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Human Performance Center: Maximizing Sailors

Navy NewStand

Story Number: NNS030430-07
Release Date: 4/30/2003 5:15:00 PM

By Alan Flanders, Naval Personnel Development Command Public Affairs

DAM NECK, Va. (NNS) -- While not officially established, the Human Performance Center (HPC) is already changing the way the Navy does business. A key component of the Chief of Naval Operations' vision to revolutionize Navy training and education, this new command will be responsible for analyzing individual and organizational performance.

Additionally, the HPC will assist the fleet and learning centers to develop blended learning solutions that are mindful of manpower, equipment, policy and training, with the goal of optimizing warfighting performance and increasing operational readiness.

"This represents a fundamental change being brought about through the Revolution in Navy Training," said Commander, Naval Education and Training Command Vice Adm. Al Harms. "In understanding that training is simply one of many elements that contribute to human performance, and is not the single driver, the Navy can expect to continually enhance its operational proficiency."

Human Performance Professionals (HPPs), a new multidisciplinary workforce that will work with the learning centers, acquisition community and fleet to determine what the Navy needs to do to help Sailors accomplish their missions, will staff the HPC. By using the science of learning and leveraging adult learning methods for Sailors, performance professionals will help ensure the right opportunities are being offered to Sailors at the most appropriate times in their careers. HPPs will also determine what factors affect individual performance associated with a given task and recommend ways to enhance baseline performance.

"The establishment of this organization will give the Navy not only the people, but also the process, that will give us a disciplined approach to addressing the Navy's performance concerns," said prospective HPC Commanding Officer Capt. Matt Peters. "This initiative is going to give our Navy and our Sailors unprecedented educational tools and opportunities."

The HPC will apply the Human Performance Systems Model (HPSM) to improve the process of identifying requirements, analyzing potential solutions, developing and delivering training resources and measuring the final results. The HPSM will improve performance by allowing the Navy to clearly articulate fleet requirements, and recommend tools that specifically address those requirements. By using the performance model, the HPC will help to promote full exploration of all methods and technologies by which human performance can be developed and improved. Navywide application of this approach will ultimately result in a more responsive system to meet fleet warfighting needs.

"By giving our Sailors the best tools and opportunities to develop themselves professionally and personally, and to maximize their potential as individuals, we will increase our operational effectiveness," said Peters.

The HPC will focus primarily on supporting the Naval Personnel Development Command's learning centers, chartered to improve individual level performance in specific occupational fields and assigned all education and training courses associated with those particular communities of practice. HPPs will assist in defining job requirements, determining the knowledge, skills and abilities that Sailors must master, and identifying civilian certifications.

"The Human Performance Center is critical to the Revolution in Training's success," said Commander, Naval Personnel Development Command Rear Adm. Kevin Moran. "The HPC is going to work with our learning centers to make sure Sailors get the right training, at the right time, and in the right place."