Performance Support
Performance support is a broad term that we use to refer to anything employees use on the job to enhance or support their performance. The most common form of performance support is job aids but there are other forms too.
It could be as complex as augmented reality or as simple as a quick reference guide. Formal training is essential to build a foundation of knowledge but more is needed. Because learning doesn’t happen at a single point in time, reminders and support are necessary.
Learning is improved with spaced learning and performance support offers a great route to learning over time. Job aids and quick reference guides help remind employees of what they learned in formal training until it becomes part of their memory.
We build the right performance support to ensure what employees learn becomes part of their behavior.
How Performance Support Still Rules
Training doesn't have to be complex. Unfortunately, it is often made to be that way. Sometimes it's as simple as basic performance support for long-term employee success. These are some of the ways performance support still rules training success.
- Once training is done, job aids offer quick reminders for uncommonly performed tasks.
- Quick reference guides make it easy for employees to keep hard to remember information at their fingertips.
- Interactive scenarios give employees the tools to work through a scenario in real-time while on the phone.
- Offer support when employees are the most motivated to learn, while they're doing the task.
Performance Support Questions and Answers
We tried to predict some of the common questions you might have about performance support and preemptively answer them.
If you have a question that is not here, you can either check out the general questions and answers or even contact us to ask your own question.
- How long does it take to develop performance support?
Since performance support is somewhat of a vague description for a training deliverable, this answer can vary much more than other types of training.
Two main types of performance support we develop are job aids and quick reference guides.
If the only deliverable you need is performance support, depending on the actual item itself, the whole process can take from 2 weeks all the way to 2 months. That doesn’t mean they never take longer, but that’s our average time. The number of items and complexity of the task needed for each item also determines the time it takes which is why it’s always best to discuss with us your project needs so we can give you more accurate estimates.
- How much does an performance support cost?
Just as with the length of time to develop, the cost also varies by the type of performance support. That could be job aids, quick reference guides, or something else entirely.
A job aid typically costs between $1,000 and $1,500 and a quick reference guide between $750 and $1,250 to develop. That doesn’t means a quick reference guide could never cost more than a job aid or that the prices won’t go outside those estimates, but the complexity of each task will determine how much the performance support will actually cost.
- Do I get the source files?
Absolutely! Since you’re paying for it, you should also own the source files. For performance support, the source files are typically either a .doc file or, in some cases, Adobe Illustrator (.ai).
- What if I need to make changes?
We’re always available to make any updates you need whether a process changes or you want it modernized if someone else developed it.
If you would like to make the changes yourself, you’re welcome to because we will always provide you with the source file you can edit yourself.
See Performance Support Examples
Formal training is essential for the success of most IT launches, but they can't be fully successful without performance support. See some of the helpful tools we've developed to support employees in their work.