EPSS: Expanding the Perspective

The concept of EPSS is evolving and developing as we gain greater experience with the design, development and implementation of these types of software systems. Some definitions suggest that an EPSS should contain hypermedia, multimedia or computer based instruction components. While many electronic performance support systems will contain these types of features, this perspective may inadvertently narrow the EPSS vision.

A Definition of EPSS

To avoid the possible narrowing of the EPSS vision, I would like to propose the following results-based definition.

An electronic performance support system is any computer software program or component that improves employee performance by either

1. reducing the complexity or number of steps required to perform a task (process simplification),
2. providing the performance information an employee needs to perform a task, or
3. providing a decision support system that enables an employee to identify the action that is appropriate for a particular set of conditions.

What is Performance Improvement?

With this definition, a software system can be an electronic performance support system if it produces a measurable improvement in employee performance. An EPSS should therefore enable an employee to perform a task

1. in less time,
2. with fewer errors,
3. with better results, or
4. with less training or external support.

When assessing the benefits of an EPSS, we need to consider the outcome of all of these factors. It is possible that performance support system will not reduce the time in takes to perform a task. A system may even increase the performance time, but this increase could be offset by a reduction in training time or the number and frequency of performance errors.

What is Process Simplification?

Process simplification can improve employee performance by reducing the time and cognitive effort required to accurately recall procedural steps. For example, in many organizations it may be possible to reduce the time and cognitive effort required to prepare standard documents with a word processor program.

To prepare a document, an employee will typically start with a blank word processor document, type the document content, and then format the document to the appropriate style. To format the document, the employee must know enough about the word processor to use all the various formatting techniques, like character formatting, paragraph alignment, etc. The word processor may also enable an employee to use more than one method to create a particular layout. For example the employee may be able to use borderless tables or tab stops to create columns of text or numbers. The employee must decide which technique is most efficient for the given situation.

In many cases this document creation process can be simplified by using templates and macros. These tools enable an organization to define the formatting of a standard document. In some cases the word processor can be programmed to present a series of dialog boxes that prompts the employee to enter particular types of information. In this situation, the employee does not need to know how to format documents or select the most appropriate formatting technique.

What is Performance Information?

By providing just-in-time performance information, we can reduce the time and cognitive effort that would otherwise be required for an employee to commit these procedures to memory. An employee may be able to use this information to perform the task for the first time or to fill-in memory gaps. This performance information may be presented in the form of text, a multimedia presentation or a computer-based training module.

I would like to make a distinction between performance information and business information. Performance information is that information that enables an employee to perform a task or provide a service. Business information is that information that an employee may provide to others such as customers. The goal of an EPSS may be to enable employees to find and properly provide information to others. An EPSS may present performance and business information using the same basic devises, but each type of information has a distinctly different purpose.

What is a Decision Support Systems?

A decision support system can enable an employee to take the appropriate or required action without the need to fully understand or recall the rules that govern the decision making process. The employee only needs to know the current set of conditions.

For example, a decision support function could consist of a series of screens that display questions. By responding to these questions, an employee can navigate a decision algorithm, without the need to know the rules that govern decision.

Some electronic performance support systems may contain decision flowcharts or other diagrams that are designed to support the decision making process. While they may support the decision making process, for the purpose of this definition these would not be classified as a decision support system, but rather they are part of the performance information system.

Types of EPSS

An EPSS is not a specific type of system that contains certain features. Rather, it is a range of strategies and solutions that use computer software to improve employee performance. We can categorize this range of options into three basic types of EPSS.

1. Software Enhancements
2. Navigational Performance Support System
3. Integrated Performance Support System

While there is not a clear demarcation between each type of system, this classification scheme can help us to further develop and communicate the principle of EPSS

Software Enhancements

An organization can sometimes improve performance by making some minor changes to an employee's existing software environment. This may involve using

1. the macros or templates features of their current software or
2. add-in programs that enables one to automate task or display performance information.

This strategy generally does not substantially change the way an employee uses their software. It merely creates some additional functionality that can improve performance. Many of these strategies can be implemented with a limited amount of technical expertise and at a very low cost.

In some instances an organization can use the template or macro capabilities in their existing software to reduce the steps required to perform a task. For example, you could use a word processor's macro language and template functions to automate the process of creating a memo, letter or other type of printed document. You can use these features to enable employees to create part of or all of a document by simply adding text to a series of pop-up dialog boxes.

If an existing application program lacks a macro language, you can use a program like SmartPad to write simple macros that can automate some procedures. SmartPad also enables you to create your own custom button bars for an existing Windows and DOS application. You can use these buttons to run SmartPad macros, launch another application or send a series of keystrokes to an existing application.

By using a product like Tagalongs you can attach text and sound files to any window, file, dialog box, or screen object. For example you can use this product to quickly add tool tips to any button bar in an existing Windows application. When an employee puts the mouse pointer on a button, Jot-it will pop-up a small text box that contains your description of the function of the button.

With a product like Quick Cards, you can create a series of help topics that can contain both text and graphics. You can also use the program to launch another program, like a training module. While these help topics are not context-sensitive, a topic can be readily located in the Quick Card table of contents.

Some people may consider these types of performance improvement strategies to be little more that “Band-Aid solutions”. However, they can sometimes be a very quick and extremely cost effective method for substantially improving employee performance. They can also provide a way of testing ideas and learning about EPSS, before committing to the development of a more expensive and comprehensive system.

Navigational EPSS

Typically a software navigator performance support system uses existing software applications in combination with a custom program. An employee will typically use the navigator component to identify and find information about the appropriate action for a given situation. The program generally contains or provide access to performance information. It also enables an employee to launch or switch to a business application, once they have identified the appropriate action.

Many navigational performance support systems are developed with hypertext or hypermedia programs that create a navigational environment that is somewhat like the Internet. With these systems an employee can find information by using one or more indexes or a full text search. Sometimes the systems will contain link activators that will launch or switch to a business application, like a corporate database system. In other cases the navigator may simply provide the detailed procedural information for using the business application to perform a task. The following diagram illustrates the possible software linkages.

An organization might use this type of EPSS if their existing business applications are performing well and will likely not be replaced or redesigned in the foreseeable future.

Integrated EPSS

An integrated electronic performance support system is a software program that contains both performance support and business application functions. While it may consist of one or more software programs, it is typically designed as an integrated unit that does not incorporate existing software applications. This type of system combines and integrates performance information, decision support functions and process simplification.

An integrated EPSS can be a custom program designed and developed for a specific organization or a software program designed to perform a specific business function that is typical for most organizations. Several software development companies have developed integrated performance support systems for general business functions like employee performance appraisals, accounting and business planning. Quicken's Quickbooks is an example of an integrated EPSS that performs a specific business function.

Conclusion

An EPSS is not a software system that contains a specific set of features and functions. Rather, it is a matter of modifying and developing software to measurably improve employee performance. These improvements can be achieved with a variety of software development and enhancement strategies. An EPSS can be a simple word processor macro that reduces time and cognitive required to produce a standard business document or a fully integrated custom software program that contains all the performance information and decision support functions that an employee needs to perform their job.

© Bill Miller 1996