Formative Questions

This SMI Corporate Standards Document describes the emerging environment of a global Platform that offers Applied Intuitive Solutions. As a prerequisite to using this document, we must first discuss four formative questions:

• What is an Applied Intuitive Solution, an AISTM?;

• What makes the solution “intuitive”;

• What is meant by the Applied Intuitive Solution Platform?, and

• How does the AIS Platform relate to competence and skills mastery?

Answer to Question (1):

An AIS™ is the kind of solution that works because it is derived from previously successful attempts to resolve unpleasant situations of a similar description in multiple locations. In effect, an AIS™ provides a brief but potent Applied Intuitive Solution™ to a pressing problem that decreases human performance personally or organizationally. The AIS™ begins as a client situation. This generates a consulting deliverable. Using our Internet Assistant Action Leaning Model™, the consulting deliverable becomes a derived solution. This becomes an Applied Intuitive Solution™. Moreover, with intelligence added to guide the evolution of the Applied Intuitive AIS™, we form our Applied Intuitive Solution™. 

2.2 Answer to Question (2)

An AIS™ is an intelligent solution because:

• Its previous history of success in resolving real-world situations can be logically leveraged to rapidly resolve a range of situations of a certain class derived from a similar problem or group of problems that inspired the base solution now employed to generate the AIS™ action plan, and

• The solution is encapsulated within a logical envelope empowered by an Artificial Intelligence enabled Neural Net. This empowers the one to one or one to many capability of intelligent decision-making inherent in the AIS™.

2.3 Answer to Question (3):

The AIS™ Platform is the technical environment that delivers a personally specified “wrap-around” AIS™ capability. The AIS™ Platform is much more than an application or collection of applications. It is an evolutionary environment, a social-technical-system (STS) in which the repository of solutions is continuously growing and evolving as the number of Platform Residents grows. As Platform Residents continually create their own space on the Platform, they gain access to a highly personalized environment of “wrap-around” solutions they access to facilitate their decision-making in resolving a range of challenges and problems that require rapid response. In providing Applied Intuitive Solutions™ , the Platform guides and informs the evolutionary unfolding of each-users life by enabling them to resolve formerly painful challenges that reduce performance.

2.4 Answer to Question (4)

Since the AIS™ Platform serves as the home of a personally unique intelligent avatar that enables an Platform Resident to rapidly apply enduring solutions to the problems and challenges of life, it becomes the platform that expands the mastery of skills that contribute to high performance and deepen individual competence. In this respect, then, the AIS™ Platform creates an environment where intelligence and competence make a different in the life of each Platform Resident by leading him or her to virtually resolve a range of problems that thereby enhance the mastery of the Platform Resident’s life.

3.0 AIS™ Platform Development and Implementation 

The development of the AIS™ Platform overcomes many challenges spanning technical, behavioral, and contextual domains. The development of an AIS™ Platform requires a personal space encapsulated within an environment of Applied Intuitive Solutions™. In this sense, the Platform is not a collection of applications. Such an intelligent Platform requires designers to link strategy to Innovation to solutions to Platform Residents.

3.1 The New Competence

Obviously, with the rapid spread of a new kind of information technologies and the risks they pose to the well-being of Platform Residents, yesterday's attitude about competence is insufficient for tomorrow. For the SMI Corporation, competence consists of four defining characteristics. A competent person: 

• Possesses the requisite knowledge to succeed in a given situation.

• Is willing to perform a specific task.

• Applies this knowledge as required by the situation in a good enough manner that can be modified as necessary to satisfy the needs of unfamiliar situations.

• Possesses the social skills to apply the requisite knowledge good enough.

• Competence, therefore, consists of four substantial elements: (1) knowledge, (2) willingness, (3) adjustable good enough actions (Differentiated Solutions), and (4) social acumen. The AIS™ Platform delivers solutions of the requisite knowledge that enables Platform Residents to succeed in a given problem situation.  Moreover, by providing brief but potent solutions to a specific problem offering a guide to action, our Platform increases the willingness of Platform Residents to perform specific tasks. Here, each Platform Resident can now apply the appropriate AIS™ in a good enough manner to resolve the unfamiliar situation. The AIS™ Platform can likewise build the social skills of each Platform Resident so he or she is more able to apply the required solutions to the given situation. 

The Four Substantial Elements of Competence

 •Knowledge

•Willingness  to Perform Tasks

•Differentiated Solutions

•Social Acumen

3.3 An Emergent Model of Use

The High Technology environment is defined by Common Standards of Use that support evolving business models and leverage information technologies to achieve business success. For example, Software as a Service (SaaS) is such a standard.  Here companies move from expensive up-front, fee-based licensing models to innovative subscription-based fee structures that reduce the upfront cost burden of clients and establish new kinds of continuous business relationships.

SMI Corporation employs an emergent model that delivers Applied Intuitive Solutions™ to Platform Residents anywhere an Internet connection is available. All AIS™ must meet the criteria of authenticity and integrity defined in the SMI Corporation’s Standard.

Introduction 

With the Rapid Solutions Platform™ (RSP™), SMI Corporation delivers a problem-solving Platform designed for professionals in medium and large enterprises.  The RSP™ delivers:

• Potent solution to enterprise competitiveness;

• Evidence-based problem-solving Platform designed to improve enterprise communication and teamwork skills among workplace relationships, and

• Repository of Applied Intuitive Solutions™ (AIS™) to rapidly change how the enterprise solves problems.

The AIS™ is scientifically rooted in more than 50 years of research and insight gained from the application of teamwork principles in organization throughout the world.  Developed by Dr. Raymond L. Newkirk, the RSP™ delivers evidence-based solutions rapidly by:

• Forming highly effective teams that employ people, information, and resources to deliver acceptable outcomes within the constraints of time, money, and skill;

• Deepening the awareness of teams about the implications of their roles and responsibilities;

• Effectively share information to more rapidly eliminate or reduce work-related conflicts, and

• Realistically define the expectations of quality throughout the enterprise and remove the barriers to it. 

The RSP™ defines a three-stage process that enables enterprise clients to create and sustain a potent Problem Management environment designed to improve the effectiveness of problem-solving, consulting, coaching and training by introducing:

• Pre-implementing assessment to evaluate enterprise readiness;

• Orientation for RSP™ Activators and Platform Residents to facilitate implementation and adoption, and

• RSP™ implementation, team integration, maintenance, and improvement to expand the acceptance of the AIS™. 

The RSP™ orientation content is an easy-to-follow comprehensive multimedia kit that contains:

• Orientation modules in text and mobile format;

• Pocket guide that corresponds with the deeper version of the Orientation;

• Video vignettes to illustrate key concepts, and

• Content on Problem Management, Change Management, RSP™ Coaching, and RSP™ implementation.

Three Stages of the RSP™ Delivery System 

Introduction 

The three stages of RSP™ implementation are derived from the experience of Dr. Raymond L. Newkirk introducing technical environments to clients around the globe and changing their organization cultures to become more competitive.  A successful RSP™ adoption requires an in-depth assessment of the enterprise (or organization) and its processes and a realistic implementation and maintenance plan. 

Stage One: RSMP™ Readiness Assessment 

We determine a client’s readiness for adopting a RSP™ Problem Management transition.  SMI Corporation views this assessment process as an orientation needs analysis rather than the customary training needs analysis. The assessment builds the foundation for implementing the RSP™ as a Platform for team-oriented problem management.

Stage Two: The RSP™ Client Assessment 

SMI Corporation assesses the client’s enterprise to identify opportunities for adopting the RSP™ to improve the client’s Problem Management Process. The assessment enables SMI Corporation and the client to determine the readiness of the enterprise to successfully transition to the RSP™ problem-solving approach. The assessment evaluates leadership support while identifying actual and potential barriers to implementing the change inferred by the RSP™ Problem Management.  The assessment also enables SMI Corporation to decide whether the client has appropriate resources to successfully support the RSP™ program. We describe each part of the Stage One Assessment below: 

Establish an Enterprise-Wide Problem Management Transition Team. 

SMI Corporation ensures that the enterprise-wide transition team consists of a multidisciplinary team that represents the units and departments within the enterprise. The client ensures that the transition team consists of organization leaders who are committed to adopting the RSP™ to change the existing problem management culture.

Conduct a client enterprise-wide assessment. 

The enterprise-wide assessment consists of an orientation needs analysis. SMI Corporation engages this kind of assessment to:

• Carefully identify Problem Management deficiencies in the enterprise, and

• Develop orientation programs that will eliminate the deficiencies.

SMI Corporation uses the information discovered during the assessment to:

• Identify important orientation requirements, and

• Derive the orientation objectives.

Stage Three: Define the Opportunity for Improvement Addressed by the RSP™.

The assessment team begins the process by first identifying the recurring problems that threaten enterprise-wide productivity, performance, and competitiveness. The team then determines how these problems emerge from the existing business and management processes and procedures. As an assessment deliverable, the team develops a model of the process as it exists during the occurrence of the problem. Using the assessment information and process map, the assessment team determines what kinds of interventions will best resolve the problems.  The assessment team defines the objectives of the interventions, and determines whether the enterprise will engage in these interventions and if the enterprise is ready to implement the interventions. 

Define the Goal of the RSP™ Intervention.

Following the assessment, SMI Corporation working with the client identifies the goals that will reduce or eliminate the problems that negatively impact productivity and performance. The client may even employ the RSP™ as a risk management Platform to normalize performance. SMI Corporation and the client use the goals statement to define the enterprise expectations for the RSP™ and identify who will be involved in using the RSP™.  The team will also identify how their problem-solving behavior will change, and when and where the changes will occur. Ideally, the transition team will define a team oriented problem management process goal, a team oriented problem management outcome goal, and a workplace relationship outcome goal.

Stage Four: RSMP™ Planning, Orientation, and Implementation 

Since SMI Corporation designed the RSP™ to fit the client’s enterprise, we offer several options for implementation. As long as the client maintains the fundamental problem management or problem-solving objectives, SMI Corporation can adapt the RSP™ implementation: 

• Implement complete Virtual Expert Intelligence System™ (VEIS™) in the entire organization;

• Implement a phased approach that targets specific AIS™ for specific units or departments;

• Implement a selection of individual AIS™ Focus Areas introduced at specific intervals according to plan, and

• Implement a complete VEIS™ for specific units or departments.

Details for Planning, Orientation, and Implementation of RSP™

Stage One Assessment prepared the framework for the Planning Stage of RMP™ adoption. Here SMI Corporation and the client identify opportunities for using the RMP™ and define the implementation strategies. Following this, of course, we detail a specific implementation plan for the enterprise and recommend an action plan to roll-out the RMP™.  We conclude by preparing and presenting the orientation process and implementing the RMP™ according to requirements. A brief description of the planning, orientation, and implementation activities follow:

Stage 5: Define the RSP™ Opportunity 

First, we decide on the scope and depth of the orientation process.  Do we do present the RSP™ orientation as a phased approach or as a single presentation? For best results, we may prefer to deliver the Orientation to one Business Unit at a time to optimize knowledge transfer.  Since this is an introduction to the RSP™ capabilities, we want to simplify and clarify rather than overload and confuse the audience. If we present the orientation to one business unit at a time, we can link the RSP™ to specific challenges of Problem Management and identify specific opportunities for performance improvement.  

Design and Plan an Approach to Continuously Assess the Effectiveness of the RSP™ 

In an effort to maintain RSP™ environmental integrity, we assess the orientation and RSP™ continuously. We evaluate the impact of our orientation activities to determine what else we can do to assist each organization and to assess the impact of the RSP™ to continuously adapt it to the client situation.  For example, SMI Corporation wants to determine whether the orientation enable the client to acquire new knowledge, skills, or attitudes about the RSP™ at the end of orientation. We also need to determine whether anyone actively applies the orientation to improve their workplace performance. We also engage in assessment to determine how the RSP™ impacted organization outcomes.

Stage 6: Finalize the RSP™ Implementation Plan. 

The Implementation Plan is all about ensuring the client’s success with the RSP™. As a segment of the plan, SMI Corporation will assess the client’s teams selected for orientation, sequence of the organizations, schedule for orientation, and the depth of orientation for each organization. The Implementation Plan will identify the orientation leader as well as the schedule and location for each orientation session. 

Gain the Commitment of Client Leadership to the Implementation Plan. 

Without Leadership commitment, nothing will easily move forward.  Seeking an appropriate sign-off establishing commitment, we will inform leadership about the details of the plan including the usual constraints of time, resources, people, and expectations. While we may expect to further clarify the plan, not everything can be changed.

Stage Seven: Design and Implement an Intelligent Communication Process. 

We need to communicate what everyone will do to implement and use the RSP™. We will design a communication process to ensure that the client’s goal will be achieved. SMI Corporation employs the communication process to ensure that every leader adequately inform their organizations about the adoption and use of the RSP™ in Problem Management. We will design the communication process to identify and link all implementation activities that enable the enterprise to improve its problem-solving capability. 

Prepare the Enterprise. 

RSP™ success requires SMI Corporation to transfer responsibility for future orientations to the client. The client has to ensure that employs learn and apply the new knowledge or skills derived from RSP™ to rapidly resolve problems as they emerge in the work environment. The team that is responsible for introducing the RSP™ also shares responsibility for ensuring that the enterprise leverages the RSP™ Problem Management capacity to deliver enduring solutions to resolve reoccurring problems or to use historical evidence to prevent problems before they become problems.

Stage Eight: Implement Orientation 

An effective orientation approach employs a “train-the-trainer” format that involves people from every organization in the enterprise. The orientation will vary somewhat to accommodate the different levels of personnel involved in the orientation process. Whatever the orientation approach, the orientation consists of three components:  

• Train-the-Trainer creates an environment of professionals with the skills to instruct employees on the capabilities and capacities of the RSP™.

• RSP™ Fundamentals to assist Activators who manage people who access the RSP™.

• RSP™ Essentials to assist Platform Residents on use of the RSP™ and application of the AIS™ to rapidly resolve problems.

Stage Nine: RSP™ Maintenance 

We created the RSP™ to change how the world solves problems. We understand that a new method for Problem Management is required to build, spread, and maintain competitiveness in individual and team performance, business processes, and project outcomes. We designed the RSP™ to ensure that solutions exist to rapidly solve problems anywhere and anytime. The maintenance stage of the RSP™ adoption enables clients to receive feedback on the performance of the RSP™.  Through this feedback, clients gain continuous insight about the performance of the AIS™ at the unit, team, and individual levels within the enterprise and to continually enhance systems performance.

RSP™ Maintenance Team 

The RSP™ Maintenance Team continuously evaluates the problem-solving performance of the individuals and teams that access the RSP™. An effective maintenance approach continuously assesses the effectiveness of the RSP™ outcomes, tracks positive changes derived from the RSP™, and identifies additional opportunities for enhancing the RSP™. Management supports the maintenance approach by developing a specific Plan of Action consisting of the following steps:

Stage Ten: RSP™ Maintenance Plan 

Management employs a Maintenance Plan to identify opportunities for improving Problem Management performance by identifying and practicing problem solutions. Platform Residents will become more successful if they practice using the RSP™ and applying the AIS™.  Experienced Activators find ways to encourage Platform Residents to find opportunities for RSP™ practice in day-to-day functions.

Stage Eleven: Enable Team Leaders to Emphasize the New Skills Derived from the AIS™. 

Team leaders are critical to RSP™ maintenance because they can encourage Platform Residents to use the RSP™ daily to more rapidly solve problems that improve team productivity. In doing this, team leaders can gain insights that when applied can improve RSP™ performance.

Stage Twelve: Provide Continuous Feedback and Skills Reinforcement 

Continuous feedback and skills reinforcement enhance the viability of the RSP™ environment. These activities provide a framework that enables management to identify ways to improve workplace productivity and innovation by enhancing RSP™ operations. Every Activator and Platform Residents can assist with RSP™ maintenance by implementing a feedback process that encourages continuous observations of outcomes and suggestions for enhancement.

Stage Thirteen: Note Successes 

Skills reinforcement is a good method for building performance.  It encourages Platform Residents to engage more with the RSP™ and cooperate better with teams that use it. Problem-solving is a great skill to master.  SMI Corporation designed the RSP™ to enable an ever increasing number of people to master this crucial skill.  The RSP™ promotes the development of this skill by enabling managers to recognize the problem-solving efforts of Platform Residents who regularly used AIS™ to become more productive.  Moreover, the RSP™ enables managers and teammates to confront the detractors and laggards of the Problem Management approach with a clear example how the RSP™ has improved teamwork.  The RSP™ presents an innovative way to solve problems in real time and reduce the lag time between Problem Definition and Solution Development. Who can resist this?

Stage Fourteen: Define Measures of Success 

SMI Corporation and the client team define the Key Performance Indicators of success. Depending on the organizations and the scope of problem complexity, the KPIs could include number of problems solved, type of problems solved, complexity of problems solve, skills acquired from problems solved, satisfaction with orientation, skills acquisition through AIS™ application, improvements in productivity, improved team performance, and increased innovation. The managers should select KPIs that enable them to assess changes in the measures pre and post RSP™ adoption.

Update the Maintenance Plan

A smart management team understands that every plan requires periodic revision as the world changes. We recommend annual revision of the Maintenance Plan to focus on changes to the KPIs, changes to the assessment approach, and changes to the organization’s requirements.