Section D - What Should They Learn? Task analysis The task is the job that is to be done, the work that is the focus of the training (e.g. picking cherries, writing reports, drawing up a quality assurance programme). Analysing the target tasks clarifies what needs to be learned, helps to focus training effort where it can be most effective and usually suggests a structure for modular training. Training developers should consult both technical experts and expert practitioners. If possible they should study working performance in its real conditions. The analysis itself consists of: 1. Listing the essential elements of the task in sequence (or lay them out in a flow-diagram) 2. Pinpointing: a. What is critical (if this is not right, the whole process is a waste of time) b. What is difficult/problematic (what goes wrong, why, where the risks lie) c. Why it goes wrong (ignorance or misconception, lack of resources, habit) 3. Showing what needs to be done to improve the task and why 4. Listing the skills, knowledge, behaviour and attitudes needed to accomplish or improve the task Information on point 2a (why do they do it that way?) is likely to shape the whole focus of the training. Hence it is essential to get operators to talk about what they do and why they do it that way. Real constraints: Some constraints are real, often financial or physical: workers know what should be done but cannot do it. If a farmer cannot afford a concrete floor for drying, the only reasonable training response is to suggest cheap alternatives or micro-credit. Misconceptions: The reason may be based on misunderstanding or ignorance. Farmers who pick green cherry on the assumption that they weigh more need to find out that they are mistaken. Trainers should provide them with opportunities to do so. Habit: Most poor practice is a combination of ignorance and habit it has always been done that way. Trainers should not however think that habits are an easy training challenge. It takes about four times as much effort to train out an old habit as to train in a new one. On the following pages are two examples of task analyses. Page 1 of 5
Questions to discuss: Explain the task of the quality control inspectors. Do you agree with the analysis of what is critical? In the Javanese coffee processing task analysis, what is critical? What is difficult or problematic for farmers, and why? Which poor practices do you think are due to real constraints, to misconceptions or just to habit? Comments to guide discussion: Some comments on the Javanese coffee processing task analysis, picking up what is important or critical and some of the reasons for poor practices: a. Farmers do strip picking instead of selective picking because: a. Selective picking takes longer and is therefore more costly in time/labour b. There is a higher risk of pests and thieves if they only harvest red cherries c. Beans from red cherries are lighter, so farmers believe they get more coffee (by weight) if they harvest mixed cherries all together This is important because the quality is significantly reduced by strip picking. b. Concrete floors and drying mats cost money, and the cost may be prohibitive when coffee prices are low. This is important because drying the cherry directly on the ground increases opportunities for contamination. c. Drying is critical because a high moisture level can ruin a batch - or even more than one batch, if coffee is pooled. Reasons for not drying enough are: d. Shortage of drying space e. Need to sell urgently to get a quick cash return f. Farmers don t realize that drying is critically important g. Farmers misjudge the state of drying. d. Winnowing and sorting are important because they increase the quality of the product and hence the price. However they require extra labour at a time when farmers may be busy. Activities: For your own situation: Carry out a task analysis as outlined above and as illustrated below. Show: What the task consists of What skills, knowledge, behaviour, attitudes are needed for the task What elements are critical, difficult, problematic or risky Page 2 of 5
Task analysis 1: Quality control inspectors Overall situation: The enterprise buys unsorted green beans produced by small farmers for further processing (sorting, grading, and bagging), storage and then sale to coffee exporters or foreign buyers. Staff position for which training needs are being assessed: Staff responsible for inspecting the beans on receipt to ensure that minimum safety/quality criteria are met. Goals: The facility s interests are to (a) ensure quick, efficient, effective quality and hygiene controls, (b) reduce economic losses from accepting coffee at higher moisture content or from outsorting defects, and (c) identify and keep reliable suppliers. Task analysis: The target task consists of these activities: (a) Enter batches received in log book (b) Take samples from each bag (c) Take moisture reading (d) Do visual defect If count (e) Sniff beans for mouldy odour If not OK Label as rejected (f) (g) Classify/grade Separate from accepted beans Contact suppliers to: Label Accept into storage Inform of rejection Advise on solving problems Warn of risk of blacklisting if problems continue Page 3 of 5
What skills, knowledge, behaviour, attitudes are needed? Understanding and conviction of the importance of the procedures (overall). Knowledge of the standards to be met (c, d, e). Ability to carry out inspection procedures accurately, promptly and thoroughly (c, d, e). Requires knowledge, experience and skill. Meticulous records and labelling (throughout). Prompt and scrupulous separation of rejected and accepted sacks (f, g). Effective communications with suppliers. Requires clear messages, and a helpful attitude. Are they critical? What is difficult/problematic? Important in the long term for maintaining and improving standards and for personal motivation. Critical. Inspectors need to be well informed and regularly updated on new standards and requirements. Critical Care, thoroughness and reliable routines are required. Inspectors must also be aware of procedures for using instruments, the need for instruments to be re-calibrated regularly and recognize/ report malfunctioning instruments. Critical Technical expertise is of no use if samples, sacks and batches are confused. Critical There is no point in doing the checks if unacceptable beans are mixed with acceptable product. Important for goals (b) and (c), since the inspectors who receive the beans are in direct contact with suppliers. Task analysis 2: Javanese coffee processing (from the Lampung study) Overall situation: Farmers habitual harvesting and processing results in poor quality coffee. Higher prices are available for higher grade beans and farmers are interested in accessing them: the question is whether the processing changes required are within farmers means and capacities. Task analysis: The task analysis shows the current processes followed by farmers and the proposals of a national consultant on how they could be improved. Page 4 of 5
The process How they do it How they could improve quality 1. Harvesting Strip picking green, yellow and red all together (a) Selectively pick red cherries only 2. Sun drying Cherries are dried on soil in the home yard, 2-3 days (b) 3. Heaping Cherries are covered with plastic to give more homogeneous colour 2-3 days. 4. Re-drying Cherries continue to dry for a total of 7-10 days. Average moisture content is 19.43%; average defect count is 210 (c) Dry cherries on concrete or on drying mats with covering at night or if rain is approaching This heaping step should be eliminated as it results in loss of quality. Dry cherries for longer (10-14 days). When sufficiently dry they can no longer be nipped during hulling. With improved harvesting and drying as above, defect count should be reduced. 5. Storage Cherries are often stored on the farm for 3 to 9 months, as a form of savings. Storage places are sometimes unventilated, open to moisture, close to sources of contamination; sacks are not clean, or are in contact with ground or walls. Moisture content should be less than13% before storing; provide good ventilation; do not store directly on the ground or against walls; do not store with/near contaminating materials; protect from rewetting during storage; use clean jute sacks for bagging. 6. Hulling Farmers rent a huller, but sometimes do not get the best results. 7. Selling Beans are sold without further sorting (d) POOR QUALITY COFFEE Adjust hullers before use to minimise physical damage to bean and achieve good separation of husk material. Before selling: Winnow to remove husk Sort out black, broken or insect-damaged beans Bag in clean jute sacks HIGHER QUALITY COFFEE Page 5 of 5