Job-Related Conditions That Affect Task Performance

TeamOJT Tip of the Month for April, 2008

While writing training modules, employees can identify and resolve all types of organizational issues, constraints, and norms that affect performance such as the following:

Poor communication and coordination within and across teams and organizations
Task handoffs
Poorly written procedures
Lack of sufficient task information
Inconsistent terminology
Unavailability of equipment, tools, or materials
Environmental and safety hazards
Equipment, tools, or parts not in working order

To stimulate design team thinking about job-related conditions that affect task performance it is useful to ask, "What factors or situations interfere with accomplishing your job in the most efficient and effective manner?" You might even ask the team members to make a list and then have them use that list as they are writing training modules. This list should be used as soon as the first draft of a training module has been written to ensure that the team doesn't leave out anything. To be effective, these factors must be integrated permanently into all aspects of training and operations.

Human Performance Applications
Phone: (206) 447-0860
FAX: (206) 447-3410
E-mail: diane@teamojt.com