Maintenance HF Issues
nckrey_at_CCGATE.HAC.COM
Tue, 15 Oct 96 11:43:33 PST8
Good Morning HF/CRMers!
William B. Johnson wrote:
>More than one airline has recently asked me 1) How to determine the
>optimal credentials for an internal staff member or outside provider
>to develop and deliver a course on Human Factors in MAINTENANCE.
>They also asked 2) What course units/topics should be covered and for
>what duration. My "knee jerk" reaction was to offer my resume and
>IATA course outline. Instead, I offered to think about it and "get
>back to them".
>The question is tough. The answer is difficult. I seek your
>suggestions.
...
Bill, from my experience with flight crew CRM I have to say that the
most critical qualification for those who will be conducting the
training is their credibility in the eyes of the audience. In your
case, that means someone who knows what it's like to have a wrench in
their hand, on a freezing ramp, trying to get a flight out on time.
The facilitator MUST be able to relate to the job the trainees do so
s/he can get to the core issues and direct discussions in a manner
which meets the training objectives.
Second, is the ability to FACILITATE, as opposed to present. Not
every instructor has the ability to keep quiet long enough to let the
learners discover the really important stuff for themselves. An
instructor who thinks his job is to lecture will kill a HF program
quicker than anything.
For course/program development, often an academic background is more
important. Certainly, a high level of proficiency in training
development will be critical.
All this argues for a team of professionals with complementary skills
and the ability to evaluate the results of their efforts, making
chages as required.
>Airline maintenance personnel don't want an advanced degree from the
>course - they want to do their job more effectively and efficiently
>with safety in the workplace and with the finished airworthy product.
>They want to enhance their individual and team performance.
>The second question, stated above, refers to course content. What
>should a maintenance human factors contain? Please use this forum to
>"Fill in the blank"
A very good question which probably can be (has been?) answered
through research and training needs analysis. My limited experience
with maintenance/ramp HF tells me at a gut level that the issues of
communications, judgement and decision making, situational awareness,
and team skills are the high value items. A good systems level look
at how the maintenance world (and the humans in it) works would likely
yield the answers.
Best regards,
Neil Krey
76405.3621_at_compuserve.com
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/NeilKrey