Week 8 Assignment: Proposed Solution

In Weeks 2 through 7, you explored many different interventions and kept a log to collect all of the different intervention ideas. In the Week 6 assignment, you created a non-training intervention. In the Week 7 discussion, you looked at possible skills and knowledge interventions. With the conclusion of Week 7, you now have the information you need to write the Proposed Solution section of your course project.

Gilbert’s BEM has an implied priority for selecting interventions. Gilbert suggests that environmental factorsinformation, resources, and incentiveswill have the greatest results. He further suggests that information interventions are more likely to be successful than resources interventions, and so on. According to Gilbert, the numbering of the cells indicates the priority order for selecting interventions. Consider these factors as you make a final selection of interventions to resolve your performance problem. Be thoughtful about your intervention selections. This week is the very heart of the intervention selection process. It deserves careful consideration and attention.

Instructions

Write the Proposed Solution section of your proposal, using the intervention ideas you have collected over the last few weeks to help you select interventions for your performance improvement project. Make sure to keep track of all the factors you considered and the thought process you used to make your selections. (See the to see how this should look.)

You should recommend a minimum of five interventions for your project. Most people will have more.

Part 1: Rationale

List your proposed interventions and document your rationale for recommending this particular set of interventions in the Rationale section of your Proposed Solution. This is not only an important part of your grade for this assignment, but it is also an important part of any proposal that you would submit to stakeholders for approval of your recommendations. Include as a part of your assignment submission the list of interventions you have been collecting in the Appendix. Refer to the appendix in your narrative.

1. List the interventions you are proposing and identify them by type.
2. Synthesize the factors below into a persuasive justification for the interventions you are proposing. Make sure you do a good sales job of convincing the stakeholders to follow your recommendations. The Rationale section accounts for a major part of your score on your project. Make sure it is well-written, well-organized, and persuasive.

• Root causes. The first priority is to select interventions that are likely to address the root cause and close the performance gap. It is quite possible that you will have several interventions that met this criterion. Then some other factors need to be considered to make the final selection of interventions. Even if only one intervention seems likely to resolve the problem, these factors should be considered.
• Logistical constraints and limitations. All situations have some constraints and limitations, such as:
• Is the content subject to frequent change?
• Are the employees in one or multiple locations?
• Does the intervention involve segments of the organization or the entire organization?
• Is the intervention needed immediately, or is there time for development?
• Are subject matter experts readily available?
• What are the constraints and limitations for your project, considering that many other constraints and limitations affect every situation, and all must be considered when selecting interventions?
• Side effects. Consider each of the affected groups in turn and imagine how they might receive the intervention. Imagine the intervention in place.
• How might the situation change?
• Through visioning or group brainstorming, discern what side effects might result from the intervention and determine if those side effects are acceptable.
• Estimated cost. The cost of the intervention is a major consideration. Estimate the cost of the intervention and compare that with possible gains from implementing it. This may be just a rough estimate since it is beyond the scope of this course to address the details of cost-estimating.
• Consider the implications of allowing the gap to remain which you defined in the Significance of the Problem section of your Statement of the Problem assignment in Week 3.
• Is the intervention cost-effective?
• Priorities. Since funding is usually limited, it may be necessary to establish priorities for addressing performance gaps and implementing solutions. If your project has more than one performance gap, decide which one is most important. If you are planning more than a few interventions, can you afford to implement them all? If not, you may need to phase them in slowly.
• Include that here if you are dividing the interventions into phases (some postponed for later implementation).
• Explain why you feel these interventions are the best solution to the performance problem. If you considered and rejected some other interventions, then explain that as well.
• Include references to theory as appropriate to support your intervention selection decisions.

Part 2: Intervention Design Specifications

Provide detailed descriptions of each intervention you are proposing. These specifications must clearly communicate your expectations to colleagues or external vendors who might be involved in the actual design, development, and implementation of the interventions. It must provide sufficient detail about the nature and scope of the intervention for someone to estimate the time and cost to develop it.

Submit your completed assignment in the assignment area.

Your assignment submission will be assessed based on the following Proficient level criteria:

• List the proposed interventions and identify them by type.
• Analyze performance gaps and their root causes.
• Assess factors considered when determining suggested interventions.
• Persuasively justify to stakeholders why this set of interventions provides the best solution to the performance issue.
• Write detailed intervention descriptions that clearly communicate expectations to all stakeholders involved in the actual resourcing, design, development, and implementation of the interventions.
• Develop flow with organizational tactics that recognize the relationship between the main topic and subtopics.
• Include collection of at least five interventions in the appendix. This includes the title, the type of intervention, and the description of where and when the intervention would be used.
• Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
• Convey clear meaning through appropriate word choice and usage.
• Adhere to the rules of grammar, usage, and mechanics.

Read the Proposed Solution rubric to make sure you have an understanding of all rubric levels.

Additional Requirements

Your assignment should also meet the following requirements:

• Template: Use the Proposed Solution Template to complete this assignment.
• Font and Font Size: Times New Roman, 12 point, double-spaced.
• Length: There is no designated length.
• Formatting: Resources and citations are formatted according to current APA Style and Format guidelines. You may use numbered and bulleted lists. You may also use bold font formatting. You will insert all tables and figures in the appropriate position in the body of the paper rather than at the end as you would do for a manuscript you are submitting for publication. Any deviations from APA format must be done in such a way that they enhance clarity and readability of the proposal. Use
• for guidance in citing sources and formatting your paper in proper APA style. See the
• for more APA resources specific to your degree level.
• References: As required to support your ideas. Visit the
• for help finding resources in the Capella library.
• Appendix: Include your interventions collection list that you have been preparing throughout the quarter. Include a short narrative of why this exercise was helpful and the top three learnings from doing this exercise. Include the interventions list in the appendix. Remember, the list should be a table that includes the title of the intervention, the type of intervention, and a description of where and when you would use this intervention.

Competencies Measured

By successfully completing this assignment, you will demonstrate your proficiency in the following course competencies and rubric criteria:

• Competency 1: Analyze systems for performance strengths and deficiencies.
• Analyze performance gaps and their root causes.
• Competency 2: Select appropriate interventions that improve learning or performance.
• List the proposed interventions and identify them by type.
• Include collection of at least five interventions in the appendix. This includes the title, the type of intervention, and the description of where and when the intervention would be used.
• Competency 3: Evaluate workplace performance, learning strategies, and interventions.
• Assess factors considered when determining suggested interventions.
• Competency 4: Apply a leadership perspective to communicating clearly and effectively with stakeholders during the design process.
• Persuasively justify to stakeholders why this set of interventions provides the best solution to the performance issue.
• Write detailed intervention descriptions that clearly communicate expectations to all stakeholders involved in the actual resourcing, design, development, and implementation of the interventions.
• Competency 5: Communicate in a manner that is scholarly, professional, and consistent with expectations for members of the education profession.
• Develop flow with organizational tactics that recognize the relationship between the main topic and subtopics.
• Organize content so ideas flow logically with smooth transitions.
• Convey clear meaning through appropriate word choice and usage.
• Adhere to the rules of grammar, usage, and mechanics.