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Brian Moon

This edition of *TD* magazine features theme articles focused on organization development and culture. Other articles explore metrics, cognitive fidelity, accessibility, and much more.

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February 2025 - TD Magazine

TD Magazine Article

A landscape made with a computer. In the foreground, the image is still in a computerized mode with a flat grid surrounded by hills that rise from the grid. Behind that is a more complete image with black mountainous shards pushing into an evening sky in front of a bright orange and purple sun.

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Increase cognitive, rather than physical, fidelity so learners get the most out of training simulations.

Is Your Training in Need of a Reality Check?

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Sample Cognitive Demands Table
Drawn from Laura Militello and Rob Hutton’s Applied Cognitive Task Analysis, this sample cognitive demands table shows two difficult cognitive elements in the task of post-explosion rescue operations—such elements can be the dilemmas around which
designers craft scenarios. The “Why Is It Difficult?” column may provide fodder for introducing content, while the “Common Errors” column offers suggestions for red herrings to induce the potential for making errors. Because the “Cues and Strategies
Experts Used” are those the experts know, comparing trainee responses to them is an efficient way to provide feedback.                                                                                                    Difficult Cognitive Element                                                                                                                              Why Is It Difficult?                                                                                                                             Common Errors                                                                                                                                              Cues and Strategies Experts Used
Know where to search after an explosion.
• Novices may not have had training in dealing with explosions. Standard training suggests starting at the source and working outward.
• Not everyone knows about the material safety data sheets, which contain critical
information.
Novices are likely to start at the source of the explosion. Starting at the source is a rule of thumb for most other kinds of incidents.
• Start where you are most likely to find victims, keeping safety considerations in mind.
• Refer to material safety data sheets to determine where
dangerous chemicals are likely located.
• Consider the type of structure and where victims are likely located.
• Consider the likelihood of further explosions. Keep the safety of the crew in mind.
Find victims in a burning building.
There are many distracting noises. If someone is nervous or tired, their own breathing makes it hard to hear anything else.
Novices sometimes don’t recognize their own breathing sounds; they mistakenly think they hear a victim breathing.
• Searchers and their partners should stop, hold their breath, and listen.
• Listen for sounds such as crying, victims talking to themselves, or victims knocking things over.