Book excerpt: Understanding performance improvement is imperative. Have you noticed the trend toward performance in your profession? It’s happening around the world. With organizations placing greater emphasis on results and accountability, having knowledge of performance is critical. In the revised second edition of Performance Basics learning strategist Joe Willmore guides you through human performance improvement—or HPI—and delves into major changes in performance analysis. See the Performance DNA process you know from ATD’s Human Performance Improvement program at work and discover why focusing on performance improvement is so important to organizational success. How do I conduct a front-end analysis? When should I focus on accomplishments? What is the importance of root cause analysis? And when do I administer formative, summative, and ROI analyses? If you’re grappling with any of these questions, you’ll find answers and step-by-step guidance inside. Get the results you need to generate organizational improvement and ensure you’re ready for your foray into performance consulting. You’ll find this book to be a useful tool. About the Series ATD’s Training Basics series offers techniques, examples, and exercises that help you perfect your skills and apply them on the job. Every title is designed to be a quick, concise crash course on a crucial training topic and features instruction for practical day-to-day application.