ATD CPTD : The Certified Professional in Talent Development

A talent development (TD) professional has been contracted to design a training program on cross-cultural communications. The organization's goal is to foster a more inclusive workplace environment. Which action would best help the TD professional assess the organizational environment to identify specific performance objectives?

• A. Read the results of exit surveys and interviews.
• B. Facilitate focus groups with employees across all levels.
• C. Evaluate performance reviews to assess ratings and written narratives.
• D. Discuss performance gaps with external clients and senior leadership.

A course requires a participant to go on a virtual search to find a video from the company president and an electronic document outlining specific roles and responsibilities. This is an example of which of the following?

• A. Collaboration technology
• B. Multimedia approach
• C. Electronic performance support system
• D. Synchronous learning

Two manufacturing companies in different cities-Company A and Company B-have recently undergone a merger but will continue operating separately for the immediate future. Company B did not have a talent development (TD) department, so the TD professional who reported to the chief executive officer (CEO) of Company A before the merger will now report to the CEOs of both companies. The TD professional is asked by the CEO of Company A to put together a team-building program to get the employees from both companies to work well together.
The TD professional has a meeting with the CEO of Company B, who believes the training should be postponed for at least six months so the two groups of employees can operate autonomously as if the merger had not happened.
The CEO of Company B has resigned, and the CEO of Company A now leads both organizations. The CEO still wants to conduct team-building activities and recommends that the senior leadership team of Company B travel to the site of Company A for a meeting to plan the team-building activities.
What should the TD professional do?

• A. Proceed with the initial recommendation from the CEO of Company B to postpone the team-building activities.
• B. Recommend that the team-building activities be held at the site of Company B or a neutral site.
• C. Prepare a preliminary cost estimate of the options for the team-building activities.
• D. Define the objectives of the planning meeting.
• E. Perform a needs analysis of all the employees in both companies to gather input on the issues.
• F. Ensure an adequate number of senior leaders from both companies provide input into the decision- making process.

A talent development (TD) professional is asked to offer training to entry-level employees on a new online software that will change many processes in their work. Which is the best way for the TD professional to prepare a learner-centered course?

• A. Research how the new processes will flow, outline the training in sequential order based on the processes, and verify with subject matter experts that the content is correct
• B. Collect information on the employees ' current job functions and how the software will change their work, understand employees ' fears about the new software, and research how the new software will benefit them
• C. Research how the new online software works, collect screenshots for job aids that will be distributed during the training, and outline the training in a logical order based on the steps of the new process to match the job aids
• D. Collect information on what the organization expects from employees, research commonly used terms, and understand potential barriers to learning

A talent development (TD) professional has gained upper management ' s support to introduce individual development plans (IDPs) as a tool for employee development. Which first steps should the TD professional take to launch a successful IDP program?

• A. First, create a company-wide communications plan to promote the program launch; second, educate employees on goal-setting best practices as they complete their IDPs
• B. First, create an IDP framework that links to the organization ' s business strategy; second, support and educate managers on their role as they initiate the process with their direct reports
• C. First link the IDP framework to the organization ' s mission statement; second collect and share data to show executives the impact of IDPs on employee skills development and attrition
• D. First, create an IDP framework and formal check-in timeline; second require managers to submit IDP progress reports on a quarterly basis or risk having their network access blocked