Performance Support & Job Aids What you'll walk away with: the ability to choose the right job aid format for any performance support need and defend that choice to stakeholders.
Not every performance gap needs training. These blocks cover the taxonomy, the decision framework, and the format logic — so you can match the right support type to the right situation.
01
Rossett & Schafer's job aid taxonomy
Three categories that cover every job aid you'll ever build.
Framework for every job aid request
02
Training vs. support: the decision framework
Six questions that determine whether to build a course or a job aid.
6-question decision checklist
03
The EPSS concept
Electronic Performance Support Systems: Gloria Gery's vision, realized.
The 1991 idea that finally arrived
04
Learning in the flow of work
Bersin's argument: the best learning happens when people don't leave their workflow.
Bersin's most practical insight
05
Format selection logic
Checklist, decision tree, quick reference, or flowchart? The task determines the format.
Decision tree for picking a format
06
Dillon's frontline microlearning model
Performance support as an ecosystem, not a single asset.
The ecosystem model in 2 minutes
Anti-pattern !!
Job aids that are just mini-courses
If the performer has to read it before starting the task, it's training disguised as support.
Is your job aid actually training?
Support outperforms training for Moments 3–5
Research: well-designed job aids produce higher task accuracy than training alone for on-the-job performance.
23% accuracy gap — cite this