Identifying Ability Requirements by Decision Flow Diagrams

The development and evaluation of a new method for the identification of ability requirements of jobs is described. The method developed is based on current knowledge about human abilities and utilizes flow diagrams as a decision aid. An analyst systematically proceeds through a series of binary decisions as to whether or not each of 40 abilities is required for performing a job or task. Three studies evaluated the reliability of the technique for different samples of analysts and types of job descriptions. A comparison was made with an alternate approach using rating scales to assess abilities in the same tasks and jobs. The decision flow diagrams proved to be reliable and superior to the rating scale approach for identifying abilities. The diagrams seem best employed in conjunction with the rating scales, the former to identify required abilities and the latter to quantify the degree of involvement of each of the identified abilities. The diagrams and rating scales appear to provide a feasible technique to help establish personnel requirements for jobs.