Job Aids: Should They Be Used for Training?

TeamOJT Tip of the Month for August, 2003

One of the most common mistakes made by on-the-job trainers is that they use inadequate training materials - in some cases, they use nothing at all, relying solely on what is stored in their own memories. This practice produces a system ripe for errors in training as well as task performance. Quite often, companies ask for courses on how to conduct on-the-job training (or train-the-trainer), and don't realize that their trainers also need properly constructed training materials or modules.

Job aids are sometimes mistakenly used as training aids. However, job aids are just that - aids to be used on the job. According to the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD), job aids, also known as performance aids, are intended to help an employee take the correct action in a task; they don't provide instruction and are not meant to be used as training material (Job Aids, 1998, ASTD Technical Training, January/February). For example, two typical job aids are, a schematic diagram bolted to a machine showing the location of the machine parts, and simple instructions you might find on a fax machine that tell the operator how to use the machine. Training is clearly not necessary. Job aids should be used in situations where an employee has already received training on the task, or doesn't need training in the first place, but may need a checklist or other aid for a specific step in that task that is not committed to memory.

So what kinds of training materials do OJT trainers need? As a minimum, trainees need to know not only what the action is (step-by-step), but also why, when, where, and how, plus any safety and quality considerations - for each step in the task. Most trainers and trainees prefer a simple two-column format for the training modules. Column 1 contains the what, and column 2 explains why, when, where, how and safety and quality issues.

The level of detail and complexity written into a module should be tailored to trainees' performance needs and their familiarity with the tasks. Too little detail means the module is not usable because of insufficient information; too much detail results in a procedure that is cumbersome and difficult to modify.

As a guide, column 1 should serve as a memory jogger for the trainer. (A trainer should never try to train from memory. Subject matter experts often use short cuts developed over a period of time that will not work for trainees.) Column 2 should have enough detail for the trainee to practice the task without supervision after having one or two training sessions on that module. Include enough detail to minimize the time that the trainer needs to spend training. In structured OJT, the trainee assumes more responsibility than in the traditional buddy system and is much less dependent on the trainer.

Writing at the appropriate level of detail is the key to successful communication with the trainee. In general, the more steps, the easier it is to learn and retain the information. Trainers quickly can spot errors and provide immediate specific feedback. Remember, too, that many different on-the-job trainers probably will deliver the same training module, so the amount of detail must be sufficient to enable every trainer to deliver the same information.

Other factors influencing the appropriate level of detail include the degree of standardization, frequency of task performance, complexity, and the qualification level of trainees. The more standardized the performance, the more detailed the module should be. As task frequency increases, the level of detail can decrease. As task complexity increases, the level of detail can increase. As the qualification level of trainees increases, the level of detail may decrease on tasks that are simple or are performed frequently. Because task experts often minimize the difficulty of tasks, they may leave out too much information, especially when the first training modules are written, so seek trainee input as you write.

If you're not sure if your written materials are suitable for training, ask yourself whether a trainee would already know the why, when, where, and how, plus safety and quality concerns for each step of the task. Or better still, check it out with a new trainee. If the answer is no, you need to include more information. Also, if your trainees keep making mistakes on the job, then the training probably was not conducted at the appropriate level of detail. The old saying, If the trainee doesn't get it, the trainer hasn't taught it, applies here.

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