Instructional design/Procedural analysis/Page 5: Steps in Procedural Analysis

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The inputs, steps, and output of procedural analysis are as follows:

The inputs listed here help focus your analysis of a task, observation of the actions in the task, and questions for a SME on the task. Since a lot of knowledge is tacit and steps are mechanical for SMEs, they might sometimes not explain everything at the level required for a novice. They might also skim through some steps to quickly demonstrate a procedure. It is important to dwell in detail and analyze each step thoroughly with an SME or practitioner to avoid content gaps in your instruction later. It is also important to organize your task analysis documentation before reviewing it with a SME and a peer reviewer. A peer reviewer may or may not know about the task. A SME can help you identify incorrect information and missing steps, whereas a peer reviewer can help you identify missing steps and cues.

Recall the example of the tire change procedure from page 1. How would the inputs and outputs of procedural analysis look in that example? Inputs to the procedural analysis could look like this:

Goal of training/instruction:	Teach an inexperienced driver how to safely and properly change a flat tire on their car.
Learner profile:	Based on our personal driving experience and observation of new drivers in our families and network of friends, we assumed the following audience profile: The learner may be any driver aged 16 years and above with a valid operator’s license, who has never changed a car tire. They will have at least two months of driving experience and be familiar with the exterior and interior components of a car, such as the dashboard and the instrument panel near the dashboard. They may not be able to detect a flat tire and changes in tire pressure on their own while driving, unless their car’s ability to pick up speed is severely hampered. They may or may not be able to identify the equipment or terms of objects used in changing a tire. They will be fluent in English and therefore, able to understand instruction in English. …. To validate our assumptions, we surveyed a small group of inexperienced drivers. Their characteristics matched our assumptions. Please refer to the Appendices section for our findings. The implications of this for our instruction would be …..
Documentation (if any):	None; however, a car’s user manual might have brief instructions to change a tire

The output of procedural analysis could capture a summary of steps and substeps, as follows:

Summary step-level procedure

A. Prepare phase

1. Identify a safe place to park your car to change your tire
2. Prevent the vehicle from moving
3. Open trunk and determine your plan
4. Take safety precautions
5. Prepare for removal of flat tire

B. Remove phase

1. jack until it is supporting (but not lifting) the car
2. Loosen the nuts by turning counter clockwise
3. Pump or crank the jack
4. Remove the nuts
5. Remove the tire

C. Replace phase

1. Place the spare tire on the hub
2. Tighten the nuts
3. Lower the car until the tire slightly bears the weight of the car
4. Tighten the nuts again
5. Lower the car to the ground fully
6. Place flat tire, jack and other supplies in storage compartment

Detailed step-level procedure

Prepare Phase

1) Identify a safe place to park your car to change your tire. (Decision)

   a. You need a solid, level surface that will keep the car from rolling. 
   b. If you are in moving traffic, park as far from traffic as possible and turn on your emergency flashers (hazard lights). 
   c. Avoid soft ground and hills.

2) Prevent the vehicle from moving.

   a. Turn off the vehicle.
   b. Apply the parking brake and put car into "Park" position. 
   c. If you have a standard (manual) transmission, put your vehicle in first or reverse. 

3) Open trunk and determine your plan. (Decision)

   a. What safety items are in the trunk (flashlights, caution signs, tire inflator, WD-40)?
   b. Are you in moving traffic?
   c. What side of the car is the flat on?  
   d. Is it day, dusk, or night time?
   e. Are there other passengers in the car?
   f. What type of jack is it?
   g. Where does the jack get placed?

4) Take safety precautions.

   a. Prevent the car from moving by placing a heavy object (such as a rock, concrete, or a spare wheel) in front of the front and back tires.
   b. Use caution signs or flashlights if available.  

5) Prepare for removal of flat tire.

   a. Remove the spare tire, jack, and lug wrench from their storage compartment.
   b. Determine placement of jack. (Decision)
       i. Ensure that the jack is in contact with the metal portion of your car's frame.
       ii. If you're not sure about the right place to put the jack, check your owner's manual.
       iii.For most old cars that have a frame, you place the jack on one of the beams of the frame just behind the front tire or in front of the rear tire. 
   c. Place the jack under the frame near the tire that you are going to change.
   d. As a precaution, place the spare tire under the body of the car near the jack and at a safe enough distance as to not interfere or potentially hit the jack when it is being placed or retrieved. 

Remove Phase ……

Reference:

• Checklist for procedural analysis (Tip: You can also right-click the link and select the option to view the checklist in a different tab.)

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