Question

SKILL BUILDER Identifying Training Needs through Task Analysis

I. OBJECTIVES
A. To introduce you to the process and purposes of assessing training needs.
B. To give you practice in determining training needs for a job.
II. TIME REQUIRED TO COMPLETE: 2 to 3 hours
III. INSTRUCTIONS There are generally three analyses used to determine an organization's training needs:
1) organization analysis,
2) task or operations analysis, and
3) person analysis. This OS ARTES assignment allows you to perform a task analysis for a particular job by interviewing and observing a job holder. A task analysis involves systematic collection of data about a specific job. Its purpose is to determine what an employee should be taught to perform the job at the desired level. It generally includes a description of the major tasks of the job, standards of performance, how the tasks are to be performed to meet the standards, and the skills, knowledge, and abilities necessary. You will conduct the task analysis by following the steps described below: Step 1: Select a job to analyze. You may choose a job currently held by a relative, friend, fellow student, etc. (If you completed "Exercise 30: Writing Job Descrip- tions" in Part 2, you may use that job.) Ask the job holder if you may interview him or her about the position and/or also observe him or her performing the job.
Step 2: Obtain a job description for the job you selected or prepare one by interviewing the job holder. The job description should describe in general terms the worker's major duties and responsibilities. For example, a job description for an accounts receivable clerk might include the following duties and responsibilities:
a. Invoice shipments to customers on a monthly basis.
b. Prepare journal vouchers at the end of the month to record cash receipts and sales by product lines.

Answer 1

A task analysis involves collecting data to determine what an employee should be taught to perform the job. Job analysis accurately describes the tasks or jobs within an organization. Training is important for success in many jobs and can include orientation and job-specific training.

Step-by-step explanation:

A task analysis is a systematic collection of data about a specific job to determine what an employee should be taught to perform the job at the desired level. It involves identifying the major tasks, standards of performance, how the tasks are to be performed, and the necessary skills, knowledge, and abilities. This can be done through interviews and observations of job holders.

Additionally, job analysis is a part of industrial psychology and involves accurately describing the tasks or jobs within an organization. There are two approaches to job analysis: task-oriented and worker-oriented. Task-oriented analysis focuses on the tasks performed in the job, while worker-oriented analysis identifies the characteristics required of the worker to successfully perform the job.

Finally, training is an important element in many jobs. It typically begins with orientation training, which provides information about the company and its policies. There is also job-specific training that teaches new duties or how to use new tools. Training can be formalized through presentations and other methods.