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Section 1: Training

Identifying training objectives

Carrying out a task analysis

Once you have defined the topics you plan to cover in terms of learning outcomes, you can set about identifying the steps you will follow to deliver the training in a logical and systematic way. To do this, you need to take the task or work process you're going to present, and break it down into its component parts.

A task breakdown is a step-by-step description of the procedures involved in an activity. It also contains 'key points', which provide more information on how to carry out each step properly, and things to look out for while you're doing it.

This helps to give the learner a greater understanding of the task, rather than simply teaching them to follow the steps parrot fashion.

Let's take a simple example to illustrate the point. Click on the link below to see a simple example of a task breakdown.

Task breakdown for changing the blade on a circular saw

You can see from the above example that even the smallest details are included in the task breakdown if they're important, or if there's a chance that the learner might overlook them. You should never assume that the learner automatically knows all of the things that you take for granted and do naturally, especially when it comes to safety.

In practice, you might not give your learner a written task breakdown when you actually run the training session, particularly if the task you're presenting is a simple one. But for more complicated tasks, or for expensive machinery that needs to be handled delicately, you might feel that a ready reckoner sheet for your learner is very worthwhile.

Either way, whether you produce a written sheet or simply work out the steps in your head, the ability of being able to break a task down into its component parts is an essential skill for a professional trainer.

Remember that the most important part of this process is to make sure that you've covered all the details and got the steps in the right order. So you should always physically go through the process yourself to double-check that you haven't overlooked any of the important points.

Think of a simple practical task you do yourself on a regular basis.

Go through the process of breaking it down into steps, making sure that you cover everything in the correct order.

Beside each step write up any key points that would be worth mentioning to anyone who had never done this task before.

This analytical way of looking at a task is how you need to think when you're showing a learner how to do something for the first time, because that's how they will be approaching the process in their own mind, too.