A Psychologist Looks at Job Analysis

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A Psychologist Looks at Job Analysis

• Michael T. Brannick
• ISPI Feb 8 2007

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Key Points

• Job Analysis Can Provide Good Data
• Several Ways to Go Choose Wisely

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(No Transcript)
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Background

• Goals (Outcomes)
• Effectiveness
• More Widgets
• More sales
• Efficiency
• Same widgets, fewer hours
• Fewer people
• Well being
• Individual safety and satisfaction
• Group viability

• Avenues
• Design
• Selection
• Training
• Far side cartoon about Zog and buddy

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Traditional Job Analysis

• JA defined process of discovery aka front-end
  analysis
• Job is typically fixed organization is mostly
  ignored
• Work Environment
• Working conditions (e.g., indoor vs outdoor)
• Hazards (e.g., electrical, heavy equipment)
• Work
• Tasks
• Materials
• Equipment
• Worker
• KSAOs

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Questions Driving Analysis

• What do you do? (job goals, tasks)
• What is difficult? Why?
• What goes wrong? What happens when it does?
• What does it take to be good at it?
• What makes you happy/unhappy?
• What jobs connect to yours? How?

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Interview/Observation

• Watch someone working/work with
• Interview on or off site
• Tips
• Interview strategies
• Typical day
• Performance cycle
• On site yields context information
• Ask questions after tasks (what is difficult,
  etc.)

• Good for working conditions
• Good for mundane tasks
• Good for finding difficult tasks
• Good for stress/safety

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Observation
I removed the graphics on this page because I
downloaded them From the internet and do not wish
to take credit for others work. You can see the
images that were displayed during my presentation
by following the URLs below.
http//www.geocities.com/ErgoWorks2000/JA.html ht
tp//www.geocities.com/ErgoWorks2000/Eval.htm
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Critical Incidents

• Stories
• Context
• Behavior
• Outcome
• Tips
• Good with groups
• Positive events first
• Other people as actors for negs
• Outcome as a result of specific action

• Good for errors and consequences
• Good for finding difficult tasks
• Good for KSAOs
• May miss mundane tasks

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Critical Incidents

• Online references
• Here is the original
• http//www.apa.org/psycinfo/special/cit-article.pd
  f
• This is for education, but helpful detail
• http//wvvw.tiu.edu/psychology/Twelker/critical_in
  cident_technique.htm
• This is commercial, but looks good
• http//www.usabilitynet.org/tools/criticalincident
  s.htm

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Interviews with SMEs

• Supervisors
• Professionals or other job experts
• Tips
• What does it take to be good at it
• How to pick people
• Performance issues
• Safety

• Good for KSAOs
• Good for context
• May miss mundane tasks

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Prelim Answers

• Tasks completed
• KSAOs needed
• Working conditions
• Trouble spots
• Difficult tasks (perception on forming line)
• Needed KSAOs (Attn detail, not color vision)
• Systemic issues (circumcision)

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Answers Avenues

• Design, Selection, Training
• Can the tasks (job) be changed? How?
• Are the KSAOs available in the labor pool?
• Can the KSAOs be trained? How?
• Tips
• Consider all avenues before acting
• Involve stakeholders

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Avenues Outcomes

• Design, Selection, Training
• Effectiveness, Efficiency, Well Being
• How will the change affect the outcome?
• How can you show (document) the improvement?

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Key Points

• Job Analysis can Provide Good Data
• Several Ways to Go Choose Wisely
• Oh, yes, a shameless plug Brannick, Levine,
  Morgeson (2007). Job Analysis (2nd ed).
  Thousand Oaks, CA Sage.