1. TASK ANALYSIS: The Ignored - yet Essential - Skill
Presented by:
Dr. Bob Appelman
Clinical Professor Emeritus

2. Tasks are UBIQUITUS EXPERTS do tasks differently than NOVICES
They’re EVERYWHERE! – They are EVERYTHING you DO!
From BRUSHING TEETH – to getting to School – to RESEARCHING
Not everyone does a task the same way
BUT, there are some tasks that NEED to be done a certain way
EXPERTS do tasks differently than NOVICES
ATHLETES perform sporting tasks relative to their PHYSICAL ABILITY
PROFESSIONALS execute their tasks a varying degrees of EFFECTIVENESS & EFFICIENCY
SCIENTISTS & ACADEMICIANS perform their intellectual tasks relative to their COGNITIVE ABILITY

3. So, what does this have to do with ID?
An Instructional Designer must know every task their learner must do to accomplish their Learning Goal
It might require a task like typing, reading, creative thinking, entering data, or shaping clay on a potter’s wheel.
The task(s) must be defined as: PROCEDURAL or COGNITIVE (or a combination of both)
You know of PROCEDURAL LEARNING & CONCEPTUAL LEARNING
BUT, in TASK ANALYSIS you usually MASH them TOGETHER into a SEQUENTIAL LINKAGE … known as a FLOW CHART

4. Procedural & Cognitive Analysis Flowchart

5. Performance Technologists need Task Analysis Skills
Performing tasks is what employees do!
Improving how they do tasks is what both Instructional Designers and Performance Technologists are asked to do!
Human Resource Departments depend on TASK DEFINITION to define every JOB DESCRIPTION
TASK ANALYSIS involves SKILL DEFINITION within each task
Employers are seeking people with specific skills, but young people are not aware of the skills they have or what skills they need
Career development is based on Skill development

6. Let’s Turn to Specifics
Indiana is facing a crisis in rural areas
Young people are leaving the rural areas and migrating to cities
Our research shows that Young People in Rural Areas:
have a strong work ethic & have strong moral values and are highly motivated to succeed
Are going to schools that are not teaching essential work related skills
Schools and students do not know what opportunities are out there in rural areas
But we found exceptions in a few schools & in a few small towns
Through Project Lead the Way (PLTW), PBL is being implemented
Students are learning skills as they are given Entrepreneurial Projects
Small towns are beginning to promote Entrepreneurial activities
We are using TASK ANALYSIS as a major component to aid in the CAREER DEVELOPMENT of young people and for businesses in RURAL COMMUNITIES