Organizational Training: A Process Management Process Area at Maturity Level 3
Purpose
The purpose of Organizational Training (OT) is to develop skills and knowledge of people so they can perform their roles effectively and efficiently.
Introductory Notes
Organizational Training addresses training provided to support the organization’s strategic business objectives and to meet the tactical training needs that are common across projects and support groups. Training needs identified by individual projects and support groups to meet their specific needs are handled at the project and support group level and are outside the scope of the Organizational Training process area.
Tip
OT addresses the organization’s training needs. The project’s training needs are often more specific and are addressed in PP, PMC, and IPM.
Refer to the Project Planning process area for more information about planning needed knowledge and skills.
An organizational training program involves the following activities:
• Identifying the training needed by the organization
• Obtaining and providing training to address those needs
• Establishing and maintaining a training capability
• Establishing and maintaining training records
• Assessing training effectiveness
Effective training requires the assessment of needs, planning, instructional design, and appropriate training media (e.g., workbooks, computer software), as well as a repository of training process data. As an organizational process, the main components of training include a managed training development program, documented plans, staff with an appropriate mastery of disciplines and other areas of knowledge, and mechanisms for measuring the effectiveness of the training program.
Tip
Training data include staff training records, dates of classes, and other training information.
Identifying process training needs is based primarily on the skills required to perform the organization’s set of standard processes.
Refer to the Organizational Process Definition process area for more information about establishing standard processes.
Certain skills can be effectively and efficiently imparted through vehicles other than classroom training experiences (e.g., informal mentoring). Other skills require more formalized training vehicles, such as in a classroom, by web-based training, through guided self study, or via a formalized on-the-job training program. The formal or informal training vehicles employed for each situation should be based on an assessment of the need for training and the performance gap to be addressed. The term “training” used throughout this process area is used broadly to include all of these learning options.
Tip
CMMI sets expectations on what needs to be done, not how to do it. Therefore, each organization must decide which type of training is best for any particular situation.
Success in training is indicated by the availability of opportunities to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to perform new and ongoing enterprise activities.
Tip
To deploy these processes effectively across the organization, training is typically required.
Skills and knowledge can be technical, organizational, or contextual. Technical skills pertain to the ability to use equipment, tools, materials, data, and processes required by a project or process. Organizational skills pertain to behavior within and according to the staff members’ organization structure, role and responsibilities, and general operating principles and methods. Contextual skills are the self-management, communication, and interpersonal abilities needed to successfully perform work in the organizational and social context of the project and support groups.
This process area applies to developing acquirer skills and knowledge so that those acquirers in the organization can perform their roles effectively and efficiently. However, these practices can also apply to developing the supplier skills and knowledge. Topics can include acquirer business practices (e.g., acceptance, invoicing) as well as practices that the acquirer desires to be performed in a particular way (e.g., reflect lean thinking) or a collaborative way (e.g., using an Agile approach).
Tip
Opportunities for joint training of acquirer and supplier team members should be explored, as they typically improve cross-functional activities.
Related Process Areas
Refer to the Decision Analysis and Resolution process area for more information about analyzing possible decisions using a formal evaluation process that evaluates identified alternatives against established criteria.
Refer to the Organizational Process Definition process area for more information about establishing organizational process assets.
Refer to the Project Planning process area for more information about planning needed knowledge and skills.
Specific Practices by Goal
SG 1 Establish an Organizational Training Capability
A training capability, which supports the roles in the organization, is established and maintained.
The organization identifies training required to develop the skills and knowledge necessary to perform enterprise activities. Once the needs are identified, a training program addressing those needs is developed.
SP 1.1 Establish Strategic Training Needs
Establish and maintain strategic training needs of the organization.
Strategic training needs address long-term objectives to build a capability by filling significant knowledge gaps, introducing new technologies, or implementing major changes in behavior. Strategic planning typically looks two to five years into the future.
Hint
Use strategic training to ensure that the organization continues to function as a learning organization, strengthens its core competencies, and remains competitive.
1. Training needs
2. Assessment analysis
Tip
Small acquisition-specific organizations may choose to use the practices in this process area to address all of their training. If so, the scope and intent of the practices should be expanded appropriately.
Subpractices
1. Analyze the organization’s strategic business objectives and process improvement plan to identify potential training needs.
2. Document the strategic training needs of the organization.
3. Determine the roles and skills needed to perform the organization’s set of standard processes.
4. Document the training needed to perform roles in the organization’s set of standard processes.
5. Document the training needed to maintain the safe, secure, and continued operation of the business.
6. Revise the organization’s strategic needs and required training as necessary.
SP 1.2 Determine Which Training Needs Are the Responsibility of the Organization
Determine which training needs are the responsibility of the organization and which are left to the individual project or support group.
Refer to the Project Planning process area for more information about planning needed knowledge and skills.
In addition to strategic training needs, organizational training addresses training requirements that are common across projects and support groups. Projects and support groups have the primary responsibility for identifying and addressing their training needs. The organization’s training staff is responsible for addressing only common cross-project and support group training needs (e.g., training in work environments common to multiple projects). In some cases, however, the organization’s training staff may address additional training needs of projects and support groups, as negotiated with them, in the context of the training resources available and the organization’s training priorities.
Example Work Products
1. Common project and support group training needs
2. Training commitments
Subpractices
1. Analyze the training needs identified by projects and support groups.
Analysis of project and support group needs is intended to identify common training needs that can be most efficiently addressed organization wide. These needs analysis activities are used to anticipate future training needs that are first visible at the project and support group level.
2. Negotiate with projects and support groups on how their training needs will be satisfied.
The support provided by the organization’s training staff depends on the training resources available and the organization’s training priorities.
3. Document commitments for providing training support to projects and support groups.
SP 1.3 Establish an Organizational Training Tactical Plan
Establish and maintain an organizational training tactical plan.
The organizational training tactical plan is the plan to deliver the training that is the responsibility of the organization and is necessary for individuals to perform their roles effectively. This plan addresses the near-term execution of training and is adjusted periodically in response to changes (e.g., in needs, in resources) and to evaluations of effectiveness.
Tip
For many organizations, this planning is performed annually, with a review taking place each quarter.
Example Work Products
1. Organizational training tactical plan
Subpractices
1. Establish the content of the plan.
2. Establish commitments to the plan.
Documented commitments by those who are responsible for implementing and supporting the plan are essential for the plan to be effective.
3. Revise the plan and commitments as necessary.
SP 1.4 Establish a Training Capability
Establish and maintain a training capability to address organizational training needs.
Refer to the Decision Analysis and Resolution process area for more information about analyzing possible decisions using a formal evaluation process that evaluates identified alternatives against established criteria.
1. Training materials and supporting artifacts
Subpractices
1. Select appropriate approaches to satisfy organizational training needs.
Many factors may affect the selection of training approaches, including audience specific knowledge, costs, schedule, and the work environment. Selecting an approach requires consideration of the means to provide skills and knowledge in the most effective way possible given the constraints.
2. Determine whether to develop training materials internally or to acquire them externally.
Determine the costs and benefits of internal training development and of acquiring training externally.
3. Develop or obtain training materials.
Training can be provided by the project, support groups, the organization, or an external organization. The organization’s training staff coordinates the acquisition and delivery of training regardless of its source.
4. Develop or obtain qualified instructors, instructional designers, or mentors.
To ensure that those who develop and deliver internal training have the necessary knowledge and training skills, criteria can be defined to identify, develop, and qualify them. The development of training, including self-study and online training, should involve those who have experience in instructional design. In the case of external training, the organization’s training staff can investigate how the training provider determines which instructors will deliver the training. This selection of qualified instructors can also be a factor in selecting or continuing to use a training provider.
5. Describe the training in the organization’s training curriculum.
6. Revise training materials and supporting artifacts as necessary.
SG 2 Provide Training
Training for individuals to perform their roles effectively is provided.
When selecting people to be trained, the following should be considered:
• Background of the target population of training participants
• Prerequisite background to receive training
• Skills and abilities needed by people to perform their roles
• Need for cross-discipline training for all disciplines, including project management
• Need for managers to have training in appropriate organizational processes
• Need for training in basic principles of all appropriate disciplines or services to support staff in quality management, configuration management, and other related support functions
• Need to provide competency development for critical functional areas
• Need to maintain competencies and qualifications of staff to operate and maintain work environments common to multiple projects
SP 2.1 Deliver Training
Deliver training following the organizational training tactical plan.
Example Work Products
1. Delivered training course
Subpractices
1. Select those who will receive the training necessary to perform their roles effectively.
The acquirer includes supplier representatives, as appropriate, to ensure selected suppliers can effectively interface with acquirer processes.
Training is intended to impart knowledge and skills to people performing various roles in the organization. Some people already possess the knowledge and skills required to perform well in their designated roles. Training can be waived for these people, but care should be taken that training waivers are not abused.
2. Schedule the training, including any resources, as necessary (e.g., facilities, instructors).
Training should be planned and scheduled. Training is provided that has a direct bearing on work performance expectations. Therefore, optimal training occurs in a timely manner with regard to imminent job performance expectations.
3. Deliver the training.
If the training is delivered by a person, then appropriate training professionals (e.g., experienced instructors, mentors) should deliver the training. When possible, training is delivered in settings that closely resemble the actual work environment and includes activities to simulate actual work situations. This approach includes integration of tools, methods, and procedures for competency development. Training is tied to work responsibilities so that on-the-job activities or other outside experiences will reinforce the training within a reasonable time after the training was delivered.
4. Track the delivery of training against the plan.
SP 2.2 Establish Training Records
Establish and maintain records of organizational training.
This practice applies to the training performed at the organizational level. Establishment and maintenance of training records for project or support group sponsored training is the responsibility of each individual project or support group.
Tip
To provide consistent and complete information on each employee, the training records may document all training, whether performed at the organization’s level or by a project or support group.
Example Work Products
1. Training records
2. Training updates to the organizational repository
Example Supplier Deliverables
1. Training records as appropriate
Subpractices
1. Keep records of all students who successfully complete each training course or other approved training activity as well as those who are unsuccessful.
X-Ref
To ensure that training records are accurate, you may want to use some CM practices.
2. Keep records of all staff who are waived from training.
The rationale for granting a waiver should be documented, and both the manager responsible and the manager of the excepted individual should approve the waiver.
3. Keep records of all students who successfully complete their required training.
4. Make training records available to the appropriate people for consideration in assignments.
Training records may be part of a skills matrix developed by the training organization to provide a summary of the experience and education of people, as well as training sponsored by the organization.
SP 2.3 Assess Training Effectiveness
Assess the effectiveness of the organization’s training program.
Tip
Training effectiveness can change over time. Initially, training may be done using one medium or mode of delivery to train large numbers of people, with another medium or mode of delivery then being employed to train the “stragglers.”
A process should exist to determine the effectiveness of training (i.e., how well training is meeting the organization’s needs).
Measures can be taken to assess the benefits of training against both the project’s and organization’s objectives. Particular attention should be paid to the need for various training methods, such as training teams as integral work units. When used, work or process performance objectives should be unambiguous, observable, verifiable, and shared with course participants. The results of the training effectiveness assessment should be used to revise training materials as described in the Establish a Training Capability specific practice.
Example Work Products
1. Training effectiveness surveys
2. Training program performance assessments
3. Instructor evaluation forms
4. Training examinations
Subpractices
1. Assess in-progress or completed projects to determine whether staff knowledge is adequate for performing project tasks.
2. Provide a mechanism for assessing the effectiveness of each training course with respect to established organizational, project, or individual learning (or performance) objectives.
3. Obtain student evaluations of how well training activities met their needs.