Human Performance Technology (HPT) History
Human Performance Technology is a systematic examination of ways to improve workplace performance. It can trace its roots back to the industrial revolution of the late 1800’s when companies began to explore ways to make workplace performance more efficient. People such as Lord Kelvin, Henri Fayol, and Fredrick Winslow Taylor were some of the first men of the time to philosophize, design, and implement strategies to improve workplace performance (Chevalier, 2008). While much of the work focused on management and quality, if we are looking for a starting place for the movement to improve workplace efficiency, we should start with these men. If you had to pick one man, you could most likely pick Fredrick Taylor as the father of workplace improvement and for that matter Human Performance Improvement (Chevalier, 2008). In 1911, he published The Principles of Scientific Management, in which he describes a scientific way to find the “one best way” to complete a job (Chevalier, 2008). Soon after, many people took the torch and attempted to find better ways to enhance performance in the workplace.
It was not until the 1950’s and 1960’s that the modern Human Performance Improvement (HPI) and later Human Performance Technology (HPT) movement began. B.F. Skinner is a good place to begin when examining the modern HPT field. His publication of The Science of Learning and the Art of Teaching in 1954 lead to a movement that took his principles and developed the technological expertise of HPT today (Tosti, Kaufman, 2007). Important men such as Tom Gilbert and Lloyd Homme were students of Skinner and further developed his teachings (Tosti, Kaufman, 2007). Especially during the 1960’s can we see the field of HPT take off, as the monumental thinkers in HPT were all developing their theories during that time. From the 1970’s and onward, the field of HPT more or less builds off the ideas that were presented and developed in the 1960’s (Rummler, 2007). Tom Gilbert can especially be singled out as the modern father of HPT for his work in the field and the development of models such as the Behavior Engineering Model and the ABC model for improving human performance.
Much of the history of HPT involves the International Society for Performance Improvement or ISPI. Up to 1995, ISPI was called the National Society for Programmed Instruction (NSPI). NSPI was founded in 1962 to “collect, develop, and diffuse information concerned with programmed instruction” (Rummler, 2007). During the 60’s, the society was the place for people to gather, present, and develop theories of HPT (Tosti, Kaufman, 2007). Since then, ISPI continues to be the gathering place for HPT professionals and thinkers and also is the agency people go to in order to receive information regarding HPT. In 2001, ISPI developed the Standards of Performance Technology and its Code of Ethics that serve as the foundation for HPT professionals and the Certified Performance Technologist designation. This was one of the more important developments in HPT in recent history as it paved the way for HPT professionals to stand apart from others who claim to be performance improvement specialists (Chevalier, 2008). To this day, ISPI strives to be in the forefront of HPT practices and thinking.
It was not until the 1950’s and 1960’s that the modern Human Performance Improvement (HPI) and later Human Performance Technology (HPT) movement began. B.F. Skinner is a good place to begin when examining the modern HPT field. His publication of The Science of Learning and the Art of Teaching in 1954 lead to a movement that took his principles and developed the technological expertise of HPT today (Tosti, Kaufman, 2007). Important men such as Tom Gilbert and Lloyd Homme were students of Skinner and further developed his teachings (Tosti, Kaufman, 2007). Especially during the 1960’s can we see the field of HPT take off, as the monumental thinkers in HPT were all developing their theories during that time. From the 1970’s and onward, the field of HPT more or less builds off the ideas that were presented and developed in the 1960’s (Rummler, 2007). Tom Gilbert can especially be singled out as the modern father of HPT for his work in the field and the development of models such as the Behavior Engineering Model and the ABC model for improving human performance.
Much of the history of HPT involves the International Society for Performance Improvement or ISPI. Up to 1995, ISPI was called the National Society for Programmed Instruction (NSPI). NSPI was founded in 1962 to “collect, develop, and diffuse information concerned with programmed instruction” (Rummler, 2007). During the 60’s, the society was the place for people to gather, present, and develop theories of HPT (Tosti, Kaufman, 2007). Since then, ISPI continues to be the gathering place for HPT professionals and thinkers and also is the agency people go to in order to receive information regarding HPT. In 2001, ISPI developed the Standards of Performance Technology and its Code of Ethics that serve as the foundation for HPT professionals and the Certified Performance Technologist designation. This was one of the more important developments in HPT in recent history as it paved the way for HPT professionals to stand apart from others who claim to be performance improvement specialists (Chevalier, 2008). To this day, ISPI strives to be in the forefront of HPT practices and thinking.
resources:
- Chevalier, R. D. (2008). A Brief History of Performance Improvement. Performance Improvement, 47(6), 5-11. doi:10.1002/pfi.20002
- Rummler, G. A. (2007). The Past is Prologue: An Eyewitness Account of HPT. Performance Improvement, 46(10), 5-9. doi:10.1002/pfi.166
- Tosti, D. T., Kaufman, R. (2007). Who is the "Real" Father of HPT. Performance Improvement, 46(7), 5-8. doi:10.1002/pfi.143