A Process Management Process Area at Maturity Level 3

The purpose of Organizational Training (OT) is to develop skills and knowledge of people so they can perform their roles effectively and efficiently.

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.

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.

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.

Success in training is indicated by the availability of opportunities to acquire the skills and knowledge needed to perform new and ongoing enterprise activities.

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.

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 Goal and Practice Summary

SG 1 Establish an Organizational Training Capability

SP 1.1       Establish Strategic Training Needs

SP 1.2       Determine Which Training Needs Are the Responsibility of the Organization

SP 1.3       Establish an Organizational Training Tactical Plan

SP 1.4       Establish a Training Capability

SG 2 Provide Training

SP 2.1       Deliver Training

SP 2.2       Establish Training Records

SP 2.3       Assess Training Effectiveness