Instructor: Vincent Duffy, Ph.D. Associate Professor of IE Lecture 9 – Selection & Training Tues. Feb. 13, 2007 IE 486 Work Analysis & Design II

Selection & Training p in Wickens; Ch.18 TSA tasked with creating large workforce of inspectors to reliably distinguish the large number of regular passengers from the tiny fraction of those who might board with hostile intent –Good displays, workstations, & job design can help. –But a key component to supporting effective performance is selection of workers who have good skills in visual search and decision making, along with high motivation and interpersonal skills needed to avoid giving passengers a negative experience during the screening process. Skill deficiencies can be supported by job aids or training Previously high quality human performance has emphasized design (to achieve the goal). –This section will emphasize selection and training as well.

IE 486 Lecture 9 QOTD 1.What are 4 possible outcomes in ‘selection’? 2.Are interviews and references good predictors of success? 3.What are some techniques to enhance training? 4.What are examples of guided and adaptive learning? What is ‘backward chaining’?

Selection QOTD 1: 4 possibilities Hiring a person who will be good at the job Hit Not hiring a person who would do well. Miss Hiring someone who does poorly False (alarm)-created a problem;eg. Morale, complaints, etc. Not hiring someone who would have done poorly Correct rejection

Selection 4 possibilities

QOTD2. What about interviews and references? Useful in predicting future job performance? –“The poorest methods (although they are still widely used) are interviews and references from previous employers.” Most useful? –Evidence from recent interviewees experience... Tests of skills and abilities & job related work samples various examples, including personality, were shown as effective in predicting performance for different jobs

training “designing the training program can be just as important as the type of program or media chosen” Sometimes redesign of equipment is better “On the one hand, …apply(ing) it (the important knowledge) could be a challenge.” –“On the other hand, an equipment redesign could more effectively solve the problem” eg. Forklift height vs. weight.

training Consider an ‘outmoded/outdated’ view of learners –Learners as ‘passive’ recipients of knowledge. We now know ‘instruction’ based on this viewpoint is less efficient (eg. Passive classroom instruction). Various more interactive media include multimedia systems, computer aided instruction, simulations (of high and low fidelity), virtual reality, intelligent tutoring systems What was one key to success? “important ‘perceptual’ cues must be ‘salient’ (easily recognized)”

Training concepts Transfer of training –positive and negative transfer eg. Percentage of time saved note: this may not include the ‘training time’ in the calculation.

Training concepts Other considerations: –Why not train in the real world all the time? Safety, greater variety of practice experiences, cost of using real world resources

QOTD 3. Methods of enhancing training Part-task training break down the task - learning different parts and later combining Practice and overlearning Above real-time training

Methods of enhancing training Practice and overlearning –practice can help declarative (cognitive/problem solving) knowledge become more routine –overlearning can help ‘speed’ of response

Methods of enhancing training Above real-time training –simulation functions at faster than real time can help performance in the real in some tasks

QOTD 4. Part-task training; guided & adaptive learning Part-task training includes ‘backward chaining’ eg. Learners performed segments of a ‘landing’ task at high altitudes (multiple times). And then later combined that understanding with the ‘flying’ task. Guided and adaptive learning –Guided learning - add constraints to avoid error –eg. Training wheels on bicycle –The level of difficulty can be adapted to the level of the learner. –eg. Adjust the ‘speed’ of the simulation during the early stages of training.

Potential pitfalls Resource constraints Feedback should not be offered during very difficult parts of the task Guided or Adaptive learning can be useful when a mistake can be ‘catastrophic’ However, in guided learning –Training wheels on bicycle- can cause ‘negative’ transfer if you learn to rely on the ‘help’ eg. Lean on the extra wheels In adaptive learning... it can be a problem if the trainee learns ‘inappropriate’ methods during the ‘simpler’ training scenario