Performance-Centered Design (PCD) Awards 2003
SUBMISSION FORM - Extraordinary PCD Tools

Extraordinary PCD Tools are new technologies (tools, products, protocol) that were not previously available commercially or otherwise.  Innovative PCD Tools and Techniques are things that facilitate embedding support into other software, act as "agents" to deliver decision support at the time of need, integrate disparate end-user software, help anticipate and resolve performance challenges, use general inference techniques to eliminate complexity, reduce the need for conventional IT support, replace more conventional means of support, and the like.  These can be new components of existing PCD Tools and Techniques if they are sufficiently unique.

Excellent examples of Extraordinary Performance Centered Design Tools are those that facilitate creating and integrating performance support environments, such as alternate interfaces, merging disparate systems (via interface integration, middleware, agents, and the like); capturing and disseminating business processes and best practices; embedding “wizards” and other productivity enhancers into existing systems; providing decision support and workflow support; providing resources to quickly troubleshoot problems, answer customer questions, and the like.  Any tool that clearly stands head-and-shoulders above the rest in its category - or that defines a unique category -  for enhancing the creation of EPSS / Performance-Centered Solutions is a candidate for an Extraordinary PCD Tool.  Hardware and hardware devices that fit this description are also candidates.

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Entry Title	Powering the “Performance Group”
Submitted by:	Auxilium Performance Group, Inc.
Contact Name:	Bill Hauserman
Phone:	877-867-8988 x245
E-mail:	bhauserman@auxiliumpg.com
Address:	319 Centre Avenue #178 Rockland, MA 02370
Product / Component Name & Brief Description:	Provide the Extraordinary PCD Tool's name and a brief description (50 words maximum). Auxilium™ Performance Builder A web-based application that is designed to increase the performance of departmental or functional groups that perform activities focused on achieving shared goals. Auxilium™ Performance Builder allows non-technical group leaders and members the means to easily and affordably capture, classify, and retrieve all learning, information, and tools that are important to the group.
Vendor:	Same As Above.
Operating Environment:	Describe the computer operating system, technical environment, system resource requirements, ancillary software if applicable) , etc. Server Operating System: Microsoft Windows 2000 Server Web Server: Microsoft Internet Information Server Database Server: Microsoft SQL Server 2000 or Oracle 8i Browsers: Microsoft Internet Explorer V5.0+ and Netscape Navigator V6.0+
Product/Component Detailed Description:	Provide a detailed description of your Extraordinary PCD Tool (400 words max).  Explain how it helps to create performance-centered systems and what is unique about the tool. Auxilium™ Performance Builder is an open software application, based on current technologies, which gives groups the power to perform more effectively. Auxilium™ Performance Builder tightly integrates the most useful features of e-learning creation tools, portals, learning management systems, knowledge management systems, document management, and collaboration. The result is that this software suite is easy to afford, implement, and maintain. Now, any size performance group can quickly accomplish the following: Empower individuals to affect the performance of a group: Individuals are able to seamlessly integrate into their daily tasks all the learning, knowledge, tools, and experiences of the whole group. Individuals are able to share and exchange ideas with other group members. These exchanges of information are easily captured and classified to continually expand the groups’ collective knowledge repository. Provide group leadership with the means to empower and inspire individuals: Group leadership implements and has total control over an Internet application that provides the collective experiences and knowledge of the group for all to access. This performance enhancing application is available anywhere, any time, and will always be up-to-date. The application can be administered by anyone in the group without technical training and allows instantaneous creation and publishing of group information by the actual members responsible for that information. Auxilium™ Performance Builder provides the means to capture, classify, and disseminate everything that is important to the group. It was developed specifically to give performance-focused power to non-technical group members and leadership. This is accomplished through the integration of e-learning publishing, document and information publishing, collaboration, search, and the tracking of learning results and information usage by group members. Representative Functionality: General: Personalization User Information Views 7 User Profile 7 Personal Links 8 “My Headlines” Keywords 10 Search Features 11 Keyword Search Classification Search Classification Browse 12 Saved Searches 14 16 View Files, Documents, e-Learning, Discussions, Links, News1 Download Individual/Multiple Files & Documents Real-time Internet, browser-based 18 19 Publishing: Create and Manage e-Learning Courseware on the Web Video, Audio, and Animations Support Interactive Flash Animations Created with no Flash Expertise Multiple Instructional, Background Design, and Content Templates Software Simulation Support Practice/Quizzes Support Multiple Choice, Drag and Drop, Line-em-up, T/F Complete User Activity and Quiz Tracking and Reporting 44 2 Upload and 21Manage Documents (.doc, .xls, .jpg, .pdf, etc.) 21 Create and Manage News/Announcements, Multi-Page Information Snapshots, Web Links, and Threaded Discussions 29 Upload and Manage an Image Library 33 Create Custom Content Groups 52 Create Custom Emails to Select User Group 54s Administration: 56 Manage Users 56 Manage User Groups 58 Manage the User Profiles and Add Information Fields 60 Manage User and Publisher Viewing Permissions/Roles 63 Manage the Classification Scheme 65 View Reports and Export Data 67
Product use:	List/describe who uses the tool and for what purpose (400 words max). Members and leadership of performance groups use Auxilium™ Performance Builder to improve revenue, increase customer loyalty, drive franchisee knowledge, or whatever is used to measure a group’s performance. Additionally, the group reduces confusion and thus costs by providing quick and easy access to the information members need to do their jobs. Specific uses of Auxilium™ include: Knowledge and Best Practice Sharing: Enables group members to participate in a community of like-minded people who collectively share the same challenges, solve the same problems, and share the same performance goals. Easily Publish Custom e-Learning for all the training needs of the group. Use e-learning as an efficient way to get everyone up to speed quickly and consistently. Total publishing and content control is by group members and leadership from embedded instructional templates. Communicate Announcements, Headlines, News Items and Group Facts in one place, at one time and from one source. And all are available in a central, searchable repository. Enable Document Sharing so group members can access and add to the collected experience. Real-time Internet publishing provides the opportunity for members to have their articles, announcements or requests for information reach a wide audience. Encourage an Open, Two-Way Exchange to keep your team nimble, responsive and up to date. Leadership communicates to the group and the individual members communicate with each other and with leadership. Enable Responsiveness to Change: Change no longer has to mean confusion, inefficiency, and interruption. Strategy changes, product changes, program changes, and any organizational change can be communicated to and then supported for everyone, everywhere. Once Auxilium™ Performance Builder is in place, the process and procedures for disseminating and retrieving information are always in place. All change is consistently absorbed by the group as part of their normal routines. · Members Access Their Own Resource-Sharing Database with robust searching and downloading capability to provide for instant access to strategic or task-based information. · Publish Robust Documents, including embedded images and related links, to produce a cohesive presentation around a particular issue, such as a new product roll out or customer profile. · Use the Built-In Reporting System to track what types of information and materials are truly of value to your group and how individual members perform in e-learning modules. · Take Advantage of Custom User Groups so that people who share similar information needs – such as the brands they sell, the customer they serve, or the region they manage – see exactly what they need. · Use enhanced email functionality to communicate quickly with your custom user groups. Build Commitment: Create a virtual community for all members of the group with one shared focus – individual and group performance! Use Auxilium™ to Inspire your group as well as to inform them. Information about crucial, inspirational or interesting developments involving your organization, your group, your products, your programs, and your constituents keep everyone in the loop and in the know. Use “PUSH” Capabilities to ensure that everyone sees what is deemed most important and is on the same page with the same data. Publish documents and then “PUSH” them to everyone for current and future use.
Deliverables provided and samples:	When PCD developers use the tool, exactly what do they produce; i.e., what is the deliverable (200 words max)? Typically, members of a performance group, with no IT expertise, use Auxilium™ Performance Builder to create an Internet site for the exclusive use of group leadership and members. APG, Inc. or its partners provide the PCD consulting as required to get a group started. Essentially, group leaders “push” important information or learning to all members or specific sets of members. Members “pull” information or learning in response to the tasks they are trying to perform. This Internet site is a constantly growing, searchable repository of all learning and information important to the group. Furthermore, each member can have a personal “home page view” into this repository that is consistent with their job and tasks. The group members tasked with publishing information and learning to the repository use on-line publishing wizards to create or upload content. They then classify every addition according to a pre-determined taxonomy that reflects the information needs of the group as a whole and of individual members. This classification step ensures that members can retrieve up-to-date information and learning for any task required of them. Generally, one or two group members will be assigned as administrators for the application. Administrators use on-line wizards to manage user viewing and system rights and to add or modify user profile information. In the same way, administrators manage the user groups, the classification system, and can access several types of system reports on user activity and information usage.    Provide access to at least one sample deliverable (preferably more than one) and describe the results achieved (i.e., how is performance supported and how is using such solutions better than alternatives (300 words max)? Listed below are three URL’s for sample applications with user accounts and privileges as indicated. APG can not provide access directly to private customer sites, but the first two examples closely mirror actual use as described in the site abstract. Administrators and Publishers generally attend a 2 hour on-line training session to learn to use Auxilium™ Performance Builder, but feel free to explore as directed below. E-Learning publishing has not been enabled due to its media/graphics requirements. HELP should be able to answer most questions. The first site particularly is meant as a playground. #1: www.auxiliumpg.com/tryit Accounts: performance1 through performance6 (6 sequentially numbered, individual user id’s with password same as the id; all lower case) Privileges: Full Administration and Publishing This site is modeled on an actual site used by Unilever’s Global Sales Team that sells to Wal-Mart Stores. It is a “play” site used for demos so feel free to publish items and explore the administrative features. For the Unilever sales team the actual site replaced email, shared file folders, and certain enterprise software tools for information exchange. It was designed for dial-up so the home page is purposely void of graphical images. In the actual application, Unilever’s Wal-Mart Team headquarters members administer the site and publish all learning and information generated at headquarters. Each country also has publishers and can restrict the viewing of the information to the members of that country. Key draws to the site are the performance numbers, strategy documents, and group announcements. A quote from the manager of the team says it all; “People spend less time looking and more time doing!” #2: www.auxiliumpg.com/apgdemo2 Accounts: groups1 through groups6 (6 sequentially numbered, individual user id’s with password same as the id; all lower case) Privileges: Publishing, Viewing, Downloads, Discussion Topics, Search This site models an actual e-learning/knowledge centric site developed for the Navy Federal Credit Union. The course lens in this demo site is an assortment of over a dozen course samples from media intensive to just text/graphics. The surrounding lenses provide white papers, articles, news, and discussions in much the same way as any group would segment their learning and information for maximum accessibility by distributed personnel. Prior to e-learning and knowledge-sharing via the Internet/Intranet, NFCU used mostly live instruction. Feel free to view and/or download additional information on APG’s approach available as .PDF documents. #3: www.carepoints.org (this is a Public site for a Non-Profit organization) Accounts: Self-registration Privileges: Viewing, Downloads, Discussion Topics, Search This public site was designed to bring the parents and health-care workers treating medically-complex children together to share experiences and knowledge. Volunteers from around the country publish specific information types and keep it up to date. Parents contribute thoughts on how to cope with the stress and how to create the best environment for the child. The measure for this performance group is in the quality of life improvements for the whole group. Email and US Mail was the only means this group had for communicating, sharing, and collaborating before deploying Auxilium™ Performance Builder.
What difference does this tool make?	What difference does your tool/product/component make with respect to supporting performance; i.e. why should we care about it (300 words max)? Most organizations are made up of several performance groups. Because of the advances in Internet technology over the last few years, it has become easier for an organization to provide information and learning at a macro, organizational level than ever before. The problem has been that the costs and implementation complexity of these enterprise systems are still significant. This has meant that the individual performance groups have no way to use the enterprise systems for their own performance objectives. Auxilium™ Performance Builder was designed and engineered with the performance group in mind. And not just for the affordability and ease of implementation, but for the fact that non-technical group members administer the application and publish all content. Now, the actual performers are empowered to control the creation, storage, and retrieval of all the information and learning critical to their group’s success.
What else makes this tool extraordinary?	Describe anything else that contributes to this being an extraordinary entry (200 words). A performance group requires learning, sharing, and collaboration in order to maximize performance. Sharing and collaboration tools abound and in Auxilium™ Performance Builder we have built in the most needed features. But learning creation is hugely important to orient everyone so that true performance improvement can be achieved. While there are many tools that allow an individual to create learning, they usually require extensive instructional design expertise to achieve effective learning. With Auxilium™ Performance Builder’s e-learning creation modules come over 10 years of experience by APG’s principals in creating the richest, most effective e-learning. What we learned has been embedded into the learning templates and the training we provide our clients thus allowing non-instructional designers to create media-rich, interactive, and engaging e-learning content. Put this all together, and Auxilium™ Performance Builder is extraordinarily capable of advancing the goals of any performance group.
NOTES AND REMINDERS
Fees:	Please enclose your non-refundable US $550 entry fee in the form of a check made out to EPSScentral LLC, or organize payment through PayPay (www.paypal.com). Should your entry win an award, you are responsible for all additional costs associated with attending the conference, awards presentation, and demonstration session at Online Learning 2003 in Los Angeles.
Permission to Publish	Entering the competition constitutes permission to publish your submission on the web.  Please signify your understanding and acceptance of this requirement by signing the publication release form.
Submission details:	Please provide: 6 copies of your HTML submission using the above template 6 copies of any supporting media to provide judges with a live experience (URL, CD, Video, DVD).  If you are providing a secure link, please provide 6 (six) logins and passwords. Your non-refundable check for $550.00 made out to EPSScentral LLC, or the equivalent transaction completed via PayPay. Your signed permission form (see below). Send to: 2003 PCD Awards c/o EPSScentral LLC 6909 Pacific Lane Annandale, VA 22003-5936 All materials must be postmarked by July 15, 2003.  If paying via PayPal, transaction must be complete by July 15, 2003.
Information:	Contact Gary Dickelman at: 703-622-9747 gdickelman@epsscentral.com