The challenge of CRM Metrics
CRMDEEN_at_aol.com
Mon, 25 Nov 1996 11:06:58 -0500
Good morning to the CRM-devel group! This is my first input as I have
just recently "hooked up". I have a few initial inputs/responses to the
recent traffic concerning metrics, and the concern for management support.
First the latter. . .
To Hugo, and others new to the CRM challenge, I simply say "have
patience." It is critical to the success of your program that management at
all levels endorse your training efforts. This will not come instantly, but
it will come. I have been involved with military CRM programs from their
initial concept ( when we didn't even know what to call it) and to this day,
I face barriers in management. I can tell you that the CRM movement is like
a giant cement wheel that is moving and has inertia; if you try to stop it,
you'll get run over. If you try to push it, you'll get a hernia (I have
several).
What I have noticed through the years is the simplicity of sales
motives. You often have to "sell" CRM. Managers will buy into it if you can
clearly state two outcomes of your program: Gain a benefit, or avoid a loss.
The challenge is to clearly show the benefit of a program, or the avoidance
of a loss. First the later.
In mishap reports there is almost always evidence that supports a
speculation that someone on the airplane knew something was wrong. Either the
procedure being followed was flawed, the communication was erroneous, or the
operation was illegal. And yet the person who had the concern did NOT speak
up. Why? We in the CRM industry are getting really good in recognizing
Error Chains inside an investigation The problem is we're too late at that
point. The error chain needed to be broken in the present time, not the past.
Teach your crews to recognize an error chain when they are involved, and
then DO something. When an accident report reveals that poor management
practices existed before the take-off, management must answer to the fact
that the error chain was not just in the aircraft. There are many examples
available to present.
" To gain a benefit" is a more challenging phenomena to document and
demonstrate to management. It requires an active and relevant metrics
system. Too many people see metrics as a "stick" to hold over crews' heads.
One of the challenges to obtaining good reliable metrics from flights is the
presence of the metrics form and observer, and the (erroneous) perception of
the flight crew. If metrics are percieved as a threat, the crews' behavior
will be altered. Metrics needs to document sincerely candid "success"
stories, not hazards.
Hugo, once you get a program "on line", keep it going, and later,
after a year or so, try to document how behavior has changed. If, after a
year of having the training program active, you've had an improvement in
mission launch, less mishaps, fuel savings, whatever, tie that to your course
and show management how Human Factors training, even in the awareness phase
you are currently in, has gained a benefit. Management will take notice. I
have other ideas for you specifically, and more on that later.
To this group on Metrics: it is possible we are trying to take on too
much in a metrics quest? The size of "human factors" is so huge and complex,
perhaps measuring it needs to be simplified. Remember, the original need for
metrics was to evaluate the effectiveness of the training program. Metrics
must look to the course it is trying to measure. My current effort wiithin
my client is the adherance to policy and regulations; the training sessions
create the dilemma for the crews to follow or not to follow the regulations.
This is easy for an observer to document; it is the technical skill. How
many accidents include the violation of policy and regulations. The harder
question will be WHY did the crew violate the regulation. If violations are
condoned or even demonstrated by management, particularly senior
"leadership", it will be quite understandable that the population will
violate the rules. It is as simple as a parent-child relationship. If
father breaks rules, so will the son. This would be especially true in a
culture where family values is extremely strong.
This industry needs good metrics, no one is challenging that. The
tradition of negative reinforcement must change. Watch successful missions,
document what successful crews do, build a knowledge base of what these
crews do, then modify the training program to teach the aviators what TO do,
not what NOT to do.
Gregory C. Deen
Hughes Training, Inc-Training Operation
C-130 ATS CRM Course Manager