:
tracking, assessing, learning, testing
Slide 22
Development Directions Changes in the workplace assessment
paradigm Traditionally the evidence that supported workplace
assessment was checklists, etc. Currently: non-documentary evidence
is predominant Compression: File compression technology Guidance
for users Hardware upgrades Some evidence stats from one of our
servers across variety of employee types:
Slide 23
Development Themes Mobile Assessment technology: Smart phones;
Tablets, etc. Software issues; displays, browsers, mapping,
etc.
