SPECIAL FEATURE: SHAPING THE FUTURE OF HPT: HIGHLIGHTS FROM THE 2025 ISPI UNIVERSITY CASE COMPETITION
Introduction
After several years of dormancy, the ISPI University Case Competition made its long-awaited return in 2025. This relaunch marked a renewed commitment to experiential, real-world learning within the ISPI community.
The ISPI University Case Competition provides graduate and undergraduate students with an opportunity to apply performance improvement tools in a client-facing simulation. The 2025 competition raised the bar through deep client engagement, weekly instructional integration, and global participation. Partnering with ClimatePros, a national leader in commercial refrigeration, teams explored how HPT could help address technician recruitment, retention, and training challenges. Central to this year’s success was sponsor Karen Waterlander, who not only fielded every question and approved survey instruments but also brought technicians to share firsthand insights. Dr. Jim Kirkpatrick also joined as a guest lecturer, offering valuable lessons in evaluation for both students and faculty.
Throughout the spring semester of 2025, student teams met weekly to engage in live consulting sessions with Karen Waterlander, Learning and Development Leader at ClimatePros, a national leader in commercial refrigeration services. Karen’s hands-on mentorship made this year’s competition exceptional—she fielded every student question, facilitated interviews, supported data collection, and even brought in frontline technicians as guest speakers. This direct industry engagement provided participants with a rare, inside look into the operations, workforce challenges, and culture of a mission-critical industry.
Each week, students also participated in lectures on Design Thinking, applying the tools to understand the business challenge from both a systems and human-centered lens. A highlight of the experience was a visit from Dr. Jim Kirkpatrick, whose session on the evolution of evaluation was both inspiring and highly practical for the teams and their faculty sponsors.
Three Teams, One Common Goal
This year’s competition featured three diverse and talented teams:
Team 1 – CoolDAMB
Institution: Middle East Technological University (METU), Ankara, Turkey
Academic Level: Undergraduate
CoolDAMB applied a technology-centric, human-centered approach proposing a scalable, digital solution that included a Discord-based knowledge sharing platform, an AI-powered voice-activated support system, and a four-stage Intern-to-Senior Technician development pathway. They emphasized mentorship, digital fluency, and reverse-mentoring among technician tiers to reduce isolation and promote knowledge transfer. The team also introduced a peer evaluation framework and a dynamic knowledge repository, demonstrating strong alignment with Design Thinking and human-centered design principles. Their unique use of gamified peer evaluations and community-driven learning demonstrated innovation in applying HPT to decentralized, field-based environments.
Team 2 – HPT Ninjas
Institution: University of West Florida
Academic Level: Master’s
HPT Ninjas applied a structured, system-level performance analysis, prioritizing technician burnout, enhancing on-call scheduling, and strengthening leadership training as core causes of retention issues. Using the HPT model, Lewin’s Change Theory, and the Gap Criticality Matrix, they designed interventions to improve on-call scheduling, dispatch training, and field leadership engagement. They also proposed a recruitment strategy centered on social media campaigns such as TikTok and industry visibility and brand identity. Their work balanced insight, practicality, and alignment with ClimatePros’ mission and values.
Team 3 – Handley & the Argonauts
Institution: University of West Florida
Academic Level: Doctoral (EdD)
The Handley & the Argonauts team delivered a highly data-driven, systems-based strategy that emphasized retention-first logic: “plug the leaks before pouring in more.” Using quantitative survey data, qualitative interviews, regression analysis, and Rummler’s Anatomy of Performance, they identified root causes of attrition tied to on-call stress, paperwork inefficiencies, and leadership gaps. Their interventions were focused, costed, and pilot-ready—covering scheduling reform, corporate support realignment, and a leadership development framework. Their manuscript-quality report reflected advanced HPT application and academic excellence.
Learning Beyond the Competition
A required deliverable for all teams is the submission of a manuscript suitable for publication, detailing their methodology, analysis, and insights from working on a real-world problem. These documents not only serve as a capstone academic achievement but also contribute to the growing body of practitioner literature within the Performance Improvement Journal.
Each team took a distinct approach, but all exemplified the power of integrating HPT principles, design thinking, and authentic stakeholder engagement. The 2025 competition underscored the potential of our next generation of performance technologists—not only as problem-solvers but as partners in driving workforce transformation.
Conclusion
All three teams showcased the versatility and power of Human Performance Technology when paired with client collaboration and real-time feedback. Whether through digital innovation, structured systems thinking, or data-driven leadership design, each team offered a professional-grade solution to a real organizational challenge. The 2025 competition affirmed that when students are given access to real-world clients, expert mentorship, and guided instructional support, their ability to generate practical, ethical, and innovative performance solutions is not just possible, it’s exceptional.
As we look ahead to future cohorts, the ISPI Case Competition remains a model for immersive, experiential learning where theory meets practice, and where students leave not just with knowledge but with impact.
Contributor Notes
DARRYL DRAPER-AMASON (PhD) is a recognized leader in the field of Performance Improvement, with a distinguished career dedicated to enhancing organizational success through innovative strategies and frameworks. Holding a PhD in Instructional Systems, Dr. Amason has pioneered approaches that revolutionize how organizations diagnose challenges, strategize solutions, and execute development plans to achieve measurable results.
Her expertise lies in designing and implementing Performance Improvement models that empower organizations to navigate transitional periods effectively. Dr. Amason’s contributions to Instructional Design and Online Education have further cemented her reputation, particularly her development of interactive, outcome-driven learning solutions that bolster performance and readiness metrics.
Her research includes widely adopted maturity models that provide actionable benchmarks for assessing the effectiveness of training on individual, team, and organizational performance. Committed to pushing the boundaries of conventional wisdom, Dr. Amason continues to advance the science of Performance Improvement, developing sophisticated methodologies that drive the success of high-performing organizations worldwide.
