Getting started with assignmentology: A case study

Assignmentology is the art and science of matching people to jobs. The objective is to provide them with specific on-the-job experiences that will develop mission-critical competencies. When best practices are followed, assignmentology can achieve the dual purpose of moving the business forward in the near term (by putting the right people in the right jobs at the right time) while developing the skills that individuals will need for even bigger assignments in the future. Many clients are interested in implementing the principles of assignmentology but some have difficulty moving from concept to application.

Developing a robust assignmentology process requires a keen understanding of the organization’s talent, key jobs, and the skills needed to drive the business forward. Given the complexities involved, it can take several years of designing, building, experimenting and refining to get sustainable results. It helps to know where to get started along this path.

We sat down with a client, a privately-held 1,000-employee medical device manufacturer, who has made significant strides in building an assignmentology-based system of development. The client shared the steps they took to get the system up and running and reflected on some of the lessons learned thus far in their journey.