Four needs in a job analysis
There are a number of details to gather when looking at a particular job. The goal here is to gain a clear understanding of your learner, what they do, where do they do it, and what other challenges do they overcome to get things done. There are four things you should consider gathering and storing along with your other details.
Work Environment
Pace
Industry Groups & Standards
Typical Tools & Resources
Work ENVIRONMENT
We often take it for granted we know the environment our learners work within. However, there could be some critical details of that environment worthy of note. How much lighting and noise do they have? Is it busy and cluttered or calming and clean? Is there freedom of space? Are there any safety hazards? Is there a special permission required to enter? Do people have dedicated work spaces or is it more shared? Does everyone have access to a computer?
Why? Well we should always strive to make the training experience mimic the real world. It doesn’t do the learner any good to learn a task in a nice and quiet training room when she will have to perform it in a noisy warehouse. Also, it can give you a sense of where they may be when they participate in online learning.
Pace
Generally, how quickly must a learner perform a task or switch from task to task? Consider a server in a restaurant. He has to pay attention to multiple tables all at the same time, taking orders, expediting food, pre-busing, taking payments, and more. Compare this to a software quality control analyst. She may be busy, but works at a more steady pace, focusing on a single task at a time, methodically taking notes about how the system is working.
This also helps us better understand what it’s like for a learner to do these tasks after training. We can align a training environment to mirror how they are likely to experience the tasks on the job. Start slow, but then bring in more and more realism to the pace they negotiate through.
Industry Groups & Standards
I find it interesting how many different industry groups there are out there. These groups advocate for certain and niche professions. They help to identify and share best practices. They sometimes lobby for the things that profession could benefit from. They sometimes manage annual conferences and even offer training.
While you may not have to train the same content, these groups can offer a wider perspective for that job. You may be able to incorporate some of their training content into your programs. At the very least, your training content should align with and not conflict with industry standards or best practices.
Typical Tools & Resources
Look at the tools and resources the user may end up using through out the tasks they perform. In an office, they may use software, computers, or a complex phone system. If they work in the field, do they use typical tools like a hammer and screwdriver or is it more complex or custom to their line of work? As you identify these, you may also consider how you may utilize them in the training program. Do you plan to get your own set of tools to use or will you need to borrow some? If you get your own, where does the budget come from? If you borrow, are there limits on the timing or frequency of use?