Page 43 - Making Instruction Work

chap 4 3/4/97 4:56 PM Page 31

performance analysis 31

To make sure that instruction is used only when it will teach
people what they don’t already know, and that solutions are
found that will solve the problem, you need to begin by
describing the performance discrepancy in performance
terms. You need to describe:
a. what they should be doing, and

b. what they are now doing.

If a performance discrepancy exists, then you need to deter-
mine whether the difference is due to a skill deficiency or to
something else. If they aren’t doing what they should be doing
because they don’t know how, then instruction may be a use-
ful remedy. But if they already know how and aren’t doing it,
then some other remedy needs to be applied.
With the performance analysis you will be able to:

a. identify discrepancies between what people are now
doing and what they should be doing,

b. determine the causes of the discrepancies, and

c. point to remedies that will solve the problem.