Tools

As we train people, we should always consider not only training the action they are doing but also how to properly use the tools and resources available to them as they perform the task. This could be something as simple as a screwdriver or as complex as the Large Hadron Collider. Whatever the tools or resources, they should be a part of the training.

That said, we should consider thinking holistically about how we train these tools. While we may be training job title A to use a screwdriver to remove the panel so they can access the internal components, what other tasks also require the use of that screwdriver? Are there similar screwdrivers they use for other tasks? Is there a way we can make a common approach to how we train using that tool for that job?

For your tasks, replace screwdriver for anything. It could be a computer system, a 747 aircraft, a measurement gauge, or a camera.

Depending on the complexity of the job, tasks, and tools, I’ll use spreadsheets or even a small database to account for and consistently track which tools are used for which tasks. Often as I’m working on each task I can lose sight of how broadly a tool may be used. In some projects, I’ve reconfigured the curriculum to focus on the tools themselves rather than the tasks because the tools were such a big part of the job.

As you get more technical with the tracking and analysis of tools and resources, I may recommend you look into something called the UNSPSC or the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code. It’s a globally supported initiative to codify and categorize various products and services used around the world. It primarily focuses on the global supply chain market but the categories work very well with a job and task analysis. It allows us to codify the various tools or resources our people may use within a job.

The UNSPSC breaks down everything into 57 different main segments. These can include products such as mining machinery, paper materials, plants and produce, and medical equipment or services like transportation services, public utilities, and lodging services. In total there are more than 130,000 different products or services (what the UNSPSC calls Commodities) available for use within a task and process analysis. Each comes with a unique identifier and many have descriptions included.