Now, Joel, for my concerns about LOFT debriefing. I agree with what you said
and I'd like to learn more about the process you use at Cranfield. Here is the
LOFT debriefing problem as I see it.
The ideal LOFT session goes like this:
Brief: The instructor begins the session by explaining the role of the crew and
the instructor in a facilitated brief and a self-analysis debrief. Then, with
the facilitator guiding the discussion, the crew discusses the CRM skills
prescribed by the airline (for NWA, it is COMMUNICATION in1996).
LOFT: The crew flies the LOFT; it is videotaped from startup to shutdown. The
instructor marks the tape (INDEX function) at 4 or 5 spots where s/he observes
the use of CRM skills. (Note: these could be exceptionally good, typical, or
substandard performances). The instructor also keeps a set of notes concerning
crew performance of CRM skillls. The indexed video tape and the instructor
notes become the agenda (lesson plan) for the debrief.
Debrief: The instructor maintains a neutral position throughout the debrief
until the end. The instructor plays the 4 or 5 segments of the video, pausing
between each segment to ask open-ended, non-judgemental questions about that
crew's performance of particular CRM skills. In the end, the instructor may
give his/her opinion about the CRM performance. Most importantly, the
instructor should help the crew relate this LOFT experience to Line operations.
Many instructors are skilled facilitators and perform these tasks flawlessly.
But, we know that there are some instructors who need some help with the
process. That's our job - to give the instructors the tools to do a good job,
and that's what I'm asking the CRM Developers group to discuss. What are the
tools? Here are some items that come to mind:
1. In the LOFT, instructors are so busy running the sim and filling the roles
of ATC, flight attendant, dispatch, disruptive passenger, maintenance, etc. that
they forget to mark the tape, write any notes, and especially observe the CRM
skills of the crew. How can we lighten their workload so they can observe crew
CRM performance?
2. Many instructors are not comfortable with facilitation; so they fall back on
instruction methods - telling the crew what was right or wrong. How do we
remind an instructor that s/he has slipped into the instructor mode?
3. Some instructors bog down in the debrief session when they have a crew that
doesn't have much to respond. This usually occurs when the instructor asks
shallow or non-interesting questions. What tool can we give them to formulate
probing, challenging questions?
4. Sometimes the video replay equipment doesn't work. What fallback method can
we give them to develop a self-analysis debrief without the aid of the video
tape?
5. Most crews perform the LOFT scenario very well. Some instructors think,
"They did so well; there isn't anything on this tape that I need to debrief."
How can we convince instructors that reinforcing a positive CRM performance can
be a very powerful learning experience.
6. Sometimes instructors observe CRM performance that is substandard; yet the
crew considers that they did a fine job. The instructor doesn't want to jump in
and say, "No, you didn't." How do we teach the instructor to facilitate through
that discussion and make his/her point without switching to the instructor
mode?
Now, Joel, if I could get all 600 instructors into a training session, I could
get these points covered and practiced until they became instructional skills.
But I don't have that luxury. So I'm looking for ideas besides bringing them in
and training them one by one. We owe them something.
Your thoughts... and others!
Regards, Guy