Sense-making as a communication model for human performance improvement interventions

Currently, there is a knowledge gap in the field of human performance improvement (HPI) regarding the impact of communication campaigns to deploy performance improvement interventions and how that relates to training motivation and ultimately the expected outcomes from said interventions. When individuals are confronted with a learning activity, a process is activated that allows human beings to make sense of the situation in terms of their individual experience, perceptions, beliefs, feelings, motivations, and so on, which leads to activity or inactivity. Sense-making in this context refers to the cognitive process that bridges the gap between the need for training, as identified by the organization, and the active participation (training motivation) by the intended audience. The concept of utilizing communication campaigns designed to influence the sense-making process when individuals are confronted with a learning activity has never been explored in HPI. Furthermore, the literature review highlights the lack of research regarding the impact of communication strategies to deploy performance improvement interventions. Given the level of investment in training and performance improvement by organizations, research aimed at understanding the application of the sense-making process in HPI is warranted, particularly if the intended outcomes of the interventions are improved. The objective of this study was to apply the sense-making model to develop a communication campaign aimed at deploying a training intervention for teachers in an online high school and to evaluate the impact of the communication campaign on training motivation and ultimately on the expected outcomes of the training intervention. The study also evaluated the expected outcomes in comparison to the traditional means of deploying a training intervention at the host organization. Finally, the goal of the study was to develop a framework for developing communication campaigns to deploy training interventions as an integral component of the HPI model.