Performance support is most effective when employees can obtain the information or guidance they need at the moment of work without leaving the workflow unnecessarily. A repository of job aids provides direct access to reference tools that employees can consult as tasks are performed.
Job aids may include checklists, decision trees, procedures, quick-reference guides, templates, troubleshooting instructions, or step-by-step workflow guidance. They reduce reliance on memory and are especially useful for complex, infrequent, changing, or detail-intensive tasks.
Access to a subject matter expert can be valuable but is less scalable and depends on the expert's availability. A manager meeting may address broader performance issues but does not provide immediate procedural support. Hands-on training develops capability but is a learning intervention rather than just-in-time support embedded in the employee's work environment.
A well-designed performance-support repository should make information easy to locate, concise, accurate, current, and organized according to the actual tasks employees perform. The objective is to provide the minimum information required to execute work accurately at the point of need.
Study Guide Topics: Performance Improvement; performance support; job aids; point-of-need resources; workplace performance.
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