How the HPT evaluation model identifies performance gaps and their root causes.

Outline in brief

• Open with a warm, human frame: HPT is a lens for seeing what’s really holding people back.

• Define the core aim: identify performance gaps and their causes.

• Explain what “gaps” are and why root causes matter.

• Describe how the HPT-evaluation mindset works in practice, with simple steps.

• Provide practical, relatable examples from everyday work life.

• Connect to broader talent development goals and organizational success.

• Close with actionable tips to start using this thinking right away.

What the HPT evaluation model really aims to identify—and why it matters

Let me explain it this way: in growing talent, it’s not enough to know that something is off. You want to know precisely where the shortfall sits and, crucially, why it’s there. The Human Performance Technology (HPT) evaluation mindset is built around that exact idea. Its main aim is simple on the surface, powerful in practice: to identify performance gaps and their causes.

Think of a performance gap as a gap in the floorboards of a home you’re trying to renovate. You notice a creak in the living room floor. That creak is a symptom—the visible sign something isn’t right. Yet the real question is what caused that squeak: a loose floorboard, a sagging joist, moisture under the subfloor, or something else entirely? If you fix only the surface—tacking down the loose board, for example—the problem might come back later in a different spot. If you dig deeper, you address the root, and the result tends to last longer.

In organizations, the same logic applies. A team misses a quota, a learner struggles with a new tool, a service desk keeps churn high. Those are symptoms. The HPT lens pushes you to ask: what’s the current level of performance, what should it be, and what is actually causing the gap between the two? Is it a skill gap, a process flaw, a tool limitation, or a workplace environment factor like cues, incentives, or communication flow? By naming both the gap and its drivers, you set the stage for targeted, meaningful improvements.

What exactly counts as a “gap”? A quick mental picture

A gap isn’t just a number that’s lower than a target. It’s a real discrepancy between what’s happening now and what’s desired or expected. Here are some everyday examples to anchor the idea:

• A customer-support agent can’t resolve common inquiries on the first contact, leading to longer call times and higher follow-up rates. The gap appears in speed and quality of resolution.

• An onboarding cohort completes training but later shows slower time-to-productivity. The gap shows up in performance metrics after ramp-up.

• A sales rep consistently misses lead follow-up SLAs (service level agreements). The gap is visible in responsiveness and conversion patterns.

But the second half of the question—the “why”—is where the HPT approach shines. It isn’t enough to say, “We’re behind.” You want to know why. Is it missing knowledge, unclear steps in a process, a clunky tool, or something in the work environment that nudges people off track? That’s the heartbeat of the model: coupling the gap with its root causes.

From symptoms to root causes: the why behind the what

Here’s the thing that often gets overlooked: not every gap stems from training or learning alone. Sometimes the system around people pulls them off track. Barely visible factors—like how information flows through a team, how success is measured, or how quickly a supervisor provides feedback—can swing outcomes just as hard as skill deficits.

So, how does the HPT approach tease out root causes? A practical way to picture it is a detective’s toolkit, with a few reliable questions guiding the inquiry:

• What is the desired performance? Define it in clear, observable terms. If it’s a metric, specify the target, the timeframe, and the context.

• What is the current performance? Gather data—numbers, observations, and firsthand feedback. Consistency matters, so look at multiple data sources.

• What is the gap between the two? Quantify it when possible. Even a rough magnitude helps prioritize actions.

• Why does that gap exist? Use a simple framework to separate potential causes into categories: individual skills and knowledge, processes and practices, tools and technology, environment and culture, and incentives or motivation.

• Which causes are most likely driving the gap? That question guides where you put your energy first.

In practice, teams often run quick analyses like a 5-whys exercise or a cause-and-effect map. The goal is not to lock in a single culprit but to surface a compact set of plausible drivers that you can test with small, targeted interventions.

How the thinking actually looks in a real organization

Let’s sketch a scene you’ve probably seen somewhere. A customer-service team notices a spike in post-call follow-up emails. Customers are waiting too long for answers, and the team’s satisfaction scores dip a little. The manager grabs data: average handle time, first-contact resolution rate, and a sampling of customer feedback.

The team then asks: what’s the gap? They compare current performance to a well-defined standard: a particular target for first-contact resolution within the same shift. The gap is clear, but why? They explore possible causes:

• Skills: Are agents trained to use the knowledge base effectively? Do they know where to find the right answers quickly?

• Processes: Is there a clear handoff if the issue requires escalation? Are steps redundant or confusing?

• Tools: Is the knowledge base easy to search? Is the CRM interface causing friction?

• Environment: Do workloads vary by time of day? Is there enough support during peak hours?

• Motivation: Does the team get timely feedback? Is there recognition for quick, accurate responses?

By mapping the data to these cause categories, the team avoids knee-jerk fixes like “more training” alone. Instead, they might find that the real levers are a simpler, quicker adjustment—improving the knowledge base search, tightening escalation criteria, and rebalancing workloads during peak periods. The point is to address the root rather than merely treat a symptom.

Turning insight into impact: targeted actions that stick

Once the gap and its drivers are on the table, the next move is to design interventions that address the root causes. Here are some practical, relatable moves that often yield durable results:

• Skill and knowledge refinements: Micro-learning modules that target the most frequent inquiries, quick-reference guides, or just-in-time coaching moments. The aim isn’t to overwhelm; it’s to give people the right tool at the right moment.

• Process improvements: Streamlined handoffs, clearer decision checkpoints, and shorter, well-documented steps. If a process is too slow or opaque, even the best performers can feel stuck.

• Tool enhancements: Simplified search, better templates, or more intuitive dashboards. The goal is smoother workflows, not more gadgets.

• Environment tweaks: Rebalance workloads, adjust schedules, or create quiet windows for deep work. Social cues matter—clear expectations and timely feedback can be game-changers.

• Motivation and feedback: Regular, constructive feedback loops and recognition for progress. People perform better when they feel seen and valued.

A gentle caveat: not every issue boils down to training. Sometimes the bottleneck sits in a system that needs redesign, or in a culture that doesn’t encourage experimentation and learning. The beauty of the HPT lens is that it invites a holistic view—so you act where it matters most, not where it’s easiest to fix.

Why this way of thinking matters for talent development—and for the whole organization

When you focus on gaps and their causes, you’re doing more than solving a single problem. You’re building a blueprint for sustainable improvement. Here are a few reasons this approach sticks:

• It’s actionable. You’re not guessing about what to change; you’re basing decisions on observed gaps and root causes.

• It’s measurable. By defining what “good performance” looks like and tracking changes, you can see what moves the needle.

• It respects complexity. People operate in systems. Addressing multiple causes in concert tends to yield stronger, longer-lasting results.

• It aligns with broader goals. The approach connects learning and performance to business outcomes, which matters for leadership buy-in and funding.

A few practical tips to start applying this mindset today

If you want to bring this way of thinking into your daily work, here are some lightweight, reliable steps you can take:

• Start with a quick gap scan. Pick one team or process, write down the desired performance in plain terms, and compare it to what’s actually happening. Don’t overcomplicate it.

• Use a simple cause map. Create five boxes for categories (skills, processes, tools, environment, motivation). Put possible causes in each box and note which ones you want to test first.

• Test tiny interventions. Choose one high-impact, low-effort change and measure its effect for a short period. If it helps, keep it; if not, adjust and try another.

• Gather multiple data signals. Don’t rely on a single metric. Look at behavior, outcomes, and feedback from the people involved.

• Keep the focus on the people. At the end of the day, better performance means better experiences for customers, colleagues, and stakeholders.

A closing thought: seeing the full picture

The HPT evaluation mindset isn’t a silver bullet. It’s a way to slow down enough to see what actually matters, the real levers of performance. It invites you to name gaps clearly and to ask “why” in a constructive way, without blaming individuals. When you do this well, you don’t just patch a hole—you fortify the floor so the whole house stands sturdier.

If you’re navigating talent development in a world where teams juggle countless demands, this approach can feel like a calm, steady compass. It helps you separate urgency from importance, symptoms from causes, and quick wins from durable change. And that, in turn, makes room for genuinely meaningful progress—where people grow, processes improve, and organizations move forward with more confidence.

A few more reflections you might find useful

• It’s natural to feel a tug toward “fix the skill” instinct. Remember the checklist: confirm the gap, explore all plausible causes, and prioritize interventions that address root drivers.

• Real-world data beats assumptions. If you’re unsure about a cause, test it with a small, reversible adjustment before committing broader changes.

• The people part isn’t optional. Stakeholder input—from frontline workers to managers—often reveals subtle factors that numbers alone miss.

In sum, the HPT evaluation mindset is a practical, humane way to understand why performance isn’t where you want it to be and how to move it forward in a way that lasts. It’s not about guessing the problem; it’s about naming it, understanding its roots, and choosing actions that genuinely shift outcomes for the better. And in the end, that’s what great talent development is all about: helping people do better work, together.