AnEssential Knowledge Resource

THE WORLD OF LEARNING AND PERFORMANCE has changed significantly since the first edition ofFirst Things Fast was published more than a decade ago. This thoroughly revised and updated second edition of the best-selling classic recognizes a world chock-full of technology, economic strains, and opportunities. How do learning and performance professionals plan in this shifting context? How do they take advantage of new human and Internet-based resources? How do they bring their recommendations forward and add more value, no matter where they work? These questions are addressed throughout this new edition.

This important resource is a practical guide that is filled with job aids, design templates, and examples offering step-by-step guidance to the basics of performance analysis.

This new edition includes:New questions and templates that reflect the shift of learning and support from the classroom to the workplace, and the blends that provide learning and support in both environmentsFresh approaches for using wikis, blogs, and online surveys to gather informationInnovative ideas for tapping into the power of social networking and the possibilities presented for analystsInformation on the critical link between analysis and evaluation and new guidelines for both activitiesA wealth of new illustrative case examplesInsightful commentaries from successful leaders in the field who explain how they use analysis to advance individual and organizational strategy

"Allison Rossett combines thought leadership for the profession with practical guidance. This book, the second edition of a classic in the field, is filled with proven practices and ready-to-use tools making this a resource you'll use frequently."
DANA GAINES ROBINSON, COAUTHOR,PERFORMANCE CONSULTING AND STRATEGIC BUSINESS PARTNER

"What I appreciate about this book is that it is a straightforward, practical guide to planning, and it embraces new technology and the convergence of learning and work."
NANCY J. LEWIS, VICE PRESIDENT AND CHIEF LEARNING OFFICER, ITT CORPORATION

Allison Rossett is a professor of educational technology at San Diego State University and a consultant in workforce learning and performance and technology-based systems. She is the author of the best-sellingHandbook of Job Aids (Pfeiffer) andBeyond the Podium (Pfeiffer), both of which are winners of the International Society for Performance Improvement's Instructional Communications award.

Preface xiii

Acknowledgments xix

The Author xxi

Chapter 1: Introduction 1

Chapter 2: What Can We Do First and Fast? 15

Chapter 3: Performance Analysis Basics 35

Chapter 4: Opportunities for Performance Analysis 69

Chapter 5: Putting the Speed in Performance Analysis 89

Chapter 6: Communicating to Gather Information and Support 113

Chapter 7: What Technology Contributes 147

Chapter 8: Finding Meaning, Communicating Results 167

Chapter 9: Tales from the Trenches 203

Chapter 10: Into the Future 241

Afterword by Marc J. Rosenberg 257

Resources for Performance Analysis 261

Index 269