Disrupting performance appraisals : a case study
Kaihua, Anna Elina (2022)
Kaihua, Anna Elina
2022
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Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022060515407
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-2022060515407
Tiivistelmä
The goal of the thesis is to create a new performance appraisal structure based on design thinking and life design methods and principles and to gain qualitative primary data from testing the concepted structure. The topic of the thesis is contemporary and aligned with future working life trends, as more focus is being placed on employee well-being in the holistic sense. The thesis work is exploratory in nature and intends to answer the following research questions:
- How can design thinking and life design principles and methods be applied in creating a new performance appraisal structure?
- What kind of an impact will a design thinking and life design -based performance appraisal have on the employee?
As design thinking is a prominent element of the thesis work, it also provides a structure for the thesis process: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test. The research methods are integrated into the phases of the design thinking process. The thesis is a qualitative study, and uses the following research methods: literature review, benchmarking, user insights, narrative probing, and a co-design workshop with service design visualization tools such as personas, future state user journey map creation, and service blueprints. Deductive coding is used in analyzing the probes.
The study showed that design thinking and life design can be integrated into the performance appraisal process by including a life design group workshop into the process prior to the traditional, one-on-one discussion. The study also showed that the process had a positive impact on the employees that underwent the design thinking and life design -based performance appraisal process. The outcome of the study is an iteration of the tested process, that has been developed further and can be used within organizations.
- How can design thinking and life design principles and methods be applied in creating a new performance appraisal structure?
- What kind of an impact will a design thinking and life design -based performance appraisal have on the employee?
As design thinking is a prominent element of the thesis work, it also provides a structure for the thesis process: empathize, define, ideate, prototype, test. The research methods are integrated into the phases of the design thinking process. The thesis is a qualitative study, and uses the following research methods: literature review, benchmarking, user insights, narrative probing, and a co-design workshop with service design visualization tools such as personas, future state user journey map creation, and service blueprints. Deductive coding is used in analyzing the probes.
The study showed that design thinking and life design can be integrated into the performance appraisal process by including a life design group workshop into the process prior to the traditional, one-on-one discussion. The study also showed that the process had a positive impact on the employees that underwent the design thinking and life design -based performance appraisal process. The outcome of the study is an iteration of the tested process, that has been developed further and can be used within organizations.