Cognitive Technologies

Performance DNA^™ to Improve Business Results

July 2010

Are you achieving the expected productivity and business results from all members of your team? Or, do you seem to be relying more and more on your “heroes” to get work done? We find these heroes, or key performers, in every industry, in all different types of job roles. You know who they are, and so do their peers. Statistically speaking, key performers are in the top 1-3 percent of the workforce for a specific job/role. Unlike traditional approaches that target substandard performers to identify ways to improve performance, Performance DNA^™ analyzes the key performers in a selected job role. Our goal is to isolate techniques you can use to move the bell curve for this job role forward, increasing the percentage of the population who can perform at above standard levels. This performance gain helps you achieve greater productivity without adding additional staff or exhausting your star performers.

How Performance DNA Works

Performance DNA examines the individuals who consistently produce the outcomes that matter to your organization. We “find what’s right,” then we use the analysis findings to (1) identify ways to create or improve the job design, hiring profile, training, job aids, or competency model and (2) identify barriers that should be removed. The goal—closing the performance gap by increasing the percentage of performers in the job role who can produce above average results.

Cognitive Technologies conducts most Performance DNA projects over the course of approximately 6-8 weeks, depending on the population size of the job being analyzed. We integrate our understanding of how people work, organizational development, and the impact of tools and processes, to identify the best ways to advance performance in your organization. Throughout the process you’re in good hands—the Cognitive Technologies team helped create the methodology and has trained numerous practitioners and organizations in its use.

Key Features of Performance DNA

• Business and results driven—we focus on the business goal(s) that define the current performance gap and will be enhanced by improved performance
• Eye on performance—we advise you in the selection of criteria for the key performers who will be interviewed
• Outcome-oriented analysis—our key performer interviews start with the end in mind—the primary outcomes of the job—and then focus on the most critical and important outcomes, to reveal how the primary outcomes are produced
• Efficient—our analysts all use Performance DNA Desktop software, designed to reduce analysis time from 20-50%, allowing analysts to share, consolidate, and print project information
• Managed—we apply project management best practices, communicating status and progress toward deliverables throughout the project.

Project Analysis Activities

Deliverables

The deliverables for a standard Performance DNA project include:

• A report and PowerPoint presentation summarizing findings, including the primary outcomes and work processes for the targeted job role and a set of recommendations to increase the percentage of key performers in the job
• A complete data set in Performance DNA Desktop format.

Ready to improve performance and productivity with Performance DNA?
…So are we!

For more information, or to find out how Performance DNA can add value to your business, contact us at info@cogtechinc.com.

Cognitive Technologies is a certified Microsoft® Partner, as well as a certified WBE/DBE and Texas HUB. We have provided Performance DNA analysis, consulting, and/or training for both commercial and government organizations.

Performance DNA is a trademark of Platinum Performance Group and ASTD.