Dr. Karen McGraw is the CEO and founder of Cognitive Technologies. She has used cognitive principles and various
technologies to help organizations achieve success for 29 years. Over the course of her career she has applied her
experience and wisdom about how people think, learn, and work to help clients achieve desired project outcomes.
Dr. McGraw also serves as the principal consultant for organizational improvement engagements ranging from human performance analysis,
competency modeling, and the design of outcome-based training, to leadership development and change management. She has extensive
experience in technology-based performance improvement solutions such as the elicitation of user-centered requirements, informal
learning through collaborative systems, eLearning design, content management and knowledge management systems, the use of Artificial
Intelligence in learning and expert systems, and the measurement of human capital.
Dr. McGraw is a co-developer of the
Performance DNA methodology
for analyzing human performance to diagnose improvement opportunities
and the
EASE Change Management Toolkit. She also was a co-developer of the Human Capital Capability
ScorecardSM, a unique system that measures the factors that impact an organization's ability to
profit from human capital development and management initiatives.
Dr. McGraw has served as the Director of Strategic Services for Saba, where she designed and delivered consulting offerings in
competency and performance management system implementation, competency modeling, change management, and e-Learning system strategy,
design, and implementation. Previously, she was the Chief Knowledge Engineer for RWD Technologies, assisting external clients with
performance engineering, performance support system design, change management, and process redesign. Prior to joining RWD she
managed R&D projects in intelligent computer instruction, knowledge engineering, user-centered design, performance support systems,
and expert systems for Loral and Texas Instruments. She has also served as an Adjunct Research Associate for the University of Texas and
as an Associate Professor for the University of Maryland.
Dr. McGraw is nationally recognized in eLearning, knowledge acquisition, scenario-based requirements, and performance analysis and
design and has authored five texts, including User-Centered Requirements and Knowledge Acquisition: Principles and Guidelines. She has
authored over 35 articles and is a frequent presenter at industry conferences such as ASTD TechKnowledge and the Conference Board,
speaking on topics such as collaboration & knowledge sharing, eLearning strategy, human capital development and optimization, change
management for new technologies, and competency-based performance management. Dr. McGraw received her doctorate from
Texas Tech University in educational psychology and curriculum & instruction, specializing in the cognitive and performance impact of
technology. Post-graduate training includes organizational development, change management, performance engineering, knowledge engineering,
software engineering and leadership. Dr. McGraw is a member of the Impact Austin, a woman’s philanthropic organization, as well as
ASTD, NAWBO, and Women in Technology.