PART 4 — Task Analysis: Turning Messy Knowledge Into Clean, Teachable Steps (Part 4 of 6)

 I have broken down the steps..to simplify 

1. The Simple Version: Breaking Down a Skill… Like LEGO

Every skill — no matter how complex — can be broken into smaller pieces.

Task Analysis = taking a big skill and breaking it into the smallest steps a human needs to do it well.

Think:

• Big Skill = “Build a LEGO castle”

• Steps = find pieces, identify colors, follow map, build layers

• Sub-steps = attach correct brick, check alignment

• Prerequisites = know colors, follow instructions, not eat the pieces

Instructional Designers do the same with ANY learning goal — tech skills, safety, communication, leadership, clinical procedures, you name it. This is where the magic happens.

2. The Mid Version: Learning Goals vs Learning Outcomes

Before breaking anything down, we must define:

✔️ Learning Goal

The big, overarching task someone must perform.
Example: “Safely operate a forklift.”

✔️ Learning Outcomes

The TYPES of learning required:

• Verbal Information (facts, terms)

• Concepts (categories, classifications)

• Rules/Procedures (steps to follow)

• Problem-Solving (applying rules in new situations)

• Attitudes (choosing to do the behavior)

• Psychomotor Skills (physical movement)

Different outcomes = different teaching strategies.

This is why real IDs matter. Most courses fail because people mix everything into a single soup.

Separate it clearly. Makes it easy..Right? 

3. Information Processing Analysis: The Flowchart That Saves Lives

Once the learning goal is clear, we list the exact steps an expert performs.

This is called:

Information Processing Analysis

or

Goal Analysis

Answer:

“What are all the mental & physical steps an expert takes to perform this task?”

This becomes a flowchart of steps: A → B → C → Decision → D → E → F

Some tasks are linear. Others branch like a decision tree. This step is the cure for SME chaos.

4. Subordinate Skills: The Hidden Stuff Learners Need FIRST

This is the part 99% of SMEs forget.

Experts don’t remember what they needed to learn BEFORE they became experts.

That’s why IDs ask:

✔️ What must a beginner know BEFORE they can perform Step A?

✔️ What skills are REQUIRED to perform Step B?

✔️ What mistakes will they make?

✔️ What discriminations or concepts do they need?

✔️ What tools, attitudes, or safety awareness?

✔️ What prior knowledge can be assumed?

✔️ What needs to be taught?

This produces subordinate skills — the foundation.

Example:

“Operate a forklift safely” requires:

• identify hazards

• know load limits

• understand weight distribution

• understand controls

• know the driving path

• check surrounding space

• maintain speed control

• follow rules

• choose safe behaviors

Most SMEs only mention “drive the thing.”

IDs extract EVERYTHING.

5. Entry-Level Skills: What We Do NOT Teach

We draw a dotted line:

What MUST learners already know before training begins?

These become the entry behaviors.

If learners don’t have them, training must include remediation or pre-work.

If they DO have them, training should skip them — no wasted time.

Good IDs NEVER assume.
We validate through:

• surveys

• pretests

• SME confirmation

• performance data

• learner analysis

Entry-level skills = the boundary of training.

6. Writing Measurable Learning Objectives (The Famous A-B-C-D Model)

This is where we convert all goals/steps/sub-skills into clear, measurable objectives.

Each step becomes:

✔️ A = Audience

Learners, participants, employees

✔️ B = Behavior

The action — MUST be observable and measurable
(use Bloom’s verbs)

✔️ C = Condition

Under what conditions?
With what tools?
In what situation?

✔️ D = Degree

Accuracy
Time
Quality
Quantity
Standard compliance

Example:

After completing training, the learner will be able to classify the five types of hazards with 90% accuracy using the provided scenario cards.

Perfect A-B-C-D.

IDs DO NOT use verbs like:

• understand

• appreciate

• be aware

• know

• recognize

Those verbs are useless for measuring performance.

We use actionable verbs:

• classify

• identify

• list

• demonstrate

• generate

• execute

• differentiate

• apply

• solve

Bloom was a genius for giving us this cheat sheet.

7. A Reality Check

Task Analysis is the difference between:

❌ A course built on assumptions
❌ A course built on SME rambling
❌ A course built on “We’ll figure it out as we go”

Versus

✅ A course built on structure
✅ A course built on logic
✅ A course built on cognitive science
✅ A course built for real people

Task Analysis is the closest thing Instructional Designers have to superpowers.

We turn messy human expertise into clean, teachable, scalable experiences.

8. Why This Matters (AKA The Hidden Truth)

Most corporate trainings fail BEFORE they start — during planning.

Why?

Because they skip Task Analysis.

Without it, you get:

• missing steps

• incorrect sequence

• too much content

• unteachable content

• poor flow

• wrong level of difficulty

• misaligned assessments

• confused learners

• frustrated instructors

• zero performance change

Task Analysis = the backbone of quality learning.

9. Coming Up Next — PART 5:

Working With SMEs: Your Secret Weapon (or Your Worst Nightmare)
This one is juicy.
We’ll show you:

• how to not get steamrolled

• how to influence without authority

• how to win trust

• how to extract gold from experts

• and how to avoid corporate chaos