Technical Report - International Military Testing Association

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New Perrpactives in Job Analysis
JOSEPH E. WRSC
6570th Personnel Research Laborctory, US Air Force
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As the result of an intensive research program during the past ftve or
six years, the United States Air Force has dcveioped and applied a novel
procedure for collecting, organizing, analyzing, and reporting comprehenafve
job lnformatfon. The procedure cmbines features of the check list method
with those of the open-ended questFonnaire and the observation interview
into a single integrated procedure. I am certain that research findings and
products obtained thus far have implication s for proficiency test development
beyond rhoae that have been utilized. I piopose, therefore, to discuss the
meth:? in some detail and to present some typical end products in the anticfpatfon
that the potentialities of the method will be provocative of fdeae
and will elicit from members of this symposium suggestions for future research
and computer progrerusfng.
Advantages of the Air Force Method
The Air Por-.e method of job analysis has a number of advantages over
traditional methods. The procedure LB simpie, economtcal, and flexible.
It makes feasible the survey of large samples. It fs based on joint responsibility
of job incumbents, test .:ontrol officers and unit coaxnanders. The
job information fs obtained in etandardfzed , qusntffied or readfly quantifiable
form. The information is current and has been found to be highly
reliable.
Job Anal*.rsis Operatfons
The Air Force job analysis procedure involves a sequence of several discreet
steps.
a. Location and procurement of source materials.
b. Construction of first draft of job inventory.
c. Interview review of first draft by technical advisers.
d. Revision of first draft of job inventory.
e. Pield reviev of revised draft by senior incumbents.
f. Construction of operational job inventory.
g. Selection and location of survey sample.
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