From Training to Development

The February 2003 issue of Training Magazine presented Booz Allen's Development Framework. Booz Allen used this framework to evolve its people strategy from training to long-term personal development. The framework includes development roles, performance expectations, development needs, and development roadmaps.

The basic premise of the Development Framework was to shift perception

from classroom and online training events to a holistic view of what's required to improve individual and organizational performance. The Framework process consists of four steps:

• Development Roles: Each role that can influence an employee's development is identified and defined. Typical roles include managers, mentors, subject matter experts (SME's), human resource specialists, peers, trainers, learning program developers, assessment specialists, training coordinators, and executive leaders.
• Performance Expectations: Each role is identified and defined to include what capabilities, tasks, and responsibilities students are expected to perform.
• Development Needs: For each role, the learning needs to meet identified performance expectations are defined. This can include a series of skills and competencies as well as functional or technical knowledge.
• Development Roadmap: A unique roadmap is created for each role by combining development roles and development needs. The roadmap is carefully crafted to include a rich blend of learning events and opportunities offered and coordinated by key development contributors. Mentors can support transition challenges, SME's can provide technical knowledge, learning events can support competency development, and peers can help with tactical issues.

The Development Framework is an easily understood approach for evolving a people strategy. For optimum success, it requires executive buy-in, a series of planning and focus meetings, expert assistance, and long-term commitment.