Training to Proficiency: Reality v. the Courtroom

Abstract

The purpose of workplace training is to enable workers to successfully perform activities related to their work tasks so that they can satisfy the expectations of the company and its customers. Training objectives often include levels of productivity, effectiveness, and/or safety. Regulatory requirements can also influence training, either by modifying existing training needs or adding new requirements. The success of training programs depends on the design of the training materials, post-training verification and ongoing validation. When workers are trained to proficiency, they remain safe, acceptable products and services are produced, and customers are satisfied. But when disputes lead to lawsuits, the evaluation of training proficiency changes. The determination of responsibility in a courtroom is based on the interpretation of the law by a judge and jury in isolation from the complicated contexts of the real world. The contribution of human factors to this process can provide a significant benefit to the effective resolution of legal proceedings in which the effectiveness of training programs and the proficiency achieved by workers is in question. In fact, human factors insights are critical to the just resolution of these cases. Human factors practitioners are uniquely capable to explain how context affects training requirements and how proficiency should be evaluated in the naturalistic work environment.