Re: Needs/Task Analysis Training

[Rick Lanser <rickl -at- ENTER -dot- NET>]

At 01:19 PM 2/27/96 GMT, Charles Good wrote:

>AT&T published a book, "Process Quality Management and Improvement
>Guidelines" which has been used in many courses to teach needs/task
>analysis. It defines 18 tools for process management and 20 tools for
>process improvement.  Many of these tools are used to define customer
>expectations and need, as well as define and analyze the various
>processes within a task, as well as problems associated with the task.
>Some of the more popular tools are: flowcharting, structured
>brainstorming, cause & effect (fsihbone) diagrams, force field
>analysis, Pareto diagraming, benchmarking, customer/supplier models,
>decsion matrix, histograms, tree diagrams, etc.

>If you cannot find (or afford) the courses, I definitely recommend
>the book. You can order copies from AT&T's customer information
>center order department: 1-800-432-6600

My department just received such training from The Quality Institute (545
Weadley Road, Strafford, PA 19807, 610-975-9729). It was very good. There's
also the booklet handed out to us as part of the course, The Memory Jogger
II, "A Pocket Guide of Tools for Continuous Improvement & Effective
Planning," from GOAL/QPC (13 Branch Street, Methuen, MA 01844-1953,
1-800-643-4316, FAX 508-685-6151). This $6.95 booklet distills all the
essentials of the above tools into a succinct but easily understood format.
I think you might be able to teach yourself the essentials of these tools
just using this little book.

Rick Lanser
Publishing Specialist, Graco Children's Products, Inc.
rickl -at- enter -dot- net