ISSUE 136 : May/Jun - 1999 - Australian Defence Force Journal

42AUSTRALIAN DEFENCE FORCE JOURNAL NO. 136 MAY/JUNE 1999potential to make significant error is high. There is nosuggestion that the future can be read accurately, butmost major asset acquisition projects in themselvesneed to be “forward looking” by more than a fewdecades, so the same for the ongoing training (indeedHR) requirements. The United Kingdom Ministry ofDefence 1 has recognised the inadequaciesexperienced with definition analysis of training needsand failures in making the most effective use ofavailable technology. These flaws, pointed out by theNational Audit Office, have had a major impact ontraining systems and associated resource expendituresfailing to satisfy user’s requirements. The RAF havesubsequently introduced a policy on synthetic trainingin 1989 which has appropriate TNA as a cornerstoneto ensure that acquisition choices are based onimproved, and more timely, definition of trainingneeds and on a full appreciation of the technologyavailable.Training Needs AnalysisABR 5286 (RANTS Volume 2) describes TNAas a multifaceted process which identifies relevantfactors of the training situation which will have abearing on the training strategy adopted. TNAequates to the four fundamental forms of analysisused in the RANTS - job, training, feasibility and taskanalyses. The aim of the four is to determine the“training fit”, that is, does training need to occur andif so what is the most effective way to do it. In thelogistic support continuum, before any determinationon how to acquire training systems is made, the morebasic question of do we need it must be answered -using a high proportion of fact and analysis and muchless “basic instinct”.DRB 37 “Value Analysis (VA) Handbookdescribes VA as: “the systematic effort directed atidentifying the functions of systems, etc for thepurpose of achieving the essential functions at thelowest cost consistent with the needed purpose,performance, reliability, sustainability andmaintainability. Before any assessment of thecapability of a piece of kit is determined, the domainof the engineer, its purpose must be clearlydetermined. Both VA and TNA are disciplines usinga systematic approach to problem solving, both taketime and effort, however, both are necessary,especially for high value items - like trainingsimulators.How Does the TNA Process WorkThe start really should begin with the end oroutcome. This is a clearly defined statement of whatis expected at the end of the project. All further workmust relate back to this and because we deal inoutcomes, there should be no restrictions onalternatives to achieve the outcome. RANTS Vol 2“Training Analysis and Design” Chapter 4 stressesthe point, management has to make a decision as tothe most cost effective means of closing thecompetency gap (people to do the work), they shouldconsider a range of options of which training is butone. This feasibility analysis is a “number crunching”exercise largely focused on cost benefit of the variousforms of training options. It may well show that othernon-training options are more cost effective, but onlya thorough analysis will show. The end result of thisstudy is the “formalisation” and interpretation of datacollected in documentation form.Training documentation is not an end in itself, butthe necessary method collecting, collating andretaining the corporate knowledge of the analysesdone. It is not the intention of documentation to besacrosanct, on the contrary, it is vital that adequateresources be put into this aspect of the TNA processso as to keep it up to date and readily useableConclusionProject management uses a comprehensive ILSprogramme to provide the necessary through lifesupport essential for the types of major projectsundertaken by the ADF. ILS is an eclectic disciplinewhich must be developed early in the project’s life sothat costly modification and unnecessary waste can beavoided. HR is a significant long term component ofthe ILS package, and training is a primary element interms of cost and resource utility. For training to beresourced in a cost effective manner, especially inareas such as simulators and the like, comprehensiveTNA is required. TNA is a related discipline to VAand by using, both purchasing and maintenancedecisions have a far better chance of being made onlower risk basis and ultimately saving resource in atime of constraint.NOTES1. HMSO 247, 6 November 1992 - “Ministry of Defence: Use ofSimulators in Training”.Lieutenant Commander Tim Kenny is the Logistics Officer – Training for the New Submarine Project (UWS Branch).