Start with what happened.
Describe a specific work instance before attaching a label. Consider what was said or done, the situation, and what remains unknown.
What did you actually see?
01 / 04T0 · VITALIS™ Foundation
Structured observation
for managers.
A one-day practical course on describing workplace behaviour, distinguishing observation from interpretation, and planning a clear next step.
Ask a more useful question.
Explore current capability, changes in how someone learns and works, and the behaviours that support sustained contribution. Keep observation separate from interpretation.
What else would you need to know?
02 / 04Choose a practical next step.
Use cases and an anonymised situation from your team to practise writing an observable development objective and planning a management action.
What could you do differently next week?
03 / 04Take the practice into work.
Continue with a reference mat, a shared observation vocabulary and a 21-day workplace observation task. Revisit your initial impression as new examples emerge.
What will you observe next?
04 / 041 / 4
1daypractical learning, discussion and cases
3perspectiveseighteen observation directions
21daysa workplace observation task to continue the practice
Who it is for
For managers responsible
for people and their work.
For frontline and mid-level managers, team leaders and HR practitioners who want a clearer way to discuss performance, learning and development.
No prior assessment training or VS1 subscription is required. Bring an anonymised management situation you would like to understand better.
Grounded in work
Connect the framework to everyday situations: inconsistent delivery, learning that does not transfer, or work that needs repeated follow-up.
Learn by practising
Combine short explanations with discussion, case exercises and individual reflection. Practise describing behaviour and comparing interpretations.
Useful beyond the classroom
Apply the observation practices in everyday management conversations. A reference mat and a 21-day task support continued use.
What the day covers
From a broad impression
to a specific next step.
Four learning units combine the three-axis framework with practical cases and a situation from your own team.
01A management situation you want to understand
Examine the difference between a general impression and a specific work instance. Identify what you have observed, what you have inferred, and the questions that remain open.
Practice: describe the situation without relying only on labels such as “poor attitude” or “not proactive”.
02A shared structure for observation
Explore why managers can interpret the same situation differently, and how a common set of observation questions can make those differences easier to discuss.
Practice: distinguish what was observed from the meaning assigned to it, using three complementary perspectives.
03Capability and learning in practice
Explore what someone can currently do and how their work changes through learning, feedback and changing demands. Introduce the relevant observation directions without scoring levels.
Practice: identify an area to explore further and write a development objective in observable terms.
04Sustained contribution and the next management action
Consider the behaviours that support sustained contribution alongside the task, working relationships and conditions. Return to your own situation and plan a practical next step.
Practice: specify what to observe next and begin a 21-day workplace observation task.
How this supports management
More specific conversations.
More deliberate follow-through.
Describe the issue
Replace broad labels with examples of what happened, when it happened and what needs clarification. Give colleagues something concrete to discuss.
Explore before deciding
Consider capability, learning and sustained contribution without assuming every difficulty has the same cause. Include the working context in the discussion.
Plan and revisit
Choose an observable next step and decide what evidence to look for afterwards. Use new examples to review your earlier interpretation.
The course provides a structure for observation and discussion. It does not establish a person's underlying motives, predict future performance or replace a manager's responsibility to consider the wider context.
What you take away
A shared language.
Practical resources for work.
The three-axis framework
A vocabulary for discussing current capability, changes in learning and work, and behaviours that support sustained contribution.
Eighteen observation directions
An introduction to the question each direction asks and the distinction between observable behaviour and interpretation.
A reference mat
A desk reference to support continued use of the observation framework. It is not an anchored scoring guide.
A 21-day workplace observation task
A structured opportunity to practise after the course and gather further examples from your own work setting.
An initial action to try
Work on an observable development objective and identify a next management action during the course.
A Certificate of Completion
VITALIS™ Foundation — Certificate of Completion. This records course completion and is distinct from professional certification.
Foundation introduces observation, not scoring. Anchored levels, scoring formulas and flag mechanisms are outside this course. Completion does not authorise independent VS1 operation or complete-report interpretation.
Where it leads
Use the method.
Choose your next step.
Foundation can be taken on its own. Managers can apply its observation practices without purchasing a VS1 subscription.
For those continuing to professional practice, T1 covers evidence, anchored scoring and VS1 operation. T2 develops complete-report interpretation. Professional certification is earned through a separate assessment; system access and permissions are arranged separately.
See the full certification pathway ↗Planned for H1 2027
Register your interest.
Decide when details are ready.
The planned format is a one-day course. Dates, delivery arrangements, pricing and complete terms will be published before enrolment opens.
Joining the interest list involves no payment and does not reserve a place or create a booking obligation.
Observe with structure.
Discuss with specific examples.