Clients & Case Studies
Featured Case Study
Increased DOE, NNSA, EOTA productivity by over 200%
Department of Energy (DOE), National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA), Emergency Operations Training Academy (EOTA).
$15M, 5 Year, Training Design & Development, Program Management Contract
Organizational Need
Harkcon, Inc. supported the NNSA's Emergency Operations Training Academy to standardize the emergency operations and radiological and nuclear detection training.
Solution
Through a commitment to updating and improving EOTAs internal business and training processes, Harkcon worked with the client to literally transform the organization. Harkcon helped EOTA identify root cause business operations issues, and training design development and delivery inefficiencies. Harkcon created customized management tools, a document repository, and reengineered training processes increase effectiveness.
The full range of support included program management, analysis, training design & development, instructional delivery services, and administrative services such as logistical, budget, procurement, configuration management, project resources tracking, property management, and technical support services.
Result
Harkcon reduced duplication of training materials, and shortened the cycle time of course analysis, design and development, significantly improving EOTA ability to meet demanding short-term requirements. EOTA was able to more quickly respond to urgent training needs, which enabled NNSA to provide more and better trained people with broader skills during emergencies and incidents. Harkcon’s clear commitment to improving quality resulted in EOTA's recertification as an ISO 9001:2008 compliant organization.
Over the first two years of this five-year contract, Harkcon increased EOTA’s training development productivity by over 200%, turning EOTA into the Department’s training provider of choice. Harkcon received Exceptional Contractor Performance Assessment Report System (CPARS) evaluations for this work.
Request more information
We deliver Performance Management and Technology Solutions for Public and Private Sector Clients.
At Harkcon, we believe a commitment to strong and dynamic relationships is an important element of conducting business, so we work to build long-term relationships.
We provide complete and unfailing support to our clients as they face their most challenging circumstances. When the stakes couldn't be higher, and when extraordinary reliability is required, we are the trusted partner who will motivate, inspire, and deliver.
Whether we are working directly for a client or partnering with our highly regarded corporate partners, our focus is always on providing quality service with meaningful results, on time and within budget. The solutions we employ and the analyses we conduct can be applied to any industry or organization of any size.
Performance Management & Technology Solutions
Case Studies
Unlocking the power of human potential.
Our expertise in each of our corporate capabilities can be applied to any workgroup in any industry of any size.
Often it is easier to understand the depth and applicability of a capability by seeing it in action. The following case studies bring to life the application of Harkcon's capabilities in a variety of different settings and projects, and they are provided as samples of what we can do for your organization. Our expertise in each of our corporate capabilities can be applied to any workgroup in any industry of any size.
Organizational and Workforce Analysis
Harkcon is well versed in strategic planning and supporting organizations to define their strategic direction through various types of detailed analyses so leadership can make important, data-driven decisions and effectively allocate or modify their resources to ensure alignment with the organization’s vision, mission, values, and culture.
Case Study U.S. Coast Guard
We expertly address organizational and workforce performance issues through proven human performance technologies:
Organizational Needs Assessments
Staffing Requirements Analyses
Front End Analyses
Cost Benefit Analyses
Survey Development and Deployment
U.S. Coast Guard
Harkcon has conducted a number of projects for the U.S. Coast Guard that cover the full array of organizational workforce planning & assessment that we offer. For example, in September 2007, the United States Coast Guard initiated a three-year project with Harkcon to assist in the analysis, development, and implementation of Staffing Requirements Determination policies, procedures, and tools to support the effective management of all parts of the Coast Guard workforce. Harkcon completed an organizational needs assessment to capture current state Human Resources missions, mission requirements, and performance standards, and to identify desired state missions, mission requirements, and performance standards, given the modernization of the Coast Guard. Recommended solutions from the organizational needs assessments included the drafting of the Staffing Requirements Determination Enterprise Change Management Plan; the completion of Front End Analyses (FEA) to determine the world of work for Staffing Requirements Determination Enterprise staff; drafting of the doctrine and policies that will guide the implementation and use of the Staffing Requirements Determination Enterprise; and the development of in-depth techniques and procedures on how to conduct a staffing requirements analysis, including the integration of competencies into the analysis.
To complete the Staffing Requirements Determination Enterprise staff FEA, Harkcon identified the complete world of work for the Staffing Requirements Determination Division Chief, Team Leader, and Staffing Requirements Determination Analyst positions. This included identifying all the tasks and steps required of each position to produce the work outputs that would enable the Staffing Requirements Determination Program to meet its mission. Additionally, Harkcon conducted a cost-benefit analysis of the training programs recommended by the FEA to ensure that the Coast Guard implemented the most cost-effective training to develop analyst competencies.
Additionally, Harkcon developed a cutting edge approach for the Coast Guard's staffing requirements analysis that combined three tried-and-true types of analysis into one smooth process: Workload Analysis, Front End Analysis, and Competency Analysis. The approach captured, categorized, and analyzed the most fundamental elements of organizational and human performance (goals, objectives, strategies, tasks, knowledge, skills, abilities, type of work, workload, personal qualities, assumptions, and constraints) of the staff element that were analyzed. This, in turn, provided the most accurate picture of work and workload for those staffs, and therefore, better planning and solutions. Harkcon is also applying the techniques and procedures it has developed, including the integration of competency analysis into the staffing requirements analysis, to complete multiple staffing analyses on Coast Guard Headquarters staff elements.
Harkcon is using its innovative Mainstay performance analysis software application to effectively and efficiently complete the FEAs and the staffing analyses. Mainstay enables analysts to capture work, workload, and competency data in one central location, complete the required analysis, and then produce all required reports.
In addition to supporting the Coast Guard's Chief Human Capital Officer (CHCO), Harkcon is also supporting the Coast Guard's Chief Acquisition Officer (CAO) in implementing the Coast Guard's Blueprint for Acquisition Reform by designing, developing, and implementing the 2010 Annual Customer Satisfaction Survey. Using the results of the 2009 Survey and the Blueprint for Acquisition Reform, Harkcon developed a survey that provided the data used by the CAO to identify where performance gaps are being closed, what additional actions might need to be taken, and any new areas for improvement.
Competency Modeling & Management
Competency Modeling and Management is the practice of identifying those competencies required to do the work of your organization, organizing that information to allow you to describe all of your individual job positions, and then using that information to attain (or develop) employees with the right skill sets to fill those positions.
Case Study
U.S. Coast Guard
Competencies are the core of human performance in the work place. We expertly analyze the workforce, identify job-related competencies, and apply them to various aspects of human resource systems. The result: We empower you to recruit, train, and evaluate based on those competencies.
U.S. Coast Guard
The U.S. Coast Guard has been seeking ways to improve the responsiveness and flexibility of the Officer Corps Management System to better meet the changing needs of the workforce. Harkcon provided a variety of tasks associated with this effort, including the analysis, design, and implementation of a service-wide Competency Management System.
The foundation for the Competency Management System was Harkcon's data-driven analysis of the legacy system used by the Coast Guard to manage its commissioned officer workforce (more than 6,000 personnel). Our efforts included an evaluation of system components, including recruiting, training, education, assignments, promotions, and separations. Following interviews with key stakeholders, methodologies were developed to meet the needs of all stakeholders while conforming to Coast Guard HR IT standards.
Major recommendations included the implementation of a Competency Management System for use across the entire Coast Guard workforce. This created a framework for identifying requirements attached to positions and attached acquired competencies to individual employees. Consequently, the Coast Guard is better able to strategically plan, with the ability to compare requirements to workforce capabilities, and adjust training, education, recruiting, and retention policies as needed to mitigate gaps.
Commercial
The foundation of Harkcon's Competency Toolbox®, our interactive web-based tool designed to empower you to recruit, train, and evaluate your personnel, is based on competencies. Harkcon has analyzed the work done in chiropractic practices to identify the competencies needed to meet the job requirements for positions needed to run those offices, such as the Front Desk Assistant, Insurance Specialist, and Officer Manager. We took those competencies and created a tailored and customized Chiropractic Competency Toolbox® that is used in chiropractic offices around the country to recruit, train, and evaluate their staffs. Using the existing framework, Harkcon is prepared to create and customize a comparable Toolbox for any organization of any size in any industry.
Business Process Reengineering
Our business process reengineering (BPR) experts will help you evaluate and potentially rethink how you work, using your organization's mission and vision to guide their efforts. This top-down alignment ensures all processes are linked to your key business objectives and allows everyone connected to the process to see how their efforts support the organization's goals and objectives.
Case Study
U.S. Coast Guard
We start with your organization's goals and expertly work to best define and improve the processes that form your business. Our goal is to improve your performance in terms of cost, services, and speed.
Our detailed analysis includes:
Strategic Business and Action Plan Development
Program and Policy Development
Program Audits and Evaluations
Process Improvement
U.S. Coast Guard
Harkcon was asked to provide expert advice and consulting services to improve the quality, efficiency, alignment of resources to mission, and structure of select command elements of the Coast Guard's Deputy Commandant for Mission Support (DCMS) organization during a major organizational development effort directed by the Commandant of the Coast Guard. The overarching goal of the project was to reengineer the existing business processes and structure to produce a more efficient bi-level mission support system. The new organization and processes were required to receive and accurately interpret and execute headquarters policy and guidance, while at the same time interacting with field level commands and staffs, resulting in improved delivery of mission support services.
Harkcon used business process reengineering techniques to capture current state operations, the desired state, and gaps between the two. We conducted business process analysis and re-engineering by small teams assigned specific areas of focus. Existing structure and work processes were flow charted and potential problem areas and choke points in the new organizational structure were identified.
Customized solutions were identified and developed to close the gaps. Business processes were engineered to align with the new organizational structure functional statements. We designed a notional command structure, with particular emphasis on the leadership and reporting structure. A workforce plan was created and carefully monitored for accuracy as organizations were realigned within the notional organization. Throughout the project, Harkcon continuously assessed the alignment between strategic goals of the DCMS organization and the delivery of services at the field level. The solutions generated by the project improved processes and procedures, created a more efficient organization using the same or fewer resources, and better aligned mission support objectives and service delivery.
Training & Professional Development
We produce cutting-edge training! Our ability to work across a broad spectrum of needs, employing exactly the right approach with both teams and individuals enables us to provide cost-effective, realistic training that builds and sharpens skills and knowledge, enhances staff/unit cohesiveness, and reinforces decision-based learning.
Case Study
Kenyan Maritime Services, U.S. Coast Guard &
Florida State University
Training is a key factor that impacts an organization's performance. Harkcon designs, develops, and delivers customized training products to meet the needs of your business or organization. Training products include:
Training Analysis
Training Design & Development
Training Implementation (Delivery)
Training Evaluation
Training & Professional Development Offerings
Kenyan Maritime Services
Harkcon, Inc. supported the Department of State Anti-Terrorism Assistance (DS/T/ATA) Program by assessing the current state of Kenyan Maritime Services, and then designing, developing and delivering training to Kenyan maritime law enforcement organizations in order to support improved maritime security and antiterrorism capabilities, and complete actions to turn over the program to full Kenyan management and ownership.
Harkcon employed a four-phase strategy:
-
Assess and analyze of the existing training program, instructors, training system, and other related activities;
-
Develop a maritime training curriculum for use by Kenyan maritime organizations;
-
Train Kenyan candidate instructors for full curricula program delivery;
-
Develop a complete Kenyan Maritime Training System (MTS) to provide a framework for defining, supporting, and continuing the program after exit.
Harkcon coordinated all aspects of subject matter expert instructor teams to include administrative processing, medical and insurance coverage, export control compliance, travel logistics, and instructor development course training. Harkcon assisted the client with the vetting, selection, and evaluation of all instructors. Curriculum development included tailored course topics on weapons training, survival swimming, basic seamanship, boat engineering, boat handling, and maritime interdiction operations. Classroom and practical field exercises were utilized to reinforce learned concepts. These efforts culminated in the establishment of the Kenya Police Maritime Training School in Mokowe, Kenya and the transfer of all direct training to Kenyan subject matter experts and instructors.
U.S. Coast Guard
Harkcon identified position-specific competencies for a variety of key operational and support positions at the newly established Coast Guard Sector field commands, then determined the performance and training needs required to meet the desired performance of each position, and finally designed and developed performance-based training courses, job aids, and OJT performance supports.
The solutions generated by this project – training courses, job aids, and on-the-job training (OJT) performance supports, have provided more than 1,500 personnel assigned to the 35 newly established sector field commands the competencies require to successfully perform their jobs, as well as the appropriate performance measures to know if they are meeting mission requirements. The solutions frame the training needs for the officers leading these field units and enable them to respond to national and regional homeland security / national defense and natural disaster issues with maximum efficiency. These personnel attain proficiency in required competency areas through a comprehensive, blended learning solution that includes resident and non-resident training, job aids, and OJT. Because of such complete and high-quality training, the critical transfer of knowledge from the classroom to the operational environment occurs easily.
Most recently, Harkcon designed and developed e-Learning modules to assist Coast Guard personnel who conduct or review and approve personnel transactions that have an impact on the creation of Coast Guard financial data. This training, based on OMB Circular A-123 and other documents that guide and direct the Coast Guard’s Internal Controls Over Financial Reporting (ICOFR), will be required for Coast Guard personnel of various ranks and rates from military pay grades E-4 to O-6, as well as various civilian positions in locations throughout the country.
Florida State University
Florida State University – Learning Systems Institute (LSI) was the recipient of a $6.2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to develop a training curriculum for port security and other personnel to prevent, deter, and respond to terrorist acts. The curriculum will be systematically implemented to ensure that all of the ports along the 95,000 miles of U.S. shoreline are protected.
Harkcon assisted LSI with the design and development of training modules to meet the needs of eight different jobs: security guard, security guard shift supervisor, port police, port police shift supervisor, facility security officer, first responder, port employee, and port authority.
Specifically, Harkcon instructional designers and subject matter experts:
Researched and documented statutory port security training requirements
Provided port security expertise, including information on port security functions
Provided content that reflected the performance and training needs unique to each job
Designed and developed comprehensive, fully documented, and expertly vetted training content
Provided a formative review of training content prior to final implementation
Ensured accurate, relevant, and current training content
Harkcon then pilot-tested the training programs and provided extensive formative evaluation and feedback on the training materials. Harkcon provided subject matter expert instructors for all the courses and coordinated the activities at each of the specified training sites, including identifying and arranging for all training sites; coordinating all the logistics to support the delivery of the training, including providing digital and paper copies of all instructor and student guides and all other training materials and training aids; coordinating the availability of students; conducting daily de-briefs to provide feedback to LSI for modifying course material; and interacting professionally with course participants and training venue officials.
Project Management Services
In today's fast paced business environments nearly three-quarters of all programs or projects experience some form of failure. Harkcon is dedicated to helping our clients achieve their program and project goals by providing a broad range of services and through our innovative consulting services, deliver high value solutions that ensure our clients' project objectives, schedules and cost expectations are met.
Clients
Department of Energy (DOE) & U.S. Coast Guard
We are dedicated to helping our clients achieve their project goals by providing a broad range of project management, project integration, risk management, and change management services.
We deliver high value solutions that ensure your complex project's scope, schedule, and cost requirements are met.
DOE Emergency Operations Training Academy (EOTA)
Harkcon, Inc. supported the Department of Energy’s Emergency Operations Training Academy to standardize the emergency operations and radiological and nuclear detection training. Over the first two years of our five-year contract, Harkcon increased EOTA’s training development productivity by over 200% from the previous contractor, turning EOTA into the Department’s training provider of choice. As a result, Harkcon has received an Exceptional Contractor Performance Assessment Report System (CPARS) evaluation.
How did Harkcon do it? Through a commitment to transforming the way EOTA conducts business, with a focus on improving outdated processes. Able to recognize areas that need improvement, Harkcon created a customized management tool and document repository for EOTA to increase effectiveness. As an example of these efficiencies, Harkcon staff reduced the duplication of training material and shared development and deployment costs through collaboration with the Department of Homeland Security Domestic Nuclear Detection Office, enabling EOTA to meet short-term requirements, respond to emergencies or incidents, provide more resources with broader skills, and respond to surge activities with efficiency. Harkcon’s clear commitment to improving quality resulted in EOTA's recertification as an ISO 9001:2008 compliant organization. This three-year certification is a highly desired designation and is based on EOTA’s sustained compliance with ISO standards.
U.S. Coast Guard
To address the current and future contracting needs of the U.S. Coast Guard Acquisition Directorate, the Coast Guard’s Chief Acquisition Officer directed the development and implementation of the Contracting Career Opportunity Program (CCOP) to provide an additional talent pool to address the current and forecasted shortfalls in qualified contracting professionals, expand the knowledge and awareness of CG mission support, and provide an opportunity for post-military career upward mobility for deserving members of the Coast Guard.
Harkcon provided the full range of project management support for the CCOP project, including the planning, execution, monitoring, control, implementation, and project close-out. We were responsible for managing the project's Plan of Action and Milestones, resource/task assignments, progress reporting, and quality control, and we played an instrumental role in defining and managing the project's scope, identifying subject matter experts outside the project team, defining the research and development approaches that would be used, providing program/process engineering support, and managing the constraints of scope, schedule, quality, and cost. Harkcon successfully integrated the workflow and information exchange between the many civilian and military team members on the project while managing the change control process and, at the same time, building productive relationships and facilitating team activities and cohesion that were instrumental in accomplishing the objectives of the project.