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Cost effective training solutions are needed in today's business climate. Walker's team-driven approach to OJT is important because it puts the training emphasis in the hands of the workers who perform the tasks. By writing the training modules themselves they feel ownership of the work and its content. The end result is a user-friendly product.
The OJT process has three components: team job-task analysis, job instruction, and human factors principles. The latter component includes qualities that help a good team function.
It is during the third component phase, the human factors principles, that the team must communicate effectively, make good decisions, strengthen the team, assess workload management, and resolve conflict.
Traditional OJT uses one or two subject-matter experts (SMEs) who analyze the jobs, prepare the materials and conduct the training. There is little input from workers who perform the tasks.
In Walker's model the team prepares the analysis, trains the workers, and assesses the results. For the company this means a faster and more efficient approach to getting the job done.
TEAM JOB-TASK ANALYSIS. The process teams break down the job tasks into smaller pieces by asking themselves 2 questions.
- What do you need to be able to perform this job task?
- Can you teach, and can someone learn, each of these tasks in a half hour?
If the answer is yes to these two questions than the training module is taken to approval teams of SMEs or others knowledgeable with the process who give their ok to proceed. Of course, management must also give an ok to the training modules. It is imperative that all processes are compatible with other processes and procedures.
JOB INSTRUCTION TRAINING. The format of the training module uses a two column format. Column one has an action word and object that describes what the trainee must do. Column two describes the basics of when, where, why, and how it is done. Column two must also provide enough material so that the trainee can practice after one or two training sessions.
THE HUMAN FACTOR. While writing the module, the team constantly is on the lookout for any job-related condition that might hinder the task performance. This could be supplies or parts that do not arrive on time.
Walker's model is so easy and matter of fact that companies can expect to develop modules at the rate of about one per week. Depending on the complexity of the job, it should take a team one hour to complete a module.
Companies such as Boeing, Nestlé, Northwest Airlines, Genetics Institute, Precision Castparts Corp, and the U.S. Army have successfully implemented Walker's 3 step process.
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