Exploring Human Performance Technology (HPT) Models for Knowledge Workers

The purpose of this paper is to review a variety of challenges facing the Human Performance Technology (HPT) in supporting knowledge workers' performance, and to explore possible HPT models for knowledge workers. The first section of this paper investigates the core attributes and major models of HPT as a foundation. While HPT has a lot of strengths in terms of systemic, systematic, methodologically eclectic, evidence based, and results oriented approaches, some pitfalls - which could be detected if these principles were mindlessly applied to problem areas - are explored. The second section presents some considerations such as analysis, intervention design, and leadership that HP technologists need to take in order to make HPT a better field of practice for knowledge workers. The author also suggests a tentative diagnostic model and a process model for knowledge workers, core principles of which are based on systems thinking, in particular Senge's the fifth discipline and Checkland's soft systems methodology. The importance of formative evaluations to improve these models is noted as a conclusion.