text:
EMPl. OYMENT SERVICE
Interim Revision
May 1965
For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U. S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D. C., 20402 - Price 60 cents
President Johnson, in his " 1964 Manpower Report to the Congress," stressed the importance
of occupational information, stating that " current and prospective shortages of
needed skills must be better identified if we are to prevent any drag on our economic growthand
to help in providing young people and displaced workers with the education and training
needed to benefit from opportunities in expanding fields." He further stated that " manpower
policy must be geared to three fundamental goals: ( 1) To develop the abilities of our people,
( 2) to create jobs to make the most of those abilities, and ( 3) to link the first two, to match
people and jobs."
Since 1944, the Bureau's Training and Reference Manual for Job Analysis has served as a
basic guide for occupational analysts and other personnel workers, both nationally and internationally,
who are concerned with the techniques and procedures for collecting source data
which are fundamental to the development of occupational information tools for use in the
effective placement of workers. Over the years, and especially with the passage of such legislation
as the Area Redevelopment Act, the ManpoweJ: Development and Training Act, and the
Economic Opportunity Act of 1964, there has been an increasing need for basic occupational
data. Also, the present interest in occupations caused by the problems resulting from rapid
technological changes has created a demand for the identification and study of the skills of
obsolescent, changing, and emerging jobs affecting the composition of our labor force. Therefore,
this document has been revised to serve not only the day- to- day operations of the State employment
security agencies but also to implement the many new manpower programs. Some
changes have been made, but basically the document remains the same as it was when first
issued. This may be considered an interim revision pending preparation of a new manual
based on recent developments in job analysis.
This revision was prepared in the Branch of Occupational Analysis, Leon Lewis, Chief, by
Arden Nelsen, Ronald Westfall, and former staff members. Recognition should be given to
all the analysts associated with the occupational research program of the U. S. Employment
Service who, since the inception of the program, contributed out of their experiences and
knowledge to the development and preparation of this manual.
Acknowledgment also must be made to the State employment security agencies, other
government agencies, professional societies, labor unions, trade associations, industrial and
business firms, and other groups and individuals who cooperated with and assisted our analysts.
Included in this group are the thousands of organizations throughout the country in which
analysts observed jobs and conferred with foremen and management and industrial rela. tions
personnel. The technical advice and assistance thus obtained have contributed to the refinement
of the procedures contained in this document.
SUGGESTIONS FOR STUDYING THE MANUAL______________________ vi
n. USES OF JOB ANALYSIS_______________________________________ S
Part 1. Identification Data_ _ __ _____ __ 9
Part 2. Work performed_ ____ __ ___ 12
Part 3. Sources of Workers_____________________________________ _ 1~
Part 4. Performance Requirements ..__ 20
Part 5. Comments_____________________________ 27
Part 6. Physical Demands___ _ ____ _ a1
APPENDIX II: NARRATIVE REPORT________________________________ Si
APPENDIX VI: STAFFING SCHEDULE AND JOB ANALYSIS PLAN-INCt
ltEPOltT_____________________________________________________ 87
This manual should be introduced in a planned, formal training course. However, since
such training is not always possible, there are outlined below procedures which should be
followed by the analyst seeking to train himself in the principles and methods involved. The
analyst should remember that the manual is intended primarily as a reference, and the material
is organized with that in mind.
I'receclures for Self- Training
1. The analyst should first read those parts of the manual whicp. describe the purpose of
job analysis and the use of the information thus obtained. See chapters on " Job Analysis
in the U. S. Employment Service" and " Uses of Job Analysis."
2. Following this, he should study the definition of the word " job" contained in the
chapter " Principles in the Analysis of Jobs". In this respect, the analyst should find a few
. other definitions of the same word and compare them, noting similarities and differences.
Once he understands the meaning of a " job" as used in the manual, he should study the meaning
of the term " job analysis."
3. Before proceeding further, the analyst should familiarize himself with one job that
can be used in the practice work to follow. The analyst should noe attempt to analyze the
job at this time. Rather, he should find out all he can about the job and write down his
findings in simple, narrative fashion.
4. When. he is sure he understands the job thoroughly, he should turn to the " Work
Performed" section, page 12. After he has studied the instructions, he should write a Work
Performed for the job in correct form. He should then verify that each work element answers
the questions " What," " How," and " Why."
5. Following this, the analyst should study the " Performance Requirements" section,
page 20, as a whole and then review the Performance Requirements one by one. When he has
completed the review of each requirement, he should write that performance requirement for
the practice job he has chosen. He should not proceed to the next requirement until he is
sure the preceding one is complete and understandable.
6. Finally, the analyst should study the " Comments" section, page 27. He should
complete his practice by filling in this section.
When the practice job analysis schedule is complete, the portions of the manual covered
should be reviewed and the schedule should be examined critically. Necessary changes in the
schedule should be made to conform to manual instructions. The analyst also should examine
the schedule for omissions which should be filled in to gain a complete picture of the job. It
would be advantageous for the analyst then to select another job and analyze it completely,
proceeding straight through the report form. The second schedule should be reviewed critically
as before.
When he believes he can analyze a job in the prescribed form, the analyst should study the
subsequent sections of the manual which deal with the methods of making analyses in plants.
In this connection, it would be helpful if he obtained an industrial organization chart,
preferably of a large organization, and studied its departmental plan. He should then plan
a study of the plant, selecting the order in which the departments should be covered on the
basis of jobs likely to be found in each department.
This manual is devoted primarily to an explanation of the procedures used to analyzejobs
and to record the analyses, using the format of ' the Job Analysis'Schedule of the U. S. Employment
Service as a guide. The ideas presented here do not differ fundamentally from other
established job analysis procedures. Rather, they are an expansion of thqsepro~ d, ty;~ s~ to
secure concrete and specific information on the more intangible aspects ofjobs. "' Theprocedttres
have been designed to secure precise and discriminating job information which ahoilld meet the
needs of most job analysis programs.
The manual is constructed around the schedule form which was designed specifically to
meet the needs of the several phases of the Employment Service's program of occupational
information. It should be made clear, however, that the schedule does not analyze the job;
it is but the form {) n which the analysis is recorded. The application of the concepts on Which
procedures are based constitutes the analysis of the job. The job analysis concepts employed
by the U. S. Employment Service are sufficiently universal in nature to be applied t() any
program of job analysis, regardless · of the format used to record the resillts of analysis.
When analyzing jobs, the analyst must remember that the job analysis schedille is, on. ly a
guide on which job information may be recorded unifonnly. The items included in the
schedule will usually be adequate to cover most types of jobs encountered. . Similarly,
the discussion concerning each of the items will be found sufficiently complete to guide the
anrilyst in recording the pertinent details of most jobs. Occasionally, however, jobs inlty be
encountered which cannot be handled adequately by the usual procedure.-. Also, all jobs
may not include every item indicated on the schedule. For these reasons, the analyst must
not consider the schedule and the manual as arbitrary and inflexible. ' '
The basic purpose of the schedweis to present a concise and complete picture of all
tangible and intangible factors involved in a job. To assure the attainment of this objective,
the analyst must never attempt to adapt the job to the schedule. Rather, he should feel free to
make comments, notes, or explanations necessary to overcome any limitations theschedille
may have with respect to the pertinent details of a particillar job. Also, he should feeHree to
depart from the methods and procedures of the manual if he deems it necessary in the interest
of clarity or efficiency, or if the specific purpose for making the analysis is not reflected adequately
through the application of manual methods and procedures. He must be certain,
however, that any departure will contribute to the quality of the schedule.
The job analysis schedule serves as the basic source material for many of the products of
the U. S. Employment Service. The schedule, therefore; must be complete in all its details.
It must contain enough information about the job tasks so that a definition can be written for
the Dictionary of Occupational Titles. It also must contain complete information concerning
the skills, knowledges, abilities, and responsibilities required of the worker by the job so that the
job can be classified accurately within the code structure of the Dictionary of Occupational Titles.
Schedule data are required for Dictionary definitions concerning jobs for which - no experience
is required; the so- called " entry jobs." These data assist in establishing methods for evaluating
occupationally significant information about inexperienced' job applicants, . and provide the
basis for reflecting such data in the code structure of the Dictionary. "'" '
- 1
In developing and applying trade tests, job analysis, through the schedule, identifies the
major job tasks in which proficiency should be measured and serves as a basis for selecting the
appropriate test to administer to applicants claiming specific experience. In developing and
applying aptitude tests, job analysis provides the basis for selecting tests that will measure the
aptitudes required for successful performa; p. ce on the job. Job analysis also aids in comparing
a job to be filled against a job for which tests have been standardized in order to select the
appropriate test to administer to applicants.
In dealing with the suitability of jobs for special groups of workers, such as the physicallv
handicapped and older workers, schedules provide surveys of the physical demands of job;.
The information thus obtained is reported in such a manner that all personnel concerned with
placing and utilizing such workers can recommend most accurately the jobs in which they should
be employed.
Job families require that job analysis schedules contain complete information concerning
job tasks and their level of relative difficulty, as well as comprehensive information on such
considera'tions as intraplant relationships. This information is extremely important in relating
jobs in terms of basic siID. ilarities.
Job analysis schedules form the major foundation for all job descriptions. Although
arranged differently, the sections of the one are nearly coincidental with the sections of the other.
The approach to job descriptions, however, is naturally from the angle of usefulness in recruitment,
placement, counseling, and utilization operations rather than from the approach of reporting
only facts, which is the main objective of the schedule.
The responsibility for preparing complete, clear, and concise job analysis schedules rests
mainly with the analyst. It is not possible for his supervisor, or the staff in the Bureau's
national office, to reanalyze all jobs as a check on those which he has covered. H the analyst
obtains all information and records it in the manner explained in this manual, acceptable schedules
will result.
The U. S. Employment Service tested these methods and procedures in actual operations
and established their value and practicability prior to their release. The proper utilization of
the concepts herein presented should make possible the preparation of job ~ nalyses of consistently
high quality and of maximum value in the preparation of all occupational information
I t
Information concerning jobs is the basic material used by industry, governmental and
private agencies, and employee organizations for many programs ranging from broad types of
activities, such as personnel management and placement, to specific ones, such as defining the
limits of authority. The nature of the job information required varies in type and approach
according to program needs. Regardless of the ultimate use for which it is intended, however,
the information must be accurate, must omit nothing pertinent to the program, and must be
presented in a form most suitable for study and use. The techniques of securing and presenting
this information are known as " job analysis."
In other words, job analysis is defined as the process of identifying, by observation, interview,
and study, and of reporting the significant worker activities and requirements and the
technical and environmental facts of a specific job. It is the identification of the tasks which
comprise the job and of the skills, knowledges, abilities, and responsibilities that are required
of the worker for successful performance and that differentiate the job from all others.
Before the analyst can comprehend fully the meaning and implications of this definition,
he must know exactly the reasons for the job analysis and the fundamental information which
he must obtain.
Basically, there are but three parts to the analysis of any job: ( 1) The job must be identified
completely and accurately; ( 2) the tasks of the job must be describ€ d completely and
accurately; ( 3) the requirements the job makes upon the worker for successful performance
must be indicated.
Any additions to these three are for the purpose of specific programs and have specific
uses. Under any conditions the second of these three parts is outstandingly important- the
complete and accurate describing of the job tasks. Without this the rest of the analysis lacks
The categories of information that must be obtained and reported in order to meet the
requirements for a complete analysis of a job are four in number and have been formalized
into a measurement device that is designated as the " Job Analysis Formula." These four
categories are: " What the worker does," " How he does it," ICWhy he does it," and " The skill
involved in doing."
Before a job analysis can be of value in any program, it must indicate the exact nature and
scope of the tasks involved in a job and define the level of difficulty of those tasks. The: first
three parts of the Job Analysis Formula, the " What," " How," and " Why," bring out the
n~ ture and scope of the tasks. The last part of the formula, the " Skill Involved," measures
the degree of difficulty of the tasks and exactly defines the nature of the required skills in order
to indicate their difficulty. The Job Analysis Formula will be discussed in greater detail
later in the manual.
To understand why the information represented by the Job Analysis Formula must be
present in every analysis, the analyst should be acquainted with some of the many uses of job
analysis. Job analyses and their byproducts- job descriptions, job specifications, occupational
classification structures, wage evaluation systems, and the like- are systematic methods
indispensable for thoroughness and accuracy in personnel management, industrial relations,
labor utilization, and related activities. Some 20- odd uses of job analysis have been clearly
identified. Important among these are:
Recruitment and Placement
Job analysis is used to identify job requirements and the specific qualities required of
workers to fill jobs. Recruitment and placement officers, both in industrial personnel offices
and in the public employment service, thus can be guided in bringing together the worker and
the job. Without information revealed in job analysis products, such as the Dictionary oj
Occupational Titles, job descriptions, and interviewing aids, intelligent interviewing is difficult
and accurate placement, a matter of chance. Detailed information about jobs places recruitment
and placement on an objective basis.
Vocational Counseling
The products of job analysis furnish the vocational counselor with accurate pictures of the
tasks and requirements of jobs and of the avocations, training, and experiences that lead to
them. If occupational adjustment is to continue to be a significant factor in the solution of
worker problems, the counselor must be provided with accurate and adequate information about
jobs on which he can base his advice to workers, especially youth, the physically and mentally
handicapped, and the inexperienced. Such information can come only through job analysis.
Job and Employee Evaluation
Job analysis provides the occupational data required for developing an objective method for
evaluating employee performance on the job. It permits relating the qualifications and abilities
demonstrated by the worker to occupational factors and demands in order to show properly
employee performance. Lacking such objective measures, the rating official is reduced to mere
guess in determining the degree of skill possessed by a worker. Similarly, jobs must be evaluated
objectively in order to assure equitable salary and wage rates and to maintain orderly and
economic operation. Objective evaluation of jobs requires careful analyses of the relative
degrees of skill or difficulty of the jobs. Job analysis alone can supply the data needed.
A successful training program is dependent, in part, upon detailed information regarding
the involved jobs. Workers cannot be trained adequately unless the nature, duties, responsibilities,
and like factors of the jobs for which they are being trained are known. The content
of the training curriculum, time required for training, and selection of trainees are dependent
upon thorough analyses of the jobs.
SeHer Utili1; ation of Workers
Job analysis is of primary importance in industrial management. By supplying complete
information on the nature of all the jobs in a plant, it provides the basis for establishing efficient
organization plans. Job analysis also provides the basis for job reengineering by giving clear
and concise pictures of individual jobs and pointing out the reallocation of tasks for more
efficient production. Also, it indicates where methods can be reengineered to utilize existing
personnel more fully by exposing faulty work procedures or duplication of effort.
Safety, Health, and Medical Research
Safety engineering utilizes job analysis to locate potential sources of occupational hazards
and to develop safety procedures for eliminating the hazards. Here, as in other fields in which
job analysis is used, an analysis of causative conditions is fundamental to remedial action.
Occupational diseases and fatigue can be traced to the nature of the job and its surroundings.
Similarly, occupational data regarding physical requirements provide medical departments
with information required to decide whether or not a disabled employee or a person possessing
physical limitations can perform the duties of a job. In addition, knowledge of the nature of
tasks is essential to determine their suitability for occupational therapy and related needs.
LClOor Relations; Within- Plant Personnel Policies
Clear statements of duties and responsibilities of all jobs in an organization result from job
& nalysis. Such statements are the factual bases upon which workers and managment can
achieve a common understanding. They assist in adjusting grievances arising from such
b.. ctors as performance and responsibility, and they define the limits of authority essential to
productive working relationships. They define and outline promotional steps and thereby
become factors essential to good morale.
Under these broad general programs are many specific applications of job analysis, such
as the determination of the content of vocational courses, determination of occupations suitable
for women, and the determination of limits of authority. From an examination of any of
them, it is apparent that their success is dependent largely upon the completeness and accuracy
of the facts with which they deal, many of which are obtained only by job analysis. To assure
this, the task of the job analyst is to get the facts, get them accurately, and get them 8111.
. s
As considered in this manual, job analysis is defined as the process of determining, by
observation, interview, and study, and of reporting the significant worker activities and requirements
and the technical and environmental factors of a specLiJ. c job. It is the identification
of the tasks which comprise the job and of the skills, knowledges, abilities, and responsibilitieR
required of the worker for successful job performance. However, before the analyst can fully
comprehend the meaning and implications of this definition and before he can start the actual
analysis, he must know exactly what is meant by the term " job.."
The term " job" is used in many different ways and has different meanings to the individuals
using the term. Because such terms as " job," " position," " task," and " duty" are so often
used interchangeably, and with resulting confusion, it is necessary to establish somewhat arbitrary
meanings for them for the purpose of this manual and job analysis in the U. S. Employment
Service. The following terms are significant for an understanding of basic job structure and
job analysis:
1. ELEMENT is the smallest step into which it is practicable to subdivide any work
activity without analyzing separate motions, movements, and mental processes involved. It
is a work unit that describes in detail the methods, procedures, and techniques involved in a
P9rtion of a job. '"
2. TASK or DUTY, made up of one or more elements, is one of the distinct major activities
that constitute logical and necessary steps in the work performed b: y- the worker. It is
the work unit that deals with the methods, procedures, and techniques ( the (' What," " How,"
and " Why") by which parts of a job are carried out. A task or duty is created whenever
human effort, in terms of one or more elements, must be exerted for a specific purpose. The
effort may be physical, as pulling and lifting, or mental, as planning and explaining. The
effort may be exerted to change a material or merely to maintain the status quo of a material.
The material may be tangible, as boards and nails, or intangible, as numbers and words. Each
task or duty has certain distinguishing characteristics.
( a) It is recognized, usually, as being one of the worker's principal responsibilities.
( b) It occupies a significant portion of the worker's work time.
( c) It involves work operations which utilize closely related skills, knowledges, and
( d:) It is performed for some purpose, by some method, according to some standard with
respect to speed, accuracy, quality, or quantity. This standard may be provided by the
worker himself through trial and error or as a result of experience; it may be furnished to the
worker by his supervisor in t. he form of oral, · written, or graphic instruction; or it may exist
in the form of dir. ectives, published operating procedures, or similar media.
Tasks or duties may be considered major or minor, depending on the extent to which
they. establish demands for skills, knowledges, aptitudes, physical capacities, and personal
traits and upon the percentage of total work time involved in their performance.
3. POSITION is an aggregation of tasks or duties with related responsibilities. Each
position has characteristics which distinguish it and by which it may be recognized.
( a) It has a definite scope and purpose.
( b) It requires the full- time service of one worker.
( c) It involves work which utilizes related skills, knowledges, and abilities.
4. JOB may be defined as a group of positions which are identical with respect to their
major or significant tasks and sufficiently alike ~ justify their being covered by a single analysis.
The first step in the analysis of jobs is an exact determination of what the jobs are and
their precise limits; that is, where the jobs begin and where they end. The analyst therefore
must be able to analyze a group of positions, determine the number of basic units or jobs
existing among the positions, and then discover the ~ xact nature of those jobs. To state
this more concretely, he must have the abilitytq go into a department Or other QrganizationaJ.
unit of a plant and determine the exact number, nature, and relationships of the jobs in tl). at
department. . .' .
As an illustration, suppose that an establishment employs 10 workers who operate engine
lathes. Each of these workers occupies a positiOn. There may be some differences among the
10 positions with respect to the operations performed, the metals worked on and the type of
machine setup required. Nevertheless, since all 10 workers are operating the same , kind of
machine in performing metal- cutting operations of a comp~ rable difficulty, the analyst caJl
readily determine, on the basis of the foregoing discussion of terms, that these 10 positions are
identical with respect to major tasks and therefore constitute one Job. On the other hand,
suppose that half of the 10 workers set up their own machines and do complex work, while the.
other half have their machines set up for them and are limited to routine work requiring littl~
skill in machine operation. In this instance there would be not one job but two, one for the allaround
operators and one for the lesser skilled operators.
Jobs should be analyzed as they exist, each completed job analysis schedule describing
one job as currently found in the particular organization being' studied. Therefore, each job
schedule must faithfully report the job exactly as it exists at the time of the analysis, not as it
should exist, not as it has existed in the past, and not as it e: xists in similar plants. While jobs
are, to a certain extent, constantly changing, the analyst should not speculate on future plans.
given by employers or on how the analyst believ~ s the job might change in the future. Such
tactics would defeat the ultimate purpose of the study- that of informing employment personn.~ l
and similar groups of the nature of jobs that presently exist in the country. '._
Basically, every job analysis should represent adescription of one job as defined above- n9
more and no less. However, some variations are occasionally necessary. Tasks temporarily
assigned to a given worker who is hired to perform other tasks most of the time must not; be
confused with a job in the sense that the term is used here. One job analysis should be written
for such a worker and it should be explained that the worker is assigned to certain combinations
of these tasks from time to time. In considering the tasks that normally constitutejobs,
three general situations may occur: "
L Where workers are interchangeable anp frequently change from one set of tasks to
another. The situation which follows illustrates . the manner in which this might occur. Four
workers, known as Mashing Hands, were found performing a set of duties which included
weighing out specified amounts of loose tobacco; packing the weighed tobacco into shape bo~ es.
in which the tobacco was compressed into cakes in. the mashing machine; taking shape boxes
from the mashing machine and removing the cakes of pressed tobacco from the shape boxes;
and cutting the tobacco cakes into large squares. The workers frequently changed about , to
relieve monotony. The tasks should ordinarily be analyzed collectively and recorded on on~
job analysis schedule, since the simple tasks involved, although performed by individual workers,
actually constitute one job, all phases of which are performed by all the workers.
2. Where workers are interchangeable but are more or less permanently assigned to one
group of tasks, As an example, there was in an aircraft factory a group of workers who were
known as Fuselage Frame Builders, Rib Frame Builders, and Spar Builders. The workers
were engaged in framework assembly in jigs of various members of unit fuselages, wing ribs,
or wing spars, and temporarily were securing the assemblies with screws, bolts, or tack welds
prior to final riveting or welding operations. Although the jobs were interchangeable to the
extent that anyone of the workers performed the duties of anyone of the others in emergencies,
each worker performed his respective job in regular production work. Situations such as these
should be considered separate jobs, and the analyses should be recorded on separate job analysis
3. Where workers are not interchangeable.. For example, the duties of the jobs of an
Aeronautical Engineer and a Patternmaker are so dissimilar and unrelated that the workers
a. r.. not considered transferable or interchangeable. They are separate jobs and should be
reported on separate job analysis schedules.
If there is any doubt as to whether the situation under consideration falls under example 1
or example 2 above, it is better to prepare separate schedules, since this procedure usually
gives mOre complete information and facilitates the subsequent classification of schedules for
processing. In such cases suitable comments should be added to the analysis to clarify the
r& lationships of the jobs.
Items 1 through- lOof the schedule form identify a job S: ccurately within the organization
in which it occurs. Spaces are provided for' entering the job title, type of establishment in
which the job occurs, number of workers employed on the job, and other similar information.
This identification is necessary to permit a rapid reference to schedules which contain desired
information. It is so presented that it permits the ready locating in files either of the schedule
or of informational products developed from the schedule.
Item 1
Job Title
Enter the name by which the job is commonly called in the establishment being analyzed.
This title should be the one that the employer would use in requesting referral of an applicant,
or one which the workers use among themselves in referring to the job. . All plant job titles
should be written in capitals, in the singular, and in their n'atural form exactly as the plant
writes them.
If the plant title appears to be inappropriate or is not descriptive of the job, the analyst
should qualify it with a word or phrase in parentheses after the title to make it as precise as
possible, as: OPERATOR ( SHIRT NECKBAND). No portion of the job title as given by
the establishment should appear in parentheses, and no portion of the analyst's additions or
modifications of it should appear outside the parentheses.
The analyst is concerned primarily'with reporting facts about jobs in the establishment in
which the analysis is being made, but if he knows that there is something unusual concerning
the use of a particular title, or if the title is so general as to be meaningless, he should use the
title and fully explain the circumstances in the " Comments" section of the schedule and, where
necessary, should suggest appropriate titles.
Under no circumstances should the analyst devise and insert in item 1 a title of his own.
The title must be that used by the employer in referring to the worker or by the worker in referring
to the job, no matter how inappropriate it may seem.
Item 2
Job AnalYSis Schedule Number
Each job analysis schedule is assigned a different number. The number is seven digits
or more in length. The first two will always be the State identification number ( see app. IV
for numbers assigned to State agencies). The schedule number will appear on each page of the
job analysis schedule.
Example: State agency " A" is assigned 99 as its identification number; the 1st schedule prepared
would be assigned 9900001; the 12th, 9900012; the 135th, 9900135, etc.
The numbering of job analysis schedules for the second establishment in which studies are
conducted should begin wherever the numbering ended with the first establishment's analyses
Example: State agency " A" prepared 135 job analysis schedules in the first establishment in which
studies were conducted The job analysis schedules were numbered from 9900001 through
9900135, Numbering of schedules for the second establishment in which analyses are made
should start with 9900136"
If studies are being made simultaneously in two or more establishments, it is usually
convenient to assign a block of schedule numbers to one establishment and another block of
numbers to the second establishment. . Any unused numbers in a block may be assigned to
miscellaneous schedules or may remam unused. Similarly, it may be convenient to assign
larger blocks of numbers for the use of analysts located in widely separated areas of the State.
Item 3
Number Employed
Insert here the number of workers of each sex that, at the time of the analysis, are employed
on the job being analyzed. If the number employed varies appreciably from time to
time, a notation of the range ( after the number currently employed) should be indicated in
parentheses. . Also, if the workers employed are divided among shifts or if they are divided
among two or more departments, a notation regarding such situations should be made in the
" Comments" section.
Item 4
Establishment Number
Each establishment ( plant, agency, association) in which analyses are conduct. ed is to be
assigned an identification number by the State agency making the study.
The establishment number,' consisting of three parts separated by hyphens, is to appear
in the space provided on the job analysis schedule:
Part 1- 8tate identification number ( see app. IV).
Part 2- Number of employees in establishment in which analyses are made.
Part 3 · - Numbers assigned to identify a specific establishment.
Example: Analysts of State agency " A," having State identification number 99, conducted their
first job analysis study in a plant having 3,500 employees. The establishment number 993500-
1 was assigned to identify the study" The 43d plant in which job analysis studies
were made had 409 employees and was assigned the establishment number 99~ 409- 43,
Parts 2 and 3 serve as a means for identifying a specific establishment. The establishment
number is included also on the narrative report, staffing schedules, and plant control card.
The name of the establishment in which analyses are made should not appear on the job
analysis schedule.
Item 5
The date on which the analysis was made should be entered here.
Number of Sheets
The total number of sheets in the schedule should be noted. . At the top of each supplementary
sheet should be placed the number of the sheet together with the total number of
sheets in the form of a fraction as: Xs, 71s, % s . , .
Alternate Titles
Enter here any titles, other than the one entered in item 1, by which the job may be
known. These titles should be terms which are widely used and recognized in the plant.
The inclusion of titles in this space is taken to mean that the titles are synonymous with the
main title and that the entire analysis as written applies to all the titles listed. For example,
Material Keeper, Storekeeper, and Supply Room Clerk were found to be alternate titles for
Stock Clerk. On the other hand, Pipe Calker and Pipe Layer are not alternates for Plumber
because they refer to only a portion of the work of a Plumber.
Item 7
Dictionary Title and Code
If the job being analyzed can be identified in volume I of the Dictionary oj Occupational
Titles, the Dictionary title and code should be entered here. It must be remembered, however,
that a complete entry can be made here only when the job under analysis is identical in all
significant respects to a job defined in the Dictionary.
This procedure has its primary application when Dictionary definitions are verified directly
to supply supplementary information for local office use, or for purposes of revising existing
Dictionary definitions. The analyst should not attempt to assign the full title and code
when analyzing jobs that are not already covered in the Dictionary.
If the job is one which has not been defined previously and coded in the Dictionary, the
analyst should select the occupational group in which he believes the job should be coded, and
should record on the schedule the first three digits of the code. This assignment serves as
a recommendation by the analyst to guide the definition writer in assigning the complete
The assignment of the first three digits must be carefully considered after the analyst
reviews all phases of the job and compares the job with the Dictionary criteria established
for classifying jobs according to the major code groups. If the analyst has gained additional
information which will assist in classifying the jobs, he should be sure to enter such information
appropriately under " Comments."
Items 8, 9, 10
Industry, Branch, Department
These three items are so closely associated that they can best be discussed and illustrated
Item 8- Industry. Enter here the title of the industry in which the job is found. This
title usually will have been designated to the analyst or the crew supervisor prior to the
beginning of the study; otherwise the common name of the industry should be used.
Item 9- Branch. Some industries are subdivided into branches, each of which represents
a broad phase of activity in the industry. The analyst must be very careful to distinguish
between the branch of an industry and a department of an establishment. Generally, the
distinction between the two is one of degree only, for normally a given establishment in its
entirety may be allocated to a branch of an industry.
Item lO- Department. Under this item the analyst should enter the name of the department
in which the job being analyzed is found. This name should be the one used by the
Examples of entries which might appear under these items are: Ammunition Manufacturing
Industry, Shell Loading Branch, Maintenance Department; Bakery Products Industry,
Bread Branch, Mixing Department; Electrical Equipment ~ lanufacturing Industry, Incandescent
Lamp Branch, Assembly Department.
Occasionally it may be desirable to divide a department into sections or subdepartments
in order to give a clearer picture of plant organization. A situation in the Electrical Equipment
Manufacturing Industry is representative of this. In the Winding Department there are the
A. C. ( alternating current), D. C. ( direct current), and Commutator Assembly sections. In
this case entries in items 8, 9, and 10 might be: Electrical Equipment Manufacturing Industry,
Motors and Generators Branch, Winding Department, A. C. Section.
This section of the analysis is intended to present a clear, concise, factually accurate statement
regarding the tasks performed by a worker in accomplishing the purpose of his job.
The extent of a job is determined by the total of all the tasks which must be performed on
the job and by their specific nature. In the job analysis schedule, the extent of a job is established
by the Work Performed and by associated descriptions of Equipment, Materials, and
Supplies noted in the Work Performed. To define clearly the scope of the job, the Work Performed
must describe what the worker does, how he does it, and why he does it. In other words,
this portion of the schedule must satisfy the first three parts of the Job Analysis Formula. The
manner in which this information should be presented will be explained and discussed in detail.
Item 11
Work Performed
The Work Performed item must present, in concise form, a thorough and complete description
of the duties of the job. It sho. uld give a correct portrayal of the identity, purpose, CQCltent,
and requirements of each job, but it is not meant to be a detailed time and motion study.
It should consist of an introductory sentence that gives an overall identification to the job in
as few words as possible, followed by an orderly series of statements that describe each step of
the job.
The introductory sentence of the Work Performed must immediately orient the reader
with respect to the scope of the job" Its function is to give the reader an overall concept of
the purpose, nature, and extent of the tasks performed, and to show how the job differs generally
from other jobs. In composing this, the selection of words is most important. The terms used
must be sufficiently precise to highlight the important aspects of the job and to distinguish the
job from others. If the analyst cannot avoid the use of general terms, he must qualify and explain
them in subsequent material. When writing this introduction, the analyst should ask
1. What is the outstanding factor in this job which differentiates it from all other jobs?
2. What words can I use in writing this sentence that will convey the most precise meaning
to the person who will utilize the schedule?
3. What details should I add to the sentence that will throw further light on the total
Typical first sentences which carry out this idea might be:
ENGINE LATHE OPERATOR, FIRST CLASS: Sets up and operates an Engine Lathe
to turn small airplane fittings from brass or steel bar stock. or from unfinished aluminum or
magnesium alloy castings, finishing the fittings down to specified close tolerances.
WOOD TOOL MAKER: Assigns work to and supervises a group of 20 to 30 workers
engaged in constructing wood and wood- and- steel- plate form blocks, router boards, and fixtures
used in the shaping, assembly, and inspection of airplane parts.
The remainder of the Work Performed should expand upon the introductory sentence and
explain the important details of the job so logically, concisely, and specifically that a totally
uninformed reader can visualize the tasks and understand the job with a minimum of reorganization
of the data.
The material following the introduction must, therefore, consist of an orderly presentation
of the tasks of the job. This presentation is best composed of a series of statements telling
succinctly what the worker does, and why and how he performs the various tasks. Each of
these statements can be considered as a task of the job. It is here that the organizational
ability of the analyst is called into full play, for he must organize his material so tha t the clearest
job picture is presented.
Generally, in describing the tasks that comprise a job the analyst should arrange them
in either a chronological or a functional order. Tasks can be arranged chronologically when a
job has a specific cycle or sequence of operations. The analyst should describe the tasks the
worker is called upon to do in the order in which he performs them. Applied to some machinetype
jobs, the tasks could be arranged in the following order:
1. Sets Up Machine.
2. Mounts Work Piece
3. Operates Machine.
4. Removes Work Piece.
5. Inspects Work Piece.
6. Maintains Tools.
7. Maintains Machine.
Job tasks and duties can be arranged chronologically with factory- production type jobs,
jobs that are relatively simple, or jobs for which the skill involved is limited.
A functional arrangement of job tasks and duties should be used by the analyst for jobs
having no regular cycle of operations. This type of job is usually more difficult to analyze,
since it involves a considerable variety of job duties and responsibilities that generally have
no established sequence of operations.
For example, the tasks of an office clerical job may be arranged as follows:
1. Types narrative and statistical reports.
2. Tabulates and posts data in various record books.
3. Files reports and correspondence.
4. Receives callers, and gives them informa. tion.
5. Estimates need for requisitions, and distributes supplies.
The tasks of a chemist may be organized as follows:
1. Testing and Analysis.
Tests and analyzes raw materials or manufactured products for conformance to
plant standards.
2. Research and Development.
Conducts controlled experiments to devise new methods for improving production,
for testing and analyzing raw materials and products, for adapting substances to new
uses, and for recovering and utilizing byproducts.
3. Production Supervision.
Supervises manufacturing processes and operations, including the measuring and
mixing of ingredients, and the control of chemical reactions during processes.
The functional arrangement is used for the most part for clerical, technical, managerial,
and professional jobs.
Normally, each of the items listed in the previous discussion as typical major steps in the
operation of some machines would constitute one numbered task and all of the details explaining
it would be stated directly under it. This outline of typical tasks, of course, cannot be
used for all jobs.. If, for example, the whole job consists of setting up machines, the setup
should not be treated as a single task but should be broken down into its major elements or
steps, or if the whole job consists of analyzing costs, this process should be accorded similar
treatment. The primary consideration is to organize the statement so that the uninformed
reader can obtain a clear concept of the work performed on the job..
Especially important, in giving a clear concept of the work performed on a job is t, he style in
which the analyst prepares his presentat, ion.. The presentation should be a concise, well
worded, easily read, informat, iv: e narrative const, ructed on the outline of the organization
decided upon. It, must not, be the outline itself. In a narrative the analyst constructs the job
as he analyzed it. In an outline he forces his reader to construct the job, a situation that is
highly susceptible to error. Conciseness refers to the exactness of well- chosen words having
specific meanings and not to brevity such as the " telegraphic" st, yle of writing represents.
The information given must, be specific and must contain suffiCient detail to satisfy the
requirements of the first three parts of the Job Analysis Formula- that is, " What," " How,"
and " Why.. " It must not, however, confuse the reader with a mass of relatively unimportant
facts.. It is necessary and important to observe and evaluate accurately all of the details of the
job, and then to segregate and record only those that are pertinent to the " What," " How,"
and " Why."
The fourth part of the Job Analysis Formula, the " Skill Involved," must also be carefully
considered in presenting each job task. The " Skill Involved" consists of such factors as
Responsibility, Dexterity and Accuracy, and Job Knowledge, all of which will be considered in
the Performance Requirements section. Whenever possible, the Work Performed must be so
worded that the " Skill Involved" in the tasks can be directly related to the Performance
In composing the body of the Work Performed so as to obtain the clearest presentation, the
analyst should divide the job into its major tasks and allocate one numbered statement to each.
Each task should be introduced with a flag statement, which shows generally what is being done,
followed by a detailed account of how and why it is done. In the following task taken from the
job of ENGINE LATHE OPERATOR, FIRST CLASS, the flag is " Sets Up Lathe.. "
" Sets Up Lathe: Examines blueprints to det, ermine the dimensions of the part to be
machined, using shop mathematics to calculate any dimensions not given directly OD the prints
or to calculate machine set, tings.. Attaches to lathe such accessories as chuck and tool holder;
threads and locks the chuck on the headstock spindle; and set, s and tightens t, he tool holder in
the tool carriage with a setscrew and wrench.. Opens t, he chuck jaws to the approximate size
of the workpiece with a chuckwrench, inserts the workpiece between the jaws, and tight, ens the
jaws down on it. Centers the workpiece in the chuck jaws, locating a dial indicator against the
workpiece, rotating the chuck and workpiece by hand, and making coincident minor adjust, ments
to the chuck jaws until all ' wobble' in the workpiece disappears as shown by the needle
of the indicator. Selects a cut, ting tool shaped and sharpened for the type of met, al and type
of cut to be made and clamps it, at a suitable cut, ting angle in the holding dog of the toolholder,
judging the angle of cut by eye. Referring to a handbook or on the basis of experience, selects
~ he correct lathe speed according to the metal of the workpiece and the type of cut to be made.
S~ ts the lathe speed control levers to the selected speed.. "
The style to be followed in preparing the Work Performed should conform to four basic
rules governing most types of occupational analysis writing:
1. A terse, direct style should be used..
2. Each sentence should begin with an action verb ..
3. The present tense should be used throughout.
4. All words should impart necessary information; others should be omitted.
The analyst can readily understand the application of these four basic rules of writing
style by a study of the preceding example and an examination of the sample schedules in the
appendix of this manual. The use of long and involved sentences should be avoided, since
these are likely to be both confusing and misleading to the reader.
When the analyst composes any sentence or any phrase describing any portion of the
Work Performed, he should immediately measure the quality of what he has written by consciously
applying the Job Analysis Formula to it. He should ask himself, " Does this statement
tell what the worker does?" " Does this statement tell how the worker does it?" " Does this
statement tell why the worker does it?" If what the analyst has written answers each of these
questions, he can be assured of the quality of information he has given. If howe,," er, anyone
of these questions is left unanswered, the analyst must revise his statement so as to supply the
deficiency that the formula has brought to light.
As stated previously, the fourth part of the formula must not be neglected in the analyses
evaluation of what he has written. His sta, tements should tell what is involved in the worker's
performance of his tasks so that there will be an adequate tie- in between the Work Performed
and the Performance Requirements.
Every precaution should be taken to use words that have only one possible connotation
and that. specifically describe the manner in which the work is accomplished. For example,
expressions such as " transports material" should be avoided. The worker carries the
materials in his arms or in a basket, or pushes a loaded dolly, or drives an electric truck, or
accomplishes the " transportation" in some other specific manner.
To cite another example, it is inadequate to record merely that the worker " feeds the
machine." Does he insert the pieces one at a time in an indexing head, does he hold the workpiece,
or does he clamp it in a jig?
The analyst should keep in mind the necessity for stating a task completely but should
not allow the explanation to develop into a motion study. For example, regarding an inspector
of small parts, it may be said, " slides fingertips over machined edges to detect ragged edges
and burs." On the other hand, it would be absurd to state, " raises right hand 1 foot to table
height, superimposes hand over mechanical part and, by depressing the first and second fingers
to the machined part and moving the arm slowly sidewise about 6 inches, feels with his fingertips
for snags or pricks that are indicative of surface irregularities."
The Work Performed should include duties that are performed infrequently as well as in
the normal work cycle. Such tasks as the occasional setup of a machine, occasional repairs,
infrequent reports, and the like should be described with a notation concerning their frequency
of performance. However, if any of these duties consume enough of the worker's time to enable
the analyst to make a definite notation as to the percent of time, it will not be necessary to
indicate their frequency in the narrative. In arranging the presentation of tasks, these oc- casional
tasks will follow the major tasks.
In recording the tasks under Work Performed, the analyst must be particularly careful
to mention all tools and equipment which the worker uses. Any special or unusual machines
or equipment should begin with an initial capital letter the first time they appear in the Work
Performed and those which are defined under Item 20 ( Equipment, Materials, and Supplies)
should be underlined the first time they appear. Similarly, all technical or little- known terms
or terms with unusual meanings, which are defined in the " Comments" section, should be
underlined the first time that they appear in the Work Performed section. This is necessary
so that the reader will know immediately that the definitions are in the schedule and that he
can turn to them for information.
The tasks of the job are thus presented as consecutively numbered and paragraphed
statements. At the end of each must be included a parenthetical notation giving the approximate
percent of time and degree of skill involved in the performance of the tasks described.
Both the percent of time and the degree of skill provide valuable clues concerning the
emphasis to be placed on the various job tasks by the processors of the job data Obviously
the most skilled items are the ones that will interest the inteniewer the most when talking
to an applicant, since these items are usually major emplOylllent factors. The percent of time
aids in understanding jobs which involve a variety of duties.
The percent of time should be on the basis of 100 percent for all of the tasks performed.
Since it is impracticable for the analyst to make an extremely fine determination of the per~
cent of time taken up by each of the tasks in a job, he should not consider any figure less
than 5 percent. Estimates made by consulting either the worker whose job is being observed
or the worker's supervisor will be sufficiently accurate
The degree of skill of each task should be indicated by the figures 1, 2, and 3: " I" being
used to express the lowest degree of skill, and " 3" the highest degree. When assigning the
ratings to tasks in a job, only · the job being analyzed is considered. This must be adhered
to strictly because it is not possible to compare the tasks involved in different jobs. What
might be a " 3" skill for a task of one job might only deserve a rating of " I" in another job,
depending on the complexity or simplicity of the jobs.
Following this line of reasoning, every job will contain a " 3" task, since every job has its
own " most difficult task." As a convention, therefore, a job so simple as to contain only one
task will have it designated 3- 1, since this one task covers the entire span of difficulty contained
on the one job.
In assigning the degree of skill and the percent of time for a task, the degree of skill
should be noted first and the percentage of time noted second. The two should be separated
by a hyphen and enclosed in parentheses.. Thus, a skill level of 3 for a task consuming 60
percent of the worker's time would be noted ( 3- 60%)
This section of the job analysis schedule is designed to indicate where workers can be
recruited for the job analyzed and point out the experience and training that a worker who is
seeking the job must have This information is required for the placement officer who must
replace an experienced worker with another worker who has the necessary qualifications, for
the vocational counselor seeking to place inexperienced applicants, and for the same counselor
who must assist workers in transferring from a field in which they are experienced to another
type of work. In addition, upgrading and similar job engineering problems are reflected here.
In general, there are two broad sources of worker skill which provide clues to worker
sources: job experience and training not necessarily associated with experience. This section
of the schedule is divided on that basis.
Item 12
Here should be listed l1ny experience that a worker must have had before he can satisfactorily
perform the job.
If no occupational experience is necessary, an " X" should be placed after the word " None."
This indicates that the job is open to the inexperienced applicants and is what is known as an
" Entry Job." However, an inexperienced applicant may be required to possess specific training
to compensate in whole or in part for his lack of work experience..
If the job is not an entry job, after the heading IIAcceptable" the analyst should list the
titles of the job or jobs which do provide the experience necessary for successful job performance.
These should be identifie9- by titles from the Dictionary oj Occupational Titles whenever possible.
If any related job is known also by a title other than a Dictionary title, that title should be
The analyst, on the basis of occupational knowledge or placement experience, may be
familiar with occupations which he feels are related to the job analyzed. Such occupations
should be discussed with the employer to determine their applicability. If such suggestions
seem practicable to the employer, the job titles should be listed and an appropriate explanation
should be made in the HOomments" section as to why the jobs seem a feasible source of workers.
For example, a job analysis of SHIP RIGGER might well have listed in this item the
following job title: ABLE SEAMAN ( see " Oomments").
The relationship may then be stated in the " Oomments" section as follows:
" ABLE SEAMAN.- Experienced workers in this job usually are capable of performing
nearly all the tasks of SHIP RIGGER. They generally are capable of splicing rope and wire
cable and are familiar with ship rigging tools, and their experience usually includes splicing
fittings into wire cables, finishing splices, and familiarity with rigging crane- hoist equipment.
In the absence of fully qualified workers, this occupation is probably the next best source of
This part of the schedule requires considerable skill on the part of the analyst in interviewing
members of the personnel department, the worker's foreman, e, nd experienced workers.
Oare must be exercised in evaluating the information secured.
The basic . approach to be taken by the analyst in interviewing qualified plant personnel
to secure such information should be: IIWhen no fully experienced workers are available,
from what other jobs do you hire workers for this job? In what other plants Or industries
can workers get training or experience that would be of value on this job? What jobs?"
Item 13
Training Data
The intent of this item is to present complete information regarding the training that is
either required or helpful in preparing workers for the job under study. Specifically, it is
intended to bring out the exact nature of the training that is either required or desirable, and
the physical or mental skills which that training develops and how those skills apply directly
to the job.
The data for this item are obtainable through interviews with experienced workers, the
worker's foremen, and members of the personnel department. Information obtained from a
worker must be verified by the foreman or the personnel department to insure that the data
apply to all workers and are not merely the qualifications of that particular worker.
The subitem " Minimum Training Time" indicfl. tes the time required to train workers
for the job. If the job requires no experience as checked in item 12, the analyst must enter
after item 13a, " Inexperienced Workers," the average on- the- job training time required before
an inexperienced worker can perform the job satisfactorily. If experience is required, the
analyst must enter after item 13b, " Experienced Workers," the average on- the- job training
time necessary before a worker who has the experience indicated as " acceptfl. ble" can perform
the job satisfactorily. The entries made here must be consistent with those made under
item 12, " Experience," so the two will be properly related.
The remainder of this item is a table which is used to record the specific type and specific
results of training that prepare a worker for successful job performance. The portion of the
table headed " Training" is for the purpose of entering the exact nature of the training. The
portion headed " Specific Job Skills Acquired Through Training" shows the manner in which
the training applies directly to the job.
Under the heading " Training" are listed five general considerations which embrace most
types of training. These considerations are: In- Plant Training, Vocational Training, Technical
Training, General Education, and Activities and Hobbies..
In- Plant Training.- This refers to any training given or sponsored by an employer either
on or off his own premises intended as preparation for a specific job in his plant. The title
and the exact nature of any training course, if given, are to be entered here.
Vocational Training.- · This refers to any training conducted by private or vocational
schools intended to develop general or specific skills but not directed to a specified job as it
exists in anyone plant. Here are to be indicated any training courses which apply to the
particular job.
Technical Training..- This refers to any training of a technical nature above the high
school level. Examples are Sciences, Medicine, Engineering, and Architecture. Any specific
courses which apply are to be entered here.
General Education.- · This section refers to any education of the type given in public or
private elementary or secondary schools. Such subjects as high school physics, elementary
arithmetic, and chemistry which are either required or would prove helpful are to be noted.
If only the ability to speak, read, or write English is required, the letters which apply should be
Activities and Hobbies.- Persons who engage in an avocation for recreation occasionally
attain high proficiency in the physical and mental skills of the avocation. The pursuit of the
activity also indicates a liking or interest in the field represented and, hence, the possibility of
successful job accomplishment in that field For these reasons, vocational counselors pay close
attention to relationships between avocations and jobs, and this part of the schedule must be
included as a further source of training information..
The portion of the table headed " Specific Job Skills Acquired Through Training" is to
show the manner in which the training applies directly to the job. Here, in terms of Job
Knowledge and Dexterity and Accuracy ( see " Performance Requirements," p. 20), the analyst
states specifically what the worker' gains from the training and the part of the job to which
the training relates.
This information indicates the exact way any particular training contributes toward the
total skill required for a job. Conversely, the knowledges or manual skills which are not developed
by the training provide a means of measuring the additional on- the- job training the
worker must receive to become fully qualified.
In completing this portion of the item, the analyst should review the items Job Knowledge
and Dexterity and Accuracy, and should contribute from his own knowledge of edlllCitti() llid
and vocational courses. He should recognize that management may not be familiar with
content of all courses which provide training for the job analyzed. Therefore, if he
of any courses or activities that provide training in specific mental or physical skills found in
the job, he should note them and comment on them appropriately..
Item 14
There are certain jobs which are entered with the intention qf acquiring a more or
well- defined combination of experience and training at the conclusion of which the worker
considered a skilled worker in his occupation.. This method of training is known as aplprentlceship.
If an employee at a work station is performing his tasks in fulfillment of a portion of
apprenticeship, he is an apprentice and the analyst should make no analysis of the work
If, however, the employee has completed an apprenticeship, he is a skilled worker in a trade
and an analysis should be made with appropriate entries under item 14.
In a formal apprenticeship the apprentice progresses through a prescribed course combining
work experience and related instruction in all phases of a craft. This situation is described in
part by the following definition:
APPRENTICE ( any ind.). A worker who learns, according to a written or oral contractual agreement,
a recognized craft or trade requiring two or more years of on- the- job training through job experience
supplemented by related instruction prior to the time that he may be considered a qualified
skilled worker. APPRENTICES are seldom over 30 years of age. High school or vocational school
education is generally a prerequisite for entry into an apprenticeship program. Provisions of apprenticeship
agreement regularly include length of apprenticeship; a progressive scale of wages; work
processes to be taught; and amount of instruction in subject related to the craft or trade, such as characteristics
of materials used, Flelected shop mathematics, and blueprint reading. Apprenticeabilityof a
particular craft or trade is best evidenced by its acceptability for registration as a trade by a State
apprenticeship agency or the Federal Bureau of Apprenticeship and Training. Generally, where
employees are represented by a union, apprenticeship programs come under the guidance of joint
apprenticeship committees composed of representatives of the employers or the employer association
and representatives of the employees. These committees may determine need for APPRENTICES in
a locality and establish minimum apprenticeship standards of education, experience, and training. In
instances where committees do not exist, apprenticeship agreement is made between APPRENTICE
and employer, or an employer group. The title APPRENTICE is often loosely used as a synonym for
beginner, HELPER, or LEARNER. This practice is technically incorrect, and leads to confusion in
determining what is meant.
If the criteria indicated in the above definition for . A. P~ RENTICE are met fully, the job is
entered through a formal apprenticeship. A check should be placed after the word HFormal"
and the duration and title of the apprenticeship should be entered.
The term Hinformal apprenticeship" no longer applies and should be deleted from the job
analysis schedule.
Item 15
Relation to Other Jobs
This item is intended to indicate the relationship of the job under study to other jobs in the
same plant or establishment. It indicates upgrading and transfer relationships, and, besides
indicating further sources of workers, makes possible a more accurate classification of jobs
according to their activity. To report complete and accurate information regarding the job
under study, it is necessary to show supervisory lines and the nature of the supervision by which
jobs of varying levels of importance are related. This information usually is obtained from the
personnel department and from the foremen. To unify the presentation of information, the
item is divided into three subitems each of which is discussed separately.
Subitem a. Promotions from and to, transfers, etc.- To describe intraplant job relationships,
the analyst should answer these general questions about the job:
HFrom what jobs are workers promoted to this job?" The titles of jobs from which workers
logically can be advanced to this job should be supplied here. Extremely unlikely promotions or
ridiculously huge steps of promotion should not be indicated.
liTo what jobs ( not involving promotion or demotion) may workers on this job be transferred?"
When two jobs are so comparable that a worker from the : first can perform the second
competently, and a worker from the second can likewise perform the: first, the two jobs are
indicated as transferable.
HTo what jobs are workers on this job promoted?" The entries to be made here are the
titles of the jobs to which the workers logically advance.
If the above considerations are not adequate to cover existing job relationships, the
analyst should make a note to that effect and explain the situation under the " Comments"
Subitem b. Supervision Received.- The essential requirement of this item is to show the
amount of responsibility for the quality and quantity of his production or performance that
is left to the worker. The supervision received by the worker should be indicated by marking
" X" after the appropriate degree. " General" means that the worker is given overall casual
supervision. " Close" means that the worker is given specific detailed instructions from a
worker having authority over him, particularly at the beginning of a task, and a constant check
is kept on his work or performance. The title of the worker from whom the supervision is
received should be entered in the space following the word " Title."
Subitem O. Supervision Given.- If the worker on the job being analyzed has supervision of
others as a part of his duties, the number supervised and the titles of their jobs should be
Where the titles of the workers supervised are numerous, a statement of the names and
work objectives of the groups supervised is sufficient, but from the statement made, supplemented
as necessary by a note in the " Comments" section, the titles should be reasonably
perceivable. If no workers are supervised, mark " X" after " None."
Up to now the manual has dealt primarily with those phases of the job thatmaybe recorded
in the desired detail after careful observation and reporting. The primary purpose so far has
been to define exactly the natural range of activities or work tasks involved in a job. ThiR
information, however, falls short of providing all of the facts that are necessary for understanding
the job and for completing a clear picture of its important characteristics.
It is the purpose of this section to show the analyst how to rouII'd out the total picture of
the job by indicating the level of difficulty of the work tasks.. This level of difficulty is not to be
confused with the " degree of skill" discussed in the " Work Performed" section. More specifically,
the items in this section include the highly important explanatory information necessary
to complete the Job Analysis Formula, the " What," " How," and ''' Why'' of which were brought
out in the Work Performed. This information expresses the " Skill Involved" in specific terms.
It is a detailed analysis and interpretation of the basic minimum skills, knowledges, abilities,
and responsibilities required of the worker for successful performance of the job.
For example, a description of the work performed by the worker may produce an accurate
picture of the concrete physical portions of the tasks, but it is just as important to know what
knowledge, training, and experience are needed to execute those tasks at the right time, in the
right order, and in the right manner. Consequently, it is necessary to determine whether the
execution of the tasks depends on any skills, knowledges, exercise of judgment, or other intangible
factors, and to make specific statements emphasizing those factors. This applies to
the job as a whole as well as to each separate task.
This section of the schedule consists of a listing and an explanation of all basic elements
which must be considered in analyzing any job. It has been established by thorough and care · ·
ful investigation that the factors included in this section are adequate and sufficiently comprehensive
to bring out properly the skills, knowledges, abilities, and other characteristics
required of a worker by any job, regardless of whether the job is manual, craft, professional,
clerical, or other type. It might be considered as a guide list to aid the analyst in obtaining
and recording all the information necessary to discriminate between jobs and to establish
definitely the degree of difficulty of any job.
The analyst can be assured that, if this guide list is properly utilized, all of the essential
information necessary to supplement the Work Performed will be included in the schedule and
that the schedule will be adequate to classify the job on the basis of level of skill and to assure
discrimination between the job analyzed and other closely related jobs. This information is
very important to all concerned with the job analysis because it represents the skill components
which, must be considered in the preparation of most occupational analysis products.
The Performance Requirements are covered by four specific factors:
Job Knowledge
Mental Application
Dexterity and Accuracy
The definitions of these factors are to be found on pages 22, 24, 25, and 26, respectively,
under numerical headings corresponding to the numbered items of the job analysis schedule
form. They should be carefully studied in connection with the following discussion.
It is at this point that the information the analyst has obtained about a job ( as reported
in the Work Performed) must be supplemented by a detailed analysis of the report itself.
This requires of the analyst a concentrated analysis in the sense of weighing, considering, and
evaluating that which he has learned. In preparing a Work Performed, the primary purpose
of the analyst is to con'Vey a clear and understandable picture of the job as it exists. In preparing
the Performance Requirements, he must break down the job into component factors,
measure these factors and, by doing so, explain the fundamental nature of the job in terms
of its successful performance.
As stated previously, the Performance Requirements primarily serve to establish the level
of difficulty of the tasks described in the Work Performed, and, in so doing, aid in identifying
- the job tasks and in clarifying the " What," " How," and " Why" described in the Work Performed.
In attaining this objective, the analyst should review carefully each task of the Work
Performed in the light of the Performance Requirements, noting the presence and degree of
each requirement or factor that is involved in the task. If this is done properly, thedescription
of factors present in the total job will be complete and will cover the skills, knowledges,
and abilities required of the worker. Treatment of this kind will avoid highly involved writing
which would be necessary if the attempt were made to state the skills required for each task
withiD. the Work Performed itself.
For this reason, the analyst usually will find it desirable to complete this section immediately
following the preparation of the Work Performed. Each task then can be reviewed
separately and the presence and degree to which each factor is involved in the task can . be
determined. This information then should be consolidated so that the written statement for
each factor covers the degree to which that factor is involved in the total job.
It must be emphasized that the mere statement that a given factor exists or does not
exist is not enough. The degree to which it exists should be stated specifically. For example,
the fact that a worker is responsible for the safety of others means little by itself. The responsibility
of the worker for what injuries to what worker and the extent of the resulting
injuries must be explained. In this connection, it is important to note also the degree to which
the worker is responsible or is not responsible for the initial occurrence of the accident.
While the Work Performed and the Performance Requirements must be related to and
must support each other, these two sections are fundamentally not the same. Rather, the
Performance Requirements may be considered as devices which evaluate the Work Performed,
measure its degree of difficulty, and determine the exact nature of the work tasks.
The Performance Requirements will contain some information already given in the Work
Performed because the two are related closely in terms of the tasks performed. In addition,
' 21
the Performance Requirements constitute a synthesis of all information, either stated or
implied, concerning each factor throughout the scope of the job.
In many cases, it will not be possible to differentiate sharply between informational
statements which must be given in se\" eral Performance Requirements. Such information
may overlap or contain conditions which form a part of two closely related factors, such as
Job Knowledge and : Mental Application.. However, the analyst should experience little
difficulty, provided he describes each factor in terms of the definition of that factor. In many
cases, the analyst will find that the same information, in different terms, must appear in two
or more factors in order to giYe a clear concept of what is involyed in the job. This is not to
be considered as duplication but as different , iewpoints of the same circumstance
All factors which are stated as existing in a job should be reflected in and related to the
Work Performed. It should be possible for the schedule reviewer to refer to the Work Performed
and find the exact phases of the work which are conditioned by a specific factor.
Conversely, the reviewer should find it possible to locate in the Performance Requirements
all the skills and abilities necessary to perform any task which is mentioned in the Work
Entries under this section will not follow a rigid ' writing style, but, whenever possible,
the statements should be written in the form of requirements.. That is, the subject ( the worker)
is understood and each statement will begin with such words as " must be," " must exercise,"
" is responsible for," Or similarly appropriate wording..
When composing the entries, the analJ" st should avoid the use of generalized words such
as " normal," " great," " careful," and the like which mean little except iIi a relative sense.
In most cases, specific examples can be given, comparisons drawn, or limits described which
will define accurately the degree to which a factor exists, and by so doing, will eliminate the
necessity for overall limiting words. The analyst often will find it desirable to draw on his
knowledge of jobs other than the one under consideration to provide him w'ith the means of
In completing this section, the analyst should bear in mind that, since the Performance
Requirements constitute fundamentat information, there should be no omissions. The nonexistence
of any given factor in a single job, or its existence to a low degree, provides just as
pertinent information about that job as does the existence of any other factor no matter how
high the degree. It is, therefore, just as deserving of comment in the schedule as any other
factor concerned with the job. In comparing jobs on the basis of job schedules, this " negative
information" often provides specific clues to the nature of the jobs involved.
In order to make clear the type of information desired under each factor, each of the
factors is discussed separately.
Item 16
This factor relates to the degree of superVISIOn received and exercised, the number of
checks set up to prevent or catch errors, the decision limits within which a job must conform,
and the degree of loss that would result from error, or the saving that would be effected by
The major considerations affecting this factor are:
1. Does worker delegate work to others? How'? To whom?
2: Does worker coordinate the efforts of subordinates? How?
3. Is worker accountable for progress, quality, and costs of work?
4. Does worker train others? Whom?
5. What are the nature and the magnitude of supervisory control?
6. Does work require contacts with outsiders or others in the organization not in line of
authority? Of what nature and with whom?
7. What are the nature and the scope of commitments made?
8. To what extent is work verified by others?
Jobs must be examined for the relative amount of each of these considerations as well as their
The kinds of responsibility that exist in a job are usually relatively simple for the analyst
to determine and to interpret in quantitative terms; that is, in terms of the money value of
equipment or materials that the worker could ruin, the number of people supervised, or the
extent and degree of injuries the worker could cause to himself or other workers through
However, the analyst must not stop at that point. He must consider the limitations
placed on the responsibility of the worker. These are such points as the kind of super~ ion'
exercised, the number of checks set up to prevent or catch errors, safety - devices on machines
and equipment to prevent injury to the worker or to other workers, and the limits placed on
decisions the worker makes. For example, a worker who performs his tasks under very close
supervision has much less responsibility for quality and quantity of production than another
worker who performs the same tasks under little or no supervision.
The analyst should remember that all of these points must be carefully considered when
completing this item of the Performance Requirements if a true picture of the total responsibility
involved in - a job is to be presented.
Typical statements required under this item are:
" DIAMOND TOOL MAKER: Responsible for making diamond cutting toolsJwhich
have average value of about $ 65 up to $ 130 each and which require 15 to 30 days [ ofgrinding]
to complete. Delay in completing tools could result in shutting down production line expecting
" AUTOMATIC SCREW MACHI~ TE SETUP MAN: Responsible for setting up · and
supervising setting up of all automatic screw machines. Responsible for instructing operators
in maintenance of machines, sharpening of tools, and gaging of parts. Responsible for : pre- i
venting damage to machines worth $ 7,000 to $ 10,000 each, although complete destruction tomachine
is unlikely. Could ruin a setup resulting in loss of several hours' setup time, cutting
tools worth about $ 4 each in blank stage, spindles at $ 150 each, and $ 300 diamond grinding
wheeL Failure to achieve setup could mean loss of production and in some eases could hold
up assembly lines. Responsible for assisting in development work by giving technical advice
and assistance to Engineering Department and by setting up for sample runs, for which he
must devise and make cams for machine setup."
" SAFETY ENGINEER: Responsible for the safety of the Jersey City plant and its employees,
and for the development of a safety program. Responsible for making decisions as to
whether a condition is hazardous or not, and prescribing a remedy. Responsible for seeing
that safety rules are obeyed by plant personnel, and for maintaining safety equipment up to
date and in good working order. Responsible for keeping management informed on current
modern safety equipment and measures."
IITOOL PLANNING ENGINEER: Is responsible for carrying out instructions of General
Manager. Is responsible for items involved in cost of product, such as purchased tools
and utilization of labor and equipment by tooling sequences and production methods. Is
responsible for practicability of designs to avoid waste of materials. Is responsible for accurate
instructions and for accuracy of working drawings, blueprints, process sheets, and other work
completed by subordinates. Is responsible for obtaining cooperation of related departments,
such as purchasing and production. Is responsible for quality and performance of product."
" JOB ANALYST: Is responsible for providing information for major portion of personnel
reclassifications and for development of factual data and analysis regarding new jobs for management
committees. Initiative and judgment are necessary to classify positions correctly
and to m. aintain and improve job analysis techniques. Errors could result in needless salary
expense or could affect employee morale to a moderate degree before coming to the attention
of personnel officials."
Item 17
Job Knowledge
This factor refers to the practical knowledge of equipment, materials, working procedures,
techniques, and processes required of the worker for the successful handling of a job. The
practical knowledge requirement includes that which must be acquired after appointment to
perform efficiently the , york tasks, as well as that which must be acquired as a prerequisite to
Job knowledge includes all of the knowledge required of the worker by the job, whether
that knowledge is gained by actual on- the- job experience, by academic courses of training
prior to entry on the job, or by both. When thinking of this factor, consideration should be
given to a variety of specifications, materials, and assignments encountered, and guidelines
governing decisions and operations, such as precedent, regulation~, standards, and practices
Consideration should also be given to such points of pre- employment or on- the- job knowledge
1. Knowledge of machines and equipment used.
2. Knowledge of materials used.
3. Knowledge of working procedures and techniques.
4. Knowledge of product flow or process as related to the job.
5. Knowledge of dimensional or formulary calculations.
When writing the Job Knowledge requirements, the analyst must mentally review all the
tasks observed in the job and determine just what specific knowledges the worker must have for
satisfactory performance and the extent or degree of each required knowledge. The degree
usually can be brought out only by a very careful choice of words and by specific statements.
The statement " Must have a thorough knowledge of heat- treating metals" does not give an
exact explanation of the extent of the knowledge required since the statement is too generaL
However, if it were stated, " Must know the heat- treating temperatures and types of quenches
to be used when hardening, annealing, or normalizing steel parts," the specific knowledges
required would be brought out and their degree indicated adequately.
Examples of the types of statements required under Job Knowledge are:
" HAIRSPRING TRUER: : Must know where to apply tweezers and with what amount
of force to bend hairsprings to bring them into round and flat. :\ lust be able to make visual
measurements in checking concentricity of hairspring coils."
" MODEL :\ IAKER: :\ lust be able to read and interpret blueprints, rough drawings, and
written instructions and to understand verbal instructions. : Must be able to set up and operate
any machine in machine shop. : Ylust have knowledge of shop mathematics through trigonometry
: Must have thorough knowledge of working properties of materials, such as steel,
brass, plastics, gold, silver, platinum, zinc, and various aluminum and steel alloys.."
" COLOR MATCHER: :\ Iust have knowledge of physical and chemical properties of
plastics and some 200 dyestuffs used in coloring plastics.. :\ lust be able to distinguish between
fine shades of coloring. Must have a knowledge of simple algebra and arithmetic such as
are used in developing color formulas. :\ Iust know thoroughly the procedure and techniques
of coloring and mixing plastics materials."
" UPLAND GAME BIOLOGIST: Must know plumage characteristics of pheasants to
determine age and growth. Must ha.' e knowledge of life histories and habits of most game
and many nongame species of birds and animals. Must know game and fish laws and principles
of game management."
" RESEARCH DIETITIAN: Must possess a thorough knowledge of the theory and practice
of dietetics, including physiology and digestion processes of the human body. Must
know bacteriological principles as applied to food spoilage, preparation, and sanitation. Must
be able to apply special techniques in planning and preparation of individual meals, varying
nutrients content to provide a prescribed diet."
Item 18
Mental Application
" Mental Application" refers to the exercise and maintenance of mental processes required
to perform properly the duties of a job. It may be stated as the degree and continuity of
thought, mental planning, or mental alterness that must be exercised in performing an operation.
It includes mental concentration required because of diversity of work or variety of
Considerations affecting this factor are:
1. Initiative, which refers to the need to face and solve new problems. This involves
mental resourcefulness, analytical ability, the making of decisions, and the taking of independent
action and should be considered according to the probable frequency of occasions on which the
job will require it outside the control or routine of supervision.
2. Adaptability, which refers to the versatility required of the worker or the need, or lack
of need, for the worker to handle adequately quick changes in assignment or to carry on se'\ Teral
tasks simultaneously.
3. Judgment, which refers to the amount of independent decisionmaking that must be
exercised by the worker in performance of a job. The importance of the results obtained by
such independent decisionmaking or the extent of the consequences of poor judgment must
be considered.
4. Mental alertness, which relates to the attention necessary to tend and feed a machine
properly, attention which must be given to orders, and alertness necessary to prevent damage
to equipment and materials or injury to personnel.
When describing the degree to which this factor is present in a job, the analyst must ask
himself such questions as: " Is the job repetitive or nonrepetitive?" " What degree of supervision
does the worker receive?" " What must the worker decide for himself and what are
the consequences of poor judgment on his part?" " Must the worker improvise expedients in
the course of his work and why is this necessary?" All of these points and many others are
usually indicative of the Mental Application required of a worker by a job.
The analyst must not stop after determining the presence of those points which contribute
to the total Mental Application in a job but most clearly indicate the degree to which they
occur. This usually is done best by indicating the conditions which limit the Mental Application.
If, for example, very little initiati'\ Te is required due to close supervision, an appropriate
statement should be made. Or, if a worker must possess considerable adaptability to handle
quick changes in assignment, typical assignments should be mentioned to indicate specifically
the degree of adaptability required.
The analyst must follow this procedure carefully in order to build up a true picture of
the Mental · Application required in any job. The following statements illustrate the principles
" DIE MAKER: Decides method by which some tasks are to be accomplished, such as
size and type of machine for machining operations. Must be constantly alert to avoid work
failure. Fine punches and dies could be damaged easily, making it necessary to start over
again. Must be alert to possible errors in blueprints. Some repetition of tasks QCcurs in
that there is similarity of work in most dies and he is often required to make several dies exactlyalike.
Decides which operations can be more economically done by other workers."
" HAIRSPRING TRlTER: Repetitive, somewhat routine tasks do not require planning
or critical decisions. Only decisions necessary are whether to abandon further attempts to
true a hairspring and to discard it or to continue. This rarely happens more frequently than
twice in 100 hairsprings."
" BIG GAME BIOLOGIST: Must be alert to changing conditions of big game feed and
habitat and to evaluate these conditions for specie preservation."
Item 19
Dexterity and Accuracy
This factor refers to the manual or manipulative ability required to perform given work
to a required degree of accuracy or precision and to the complexity or intricacy of manual
processes involved. The elements to be considered here are characteristics such as the dexterity,
accuracy, coordination, expertness, care, and deftness required in manipulating, operating,
or processing the materials, tools, instruments, machines, or gages used. The number
of units of work normally produced in a given period of time is also a measure of dexterity"
The major considerations affecting this factor are:
1. Dexterity, which relates to the quickness or deftness required, or the coordination of
sight or other senses with the muscles.
2. Accuracy, which relates to the degree of precision required in the handling of product
or materials and for the adjustment and manipulation of equipment and tools to the required
degree of precision.
The analyst must be very careful to use only specific terms which will express the degree
of the Dexterity and Accuracy required by the job. Statements such as " Dexterity is normal"
or " Accuracy is close" should not be used because " normal," " close," and other general
terms convey very little meaning or diverse meanings to the reader. Rather, this requirement
should be written ill terms of specific tasks in order to bring out more adequately the required
Although Dexterity, as such, cannot be expressed specifically in terms of the amount or
degree required, it is closely related to Accuracy which in many cases has specific measures.
Often, the precision of work can be stated in terms of allowed tolerances, that is, plus or minus
so much from an absolute standard. This range indicates how much the work can depart
from the ideal without impairment of job performance.
However, the relative ease or difficulty of maintaining a required standard of accuracy
must be taken into consideration because a statement of allowed tolerance or required accuracy
in itself will not give a true measure. To illustrate this, consider that one- hundredthof-
an- inch tolerance on an engine lathe is easier to achieve than one thirty- second of an inch
in the use of carpenters' handtools because of the nature of the equipment and material used,
On the other hand, one- thousandth of an inch is 10 times as fine as one- hundredth, while one
sb: ty- fourth of an inch is only twice as fine as one thirty- second. Yet the care and deftness
required to increase the precision in the latter case may be just as difficult as that in the former.
Therefore, the analyst should be sure that any requirement of accuracy relates to work performed
and to the tools and equipment by which the accuracy is achieved.
The following are statements of requisite Dexterity and Accuracy taken from schedules:
" HAIRSPRING TR1JER: Extreme care and dexterity are necessary to manipulate
sharp tweezers among coils of very fine hairsprings. measuring as small as 0.00078" in thickness
and with as little as 0,00312" space between coils. ~ Iust have " feel" for tweezers, Works
to very fine tolerances which are measured visually only through a loupe. Spacings between
coils are compared visually one against another. Coils are adjudged to be in same plane and
parallel to balance wheel by visual examination only. Workswith very fine material which
may easily be damaged beyond salvage. Movements must be quick and certain in order to
produce quota."
" MODEL MAKER: Must work to tolerances plus- or- minus 0.0001" and on parts as
small as 0.08" diameter with pivots as Sill- all as 0.0003" diameter. Average size of part made
is under five- sixteenths of an inch."
" AUTOMATIC SCREW MACHINE SETUP MAN: Must be able to set up machine
to machine very small parts, frequently less than one- tenth of an inch in length and to obtain
tolerances as close as 0.0001". Must be able to grind and sharpen cutting tools attaining
exact specifications as to size and angles. Resharpens fine drills as small as 0.0012" in
" COLOR MATCHER: Must be able to discriminate accurately between colors and
shades, to determine the hues and values of colors to be developed, and to match production
samples accurately with standards. Must measure . dyestuffs and record formulas according
to specifications. Does not gage thicknesses of samples to close tolerances."
The analyst must remember that this section refers only to manual or manipulative
ability and to required physical accuracy or precision. Mental considerations involving accuracy
are not to be included here. A common mistake made by the analyst is to include considerations
affecting what may be called " mental accuracy," such as maintenance of accurate
records or the accurate planning of a sequence of work tasks. Considerations such as those
belong properly under the factor Mental Application.
The " Comments" section of the schedule provides the analyst with a medium whereby
he can present to the user of the schedule all the background information of a job which the
user is not able to obtain firsthand. If the analyst neglects this section, his schedule would be
similar to a picture in which the artist had clearly painted his subject but had neglected to paint
in a background for the subject.
The importance of this section cannot be overemphasized. Only too often an analyst has
brought much confusion and doubt to schedule users by neglecting to enter here the type of
information which throws the job into its true perspective. Here the analyst can enter informa.;
tion which cannot readily be entered in other parts of the schedule. In addition, the analyst is
urged to include collateral or supplementary information needed to give schedule users the best
understanding of the job and its relation to the process or service in which it was observed.
Item 20
Equipment, Materials, and Supplies
Equipment, materials, and supplies which the worker uses, handles, or with which he works
will be included in this item in that order. If any of these are not common or have a unique
application as used in the job, they should be defined or described.
By " Equipment" is meant the tools, machines, and other devices which enable the worker to
perform his job. Such items should be distinguished by capitalizing the initial letters the fi: rst
time they appear in the schedule. All unusual, infrequently encountered items should be
underlined the first time they appear in the schedule and should be listed and defined under this
subitem. All others should be listed, together with the name of the maker, the model, and the
size, but need not be defined. All tools and equipment which are commonly known to the lay-
man, such as saws, hammers, and adding machines, need not even be listed, since they are
brought out adequately in the description of the performance of job tasks.
Considerable latitude is allowed in preparing descriptions of equipment, but ordinarily
the descriptions must include the following information:
1. Statement of the function of the device.
2. Description of the physical appearance of the device and its essential parts.
3. If a machine, a description of its operation as it relates to the worker.
Only essential features of mechanical equipment should be included in these descriptions.
Structural details, such as gear ratio, types of power drive, and similar technical features, need
not be included unless the worker has some specific task to perform in relation to them. The
analyst should place himself in the position of an observer who stands beside the machine, and
should tell what the observer sees and what he would have to know to understand what was
being done on the machine. It usually follows then that the description of a completely
automatic machine would be considerably simpler than the description of one that required
much attention by the worker.
Frequently, for purposes of clarity, it is desirable to follow a typical piece of work through
the machine, taking up those operations that have been mentioned ill' the elements of the Work
Performed. The description should be written so as to aid in presenting a picture of the worker
in the performance of his tasks. Any special features of, or attachments to, the machine
should be mentioned if they have any definite relationship to the worker.
For simpler devices, particularly for handtools, it may only' be necessary to include a
definition of the device rather than a complete description. However, in every case the purpose
for which the device or machine described is used must be explained in the definition.
In the description of the job, it is better to use the generic names of machines and othflr
devices than to use their trade names, unless there is no appropriate, commonly understood
generic name. For example, "' Automatic Screw Machine" should be used in preference to
" Acme Machine." When describing the machines in this section, the generic name should be
followed by a parenthetical explanation, giving the trade name of the machine, the name and
address of the manufacturer, and any other identifying information that can be obtained, such
as model number or size. This enables persons who may later write from the data contained in
the schedules to request catalogs and photographs from the manufacturers. Where a drawing
has been included in the schedule, and where it is practicable and desirable, an equipment
description may be tied in with the drawing by placing letters appearing on the drawing in
parentheses after the parts of the device mentioned in the description.
A convenient technique for composing the best type of description or definition of an item
is for the analyst to be guided by the following general outline:
1. First state the name of the item.
2. Place the item in its general category.
3. State the function of the item.
4. Describe its physical appearance, its makeup, and its essential parts.
The following are typical examples of the manner in which Equipment is thus described:
" Acetylene Welding Unit ( Welding Machine, Style 3- R, manufactured by Hilburn
Brothers, Baltimore, Md.): A device used to join pieces of metal by heating their adjacent
edges until they are plastic and then fusing them together with metal melted from a welding rod.
The equipment consists- of an oxygen and an acetylene tank connected by rubber tubing to a
torch where the two gases are united. The flow of oxygen and acetylene is regulated by individual
valves on each tank and on the torch. The gases, when ignited, burn at the torch tip
to produce a flame having a temperature of about 6,300° F." 0
" Propeller Work Table: A workbench used for dismantling and assembling propeller units.
The table is of all- metal construction having four tubular- steel legs and a flat steel top. It is
approximately 2 feet wide, 7 feet long, and 3 feet high. Projecting from the surface of the table
at one end is an upright spindle which holds the propeller as it is being dismantled or assembled.
The propeller is lowered into position on the upright spindle by means of a manually operated
hoist. In this position the propeller unit can'be easily dismantled or reassembled."
" Caliper: A measuring instrument consisting of two legs which are joined by a hinge or
pin. The legs can be separated at their free ends and adjusted to span dimensions to be
" Paddle: A small wooden block about the size and shape of a manicurist's fingernail
buffer, used to spread semimolten lead over the interior surfaces of copper pipe. The paddle
is impregnated with tallow to prevent the lead from sticking to it."
Care should be taken to see that the use of all equipment noted in this item is clearly indicated
in the Work Performed. For example, if a micrometer is defined in this section, and if
it does not appear in the Work Performed that the worker measures anything, the presumption
is that the task of measuring has been omitted from the Work Performed.
Under the heading ' IMaterial" should be listed and described the raw stock that is used up
or processed by the worker during the course of his tasks. State what the material is, what
purpose it serves, and identify it in relation to the worker. A listing ( alphabetically arranged)
will be made here only where some physical change in the material involved takes place. For
example, a BAKER makes bread from flour and a COREMAKER makes a core from sand,
but in the jobs of TAXI DRIVER or ELEVATOR OPERATOR there would be no materials
involved. If any items of material need defining because of their unusual or not commonly
understood nature, they shoud be underlined the first time they appear in the schedule and
should be defined in the listing.
A typical statement under this heading might be the Materials used by an ENGINE
Unfinished aluminum and magnesium alloy castings.
Steel and brass bar- stock.
Here also should be included as Materia1 those items which, while not being markedly
changed by the worker, are processed by him. For example, a steel beam in which the worker
punches rivet holes or a rough casting which is polished would be considered as material.
The analyst often encounters substances which cannot, strictly speaking, be considered
either Equipment or Material. Thus, neither the naphtha used by a PROPELLER MECHANIC
for cleaning propeller parts nor the sandpaper used to smooth wood by a PATTERNMAKER,
WOOD falls under either the category of " Equipment" or of " Materials," although
sandpaper does change the shape of the wood somewhat. Substances of this nature should
be described here as '' Supplies.''
Other examples of what might comprise Supplies are the various items of stock handled
by a STOCKROOM CLERK. These items are considered to be Supplies, since the worker does
not use them to aid him in performing his tasks and does not work.. on them to change their
shape or form. He merely handles them in the routine of this work.
Ordinarily, Supplies do not have to be defined, and only representative ones need be listed.
However, if there is some special knowledge required of the worker to process or handle supplies
properly, they should be defined in order to bring out better that special knowledge. Similarly,
if the nature of the supplies handled affects the. job in any way, it should be briefly described.
If such items are defined, they should be underlined the first time they appear in the schedule.
Item 21
Definitions of Terms
All unusual or technical tenus used throughout the analysis should be underlined the first
time they are used in the schedule. The tenus thus underlined are to be listed in alphabetical
order and defined under this item.
The definitions will vary with the term to be explained, but the definition should explain
what the term is, how it is used, and ( if an obj ect) what it is used for. The outline of procedure
for preparing definitions, as presented in the discussions on " Equipment, Materials, and Supplies,"
page 27, is wholly applicable to definitions which are to be included here and should be
followed for the greatest clarity of presentation.
The analyst must remember that machines, parts of machines, equipment, and tools used
by the worker should be described under " Equipment, Material, and Supplies," nOG under
this section.
Examples of the type of entries to be made here are:
Doffing: A general term used to describe the removal of filled bobbins on which wool or
other thread is wound.
Phillips Head: The tY" 1le of head on screws, which has a four- pointed recess as compared
with the conventional slotted screwhead.
Weaver's Knot: A small but strong knot used by WEAVERS because it does not slip
easily and because it does not show in the finished product..
Item 22
General Comments
The " General Comments" section should be used to footnote all other parts of the job
analysis schedule.
It must be remembered that the essential analysis of the joh should appear elsewhere in the
schedule and that the " General Comments," while important, should distinctly be of an " aside
remark" nature.
The analyst must always refer statements made in " General Comments" to the appropriate
section of the schedule. Comments which do not relate to specific sections should be headed
" General." Appropriate cross- references also must be made in the sections commented upon.
If, for example, the analyst desired to comment on the title of a job, his schedule entry
would appear thus on the face sheet:
1. Job Title: MECHANIC ( see " Comments").
In " General Comments," the following would appear:
" Item 1: This is a payroll title. The analyst suggests the title of TURRET ASSE~ IBLER
because of the nature of the work perfonued."
The analyst should remember that this is the footnote item of the schedule and that
selected research writing rules apply here. These rules can be stated as:
1. All comments should bear a proper cross- reference.
2. Statements of opinion as opposed to statements of fact should be stated as such and,
where possible, the reasoning on which such opinion is formulated should be explained.
3. Information which can appear in other sections should appear there and the " Comments"
section should be reserved for " aside remarks."
The following are a few examples of the many types of information which can profitably be
ent~ red in this section. All the examples are not applicable to the same specific job but are
excerpts from several job analysis schedules.
" General: ' i.' he job of ENGINE LATHE OPERATOR is divided on the basis of skill into
three classes, designated FIRST CLASS, SECOND CLASS, and THIRD CLASS."
" The ENGINE LATHE OPERATOR, TIDRD CLASS, is a learner who is promoted
automa. tically to ENGINE LATHE OPERATOR, SECOND CLASS, at the expiration of 6
months' training time."
" The ENGINE LATHE OPERATOR, SECOND CLASS, works on parts involving
simple machine setup of a low enough range to be repetitive; maintains ordinary cutting tools,
such as cutoff or facing tools; works to liberal tolerances ( 0.005") and on materials of low cost,
such as c~ tings on which no previous expensive machining has been done. He uses the same
precision measuring instruments as the ENGINE LATHE OPERATOR, FIRST CLASS.
He is not promoted automatically to ENGINE LATHE OPERATOR, FIRST CLASS, but
will be considered for such a promotion after 12 months' experience."
" Promotion To: A SHIP- FITTER LEADER is a SHIP FITTER who, because of his
experiences and ability, is temporarily assigned to direct the operations of other SIDP FITTERS
on some special phase of the job."
" Task 2: The number of machines set up and adjusted by the worker varies with the
production schedules and the number of employees available to tend the machines."
" General: The job's most outstanding characteristic is its repetitive functions. A test
to determine applicants' adaptabilities to simple repetitive work might be developed to good
advantage for the selection of applicants for this job."
" Work Performed: Axminster weaving differs from other carpet weaving in that the wool
for the pile tufts is drawn from several hundred long spools rather than from frames or beams.
These spools are carefully wound according to a specified pattern by WINDERS so that there
will be one length of yarn for each pile tuft in a repeat pattern. The spools are fitted into the
loom in their proper order on a continuous sprocket chain mechanism. In the weaving process,
this sprocket chain delivers to the clutch arms of the loom a different spool for each weft row."
Under " Performance Requirements," four factors, Responsibility, Job Knowledge,
Mental Application, and Dexterity and Accuracy, were discussed as being vitally important
considerations regarding a job and were designated as having a specific bearing on matters of
job classification, job difficulty, and job differentiation. In addition to these four, the factor
Physical Demands often proves to be of great importance in rounding out the job picture
through its bearing on job difficulty.
Analyses of the physical demands of jobs assist in the placement of all workers, especially
the physically handicapped. They are also helpful in the placement of women, youth, and the
aged. On occasion, a study of physical demands may uncover job requirements which are
stringent enough to preclude the employment of workers normally not considered as handicapped
or otherwise limited. In such cases, the physical demands themselves may prove to
be the deciding factor in the employment of workers.
This factor is not taken up as a separate item under Performance Requirements but is
presented through another portion of the schedule, the Physical Demands Form. From this
form the users of schedules are provided with information about the surroundings, hazards, and
working conditions of a job which is adequate for descriptive and classification purposes. At
the same time they are provided with an integrated description of the physical demands of the
job which will meet the requirements of any program involving workers having physical
It is most important, therefore, that the analyst obtain specific, detailed data concerning
the physical aspects of each job analyzed and record such data according to the requirements
of the Physical Demands Form.
In making physical demands analyses, the analyst is to make certain that he records the
full range of activities required by the basic job. He should be careful to eliminate activities
peculiar to an individual or to a special assignment that is not regularly part of the job.
For instance, an ARC WELDER may listen to the sound of the arc to help him maintain
the proper arc. The job, however, does not require hearing, but rather vision by which he can
observe the process to maintain the proper arc. Likewise, should a worker choose to throw
parts into a bin when all that is required is that he carry the parts to the bin and drop them in,
carrying rather than throwing would be the required activity.
In preparing his analyses, the analyst must be certain to record all variations found in the
physical requirements and working conditions of a job in different job locations. It follows then
that there should be as many physical demands analyses for a job as there are positions in the
job in different environments and that have different physical requirements. Conversely, of
course, there may be instances when one physical demands analysis will serve for several jobs,
although a form should be prepared for each job.
In filling out the form, the analyst is to pIce an " X" before each activity and condition
required by the job and an " 0" before each not required by the job. All items are to be thus
marked with either an " X" or an " 0".
Physical Activities
The purpose of this section of the Physical Demands Form is to provide the analyst with a
checklist by means of which he can indicate the presence or absence of physical activities that
are required by a job. Included in the list are 27 of the most common physical activities.
Items Nos. 28, 29, and 30 provide space for writing in other activities the analyst may encounter,
such as a reclining working position. Even resting may be entered here, since often workers
are required to rest frequently due to the nature of their work. Definitions of the listed activities
are to be found on pages 35 and 36. The analyst must be fully familiar with each
Working Conditions
The purpose of this section of the form is to provide the analyst with a checklist by means
of which he can indicate the presence or absence of specific conditions under which a job may be
performed. Included in the list are 27 of the most common conditions encountered. These are
numbered from 51 to 77. Items Nos. 78,79, and 80 provide space for writing in other conditions
which may be found, such as night shift work. Definitions of the listed conditions are to be
found on pages 36 and 37. As with the " Physical Activities" section, the analyst must be fully
familiar with each definition.
Details of Physical Activities
The purpose of this section is to describe the relationship of the physical activities required
by the job, and to bring out, in a specific manner, the frequency and intensity factors of the
In recording this information, the analyst emphasizes the physical requirements of the
job and, unless necessary for clarity, does not describe the duties, equipment, and materials.
The analyst should be guided in preparing this section by the following points:
1. AssociatiO'Il oj Activities.- As a result of the activities being presented in checklist form,
a schedule user may gather the impression that each item is independent and should be treated
separately in writing the details of physical activities. This, however, is not the case. Rarely,
if ever, will anyone activity stand by itself. For instance, a worker does not stoop without
doing something else, such as reach, which, in turn, involves additional activities in order to
complete the cycle of physical requirements for a given operation. When writing the details of
activities, therefore, the analyst must bring out the association and flow of activities in order to
giv, e the complete picture of the physical requirements of a job.
2. Specific Treatment of Activities as to Frequency.- By frequency is meant the timeconsuming
factor of an activity. The analyst e~ resses the time factor by placing in parentheses
at the end of each statement the percentage of time the activities occupy.
3. Specific Treatment of Activities as to Intensity.- By " intensity" is meant the energyconsuming
factor of an activity. In order to bring out this factor, the analyst specifically
The weight of objects lifted and the distance carried, such as " Crouches and reaches down to
grasp, lift, and carry 25- pound metal parts up to 25 feet ( 10%)."
The names of parts handled, such as " Stands and reaches forward to handle and turn
3- inch valves ( 5%)."
The body position required in pushing and pulling, the direction pushed or pulled, and the
object pushed or pulled, such as " Stands and reaches above shoulder height to grasp and pull
electric wires horizontally through Y2- inch conduit ( 10%)."
The distance climbed, jumped, run, walked, or crawled, such as " Crawls up to 100 feet
around double bottom of ship in cramped quarters as small as will permit bodily access ( 10%)."
The percentage figures on the length of time for standing, stooping, crouching, kneeling,
turning, and sitting will automatically explain their intensity, such as " Stands and stoops over
machine while observing operations ( 20%)."
The body position required and the direction reached, such as " Stoops and reaches down."
The names of parts fingered, such as %- inch nuts and bolts.
The reason why feeling is required, · such as to determine the size, shape, temperature, or
texture of objects.
If other than ordinary conversation is required in talking, the quality of voice required,
such as to enunciate clearly over public address systems, to lecture, or to evoke bids as in
The most difficult sounds required to be heard, such as ordinary conversation, signals
amid background noises, motor sounds, musical notes, or heartbeats.
The most difficult object required to be seen at a long distance, such as scanning for fires
from a tower; at a near distance, such as reading and checking script for errors.
The colors required to be distinguished, such as red, green, blue, orange, and brown
electric wires.
The reason why depth perception is required, such as to judge distances in operating a
The reason why field of vision is required, such as spotting of planes in a 3600 range to
detect those out of pattern while controling traffic from traffic control tower.
When activities involving the use of the hands and arms and the feet and legs require the
use of but one hand and arm and but one foot and leg, the analyst is to make specific comments
in this connection.
Typical of the treatment for this section is:
ENGINE LATHE OPERATOR, FIRST OLASS: Stands, stoops, and turns while
operating machine ( 80%); occasionally walks about 10 feet, lifting and carrying chucks and
materials not over 30 Ibs. ( 5%); pushes handtruck to transport loads up to 300 Ibs. about 75
feet ( 5%); using both hands, manipulates lathe control handwheels to set controls to fine
0', inch) etched gradations ( 30%); visually and by fingering and feeling, examines finishes on
machined parts ( 5%); stoops to read vernier and other finely etched gradations ( 30%); orally
instructs learners ( 15%).
Impairment of Sight
Impairment of Hearing
Occupational Diseases
Electric Shock
This picture of the physical activities is required by the users of the Physical Demands
Form to relate the physical capacities of individuals to the specific physical requirements of
Details of Working Conditions
The purpose of this section is to describe in specific terms the working conditions to which
the worker is exposed. In describing these conditions, the analyst makes specific statements
regarding the following considerations:
Whether the worker is required to work inside, or outside, or both, such as " Works inside
Plate Shop with one side open to weather ( 80%), and outside in all weather ( 20%)!'
The height of elevated workplaces, such as " Works on a 20' x 3' staging 25 feet high
( 80%) 0"
The size of cramped quarters, such as " Works in cramped quarters 6' x 3' ( 20%)."
The source of wetness, such as " Works in quarters wet from groundwater ( 50%)."
The range in degrees ( Fahrenheit) of high or low temperatures, such as " Exposed to
temperatures of 1l00- 120° ( 20%)."
The range in degrees ( Fahrenheit) of sudden temperature changes, such as " Exposed to
sudden temperature changes from about 120° to atmospheric temperatures ( 10%)."
Whether the humidity is high or low, su
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