About the 2000 Performance Centered Design (PCD) Competition 2000 

The fourth annual Performance Centered Design Competition was sponsored by  Lakewood Conferences' Performance Support Conference and the Performance Support Leadership Council. The awards were presented that the Online Learning and Performance Support Conference in Denver, Colorado. 

Competition Judges 

• Gary Dickelman 

• Tom McCann - Usability Manager, Small Business Services Center, Staples.com

• Bill Miller - Editor of EPSScentral and User Interface Design Specialist with Edward Jones. 

• Barry Raybould - Chairman, Ariel PSE Technology

Judging Criteria

1. Supports performers through best practice processes.

Synthesizes best practice behavior from multiple outstanding performers and incorporates best business practices or desired business practices that are not currently in place (as identified by business management).  Automates when possible and appropriate.  Stimulates performers through language, sequencing and other cues that prompt or enable what to do when (based on stored data, information, and performer input).  Creates deliverables using best practice form, content, language and style. 

2. Establishes, or aids in establishing, goals.

Includes explicit functions, elements, or components for the performer to select appropriate goals, presents relevant goals to the performer based on stored data/information or based on how performers have selected from among goals appropriate to the context, or re-directs performers toward only the most appropriate goals for the context.  Describes goal outcomes and delineates conditions, considerations, and/or criteria for selecting a goal.

Helps performers establish what they can do, want to do, or where to go, based on stored data/information.

3. Minimizes terminology translation or interpretation.

Uses commonly understood terminology and descriptors rather than technically correct but obscure language that requires deep understanding of the domain or an unreasonable memory burden.  If the performer interacts with others (customers, suppliers, work groups), the system facilitates use of language familiar to all, and which does not require them to interpret unfamiliar jargon.

Minimizes cognitive burden associated with interpreting terms of the content domain or software interface.

Calls a duck a duck.

4. Provides access to supporting and learning resources.

Integrates and makes visible support resources to further explain, illustrate or provide examples/non-examples about information, goals, outcomes, data, terminology, graphics, etc. that appear on the primary display.  Support resources might include things like:

• explanations

• tips

• examples/non-examples

• demonstrations

• advice

• walk-throughs (e.g. step-by-step explanation graphs, illustrations, procedures, processes, etc.)

• procedural steps

• process diagrams

• intelligent agents

• system messages (a.k.a. error messages, dialogs)

• exposition of underlying logic

These resources may be layered to accommodate performer diversity and/or to support the natural flow of work (i.e., resources are in support of criterion #5).

Support resources are represented in their most powerful form to achieve understanding, learning or task performance (e.g. a voice-narrated demonstration is more powerful than a procedural list when explaining a system interaction task; visual task models are more powerful than text descriptions; grids/tables are more powerful than text in paragraphs  Support resources are not merely collections of reference material made available to the performer, but explicitly support or enable the other PCD criteria.).  For example, support resources may appear in the interface to help the performer establish a goal or move the performer through the proper flow of work.

5.  Focuses on task(s), processes, and the natural flow of work.

Uses task models and/or sequencing to facilitate best practice work performance by performers.  Performers need not have internalized the task model and sequencing in advance to successfully perform the work.  Data input, retrieval and manipulation are presented within the task context rather than as the primary focus of the system or as items that the performer is burdened with identifying or retrieving once the task context is identified.  That is, the system can not require that the task model, data transformation, and navigation sequences be in the performer's head in advance with data-entry the only real goal of the system. 

Task sequencing is more than simply navigating through various data screens.  Task language, goals, and related resources are incorporated into the work-flows.

Reflects and/or accommodates the way work naturally occurs, thus supporting other PCD criteria (e.g., presents relevant data and tools to accomplish a goal at the proper point in the workflow).  Does not merely instruct the performer of which sequence to navigate, but facilitates proper navigation.  Passively constrains the performer to a flow or process in cases of high risk, or re-directs / suggests best alternatives when risk is low.  Generates deliverables automatically (e.g. file notes, communications, purchase orders, etc.).

6.  Stretches the PCD/EPSS paradigm.

By its forward-looking, anticipatory nature, this criterion defies concrete description.  In essence, the judges wish to be pleasantly surprised by clever design or application of performance-centered design principles in novel domains.  For instance…

It achieves profound, focused results with elegance, meaning that a great deal is accomplished by a performer who expends little effort and encounters minimal cognitive challenges as goals are established and accomplished.  (Example:  Completing a total sales transaction in one or two clicks.)

It is self-contained, with high levels of integration of all elements required for successful work performance by very experienced through very inexperienced personnel.  Appropriate constructs come to performer, regardless of competence / level of experience, without the performer having to make context- and experience-specific choices.

Changes dynamically to accommodate changes in business climate, organizational knowledge and strategy, and wisdom with a minimum of programmer intervention.  At the very least, it does not have to wait for the next release to respond to and accommodate business dynamics.

Continuously captures and incorporates task structuring, knowledge, data, tools and communications.  Represents each element in its most powerful form; e.g., highly visual, relationships are clear, language is natural.

Incorporates powerful, clever metaphors that enable many concepts, procedures, steps, and pieces of information to be assimilated and applied to the goal immediately and without confusion.  Anticipates and accommodates changing requirements of performers and business.

Surprises the performer with its richness, representation and power.  Is always self-revealing, regardless of how sophisticated the tasks it supports.  Makes life very easy for performers.

Criteria Weighting

The judges used a 0 to 5 point rating for each criteria. The rating is then multiplied by the weighting factor for each criteria which the calculates an overall score for each entry. The scores from each judge where then totaled and averaged to determine the awards. The weighting factor for each criteria is as follows. 

For additional information, contact Stan Malcolm (stan@performance-vision.com).

Thanks to all contest entrants and congratulations to our award winners!

Stan Malcolm, Ph.D., Principal
Performance Vision
17 Caffyn Drive
Marlborough, CT 06447
860-295-9711
http://www.performance-vision.com