2005 PCD Awards

The PCD Awards for 2005 will again showcase innovation that best represents performance-centered design (PCD) in two general categories - PCD Solutions and Extraordinary PCD Tools, and two states of deployment - in-production solutions/tools (operational, deployed to real users, or marketed and sold to real customers) and concept solutions/tools (FUNCTIONING proofs-of-concept, design prototypes and products that are not yet in production but have measurable PCD value).

Details :

(1) PCD Solutions are designed for clients, organizations, for internal use, as student projects, prototypes, and the like. These include:

(a) Traditional EPSS - external or extrinsic "EPSS" solutions with designs rooted primarily in learning or reference;

(b) Performance-centered workflow solutions - any PCD solution with a focus on directly supporting business processes (aka workflow);

(c) PCD makeovers - solutions that replace existing user interfaces with ones that exhibit attribute and behaviors of performance-centered systems;

(d) Embedded/ intrinsic PCD solutions - performer-centered solutions that are strictly embedded in the task context and focus on task completion - not learning - without breaking the task context or flow;

(e) PCD featuring innovative technology - any performance-centered solution that features technology other than just a user interface to enable or enhance performance; and

(f) Other distinguishing categories that may be assigned, depending on the PCD value of the entry. So do not worry if your proposed entry does not seem to fit the listed subcategories.

(2) Extraordinary PCD Tools for developing performance-centered systems and functions:

(a) Comprehensive web-based portals or content/learning/knowledge management systems that include features and functions specifically designed to create and support performance-centered systems for performers (end-users).

(b) Specialty performance support tools that address one or more elements of the PCD lifecyle, including but not limited to:

Process/workflow modeling and/or simulation

User experience, interface development/generation, usability

Content, information, knowledge engineering

Real-time assembly of performance objects

(c) Other distinguishing categories of PCD tools that may be assigned, depending on the PCD value of the entry.

Details of the state-of-deployment categories:

(1) In-production PCD Solutions and Tools are those that have been deployed to real performers (end-users) in corporate, government, or academic environments to solve specific performance problems. For such entries you must be able to articulate statistics, studies, or strong anecdotal evidence of differences between the state of performance before your PCD Solution or Tools were implemented/applied and after being placed in production/deployment.

(2) Concept PCD Solutions and Tools are those that have been designed and developed to address specific organizational performance needs, but have not been generally deployed . Examples are WORKING prototypes, proofs-of-concept, or WORKING releases of solutions/tools that are not yet ready/certified for general availability/distribution. For such entries you must be able to articulate the compelling performance needs that motivated development, the intended audience and circumstances of potential deployment, and the performance differences that you expect to measure, observe, and document following deployment. All Concept PCD Solutions must be working systems that exhibit most of the capabilties intended for deployment. No mockups or low-fidelity renderings will be accepted.

PCD AWARD SAMPLES

The PCD Awards have been given since 1997. Previous award recipients may be viewed here.

DATES ,DEADLINES and SUBMISSION FORMS will be available in January, 2005. Entries are typically closed on 1 July.

Entry fees for 2005: Corporate and non-DOD government entries: US$395. Student entries: US $225 for full or part time students whose entries are not in any way connected to corporate or government sponsored initiatives (e.g., graduate class projects, thesis/dissertation material, or post-graduate projects). DOD Entries (Active Military Projects only, not DOD contractors): FEES WAIVED. Student projects that are affiliated with formal contracts between organizations and educational institutions that specify work-for-hire must be submitted in the corporate or non-DOD government categories.

ELIGIBILITY

The PCD Awards are open to businesses, government agencies, educational institutions, and individuals engage in PCD. Vendors are welcome to submit their work but are strongly encouraged to do so in partnership with their clients.

JUDGING

PCD Awards are judged by an independent panel unaffiliated with EPSScentral. It is anticipated that volunteer judges who meet specific criteria will be invited to judge the 2005 award entries.

Questions: Click here.