Getting Started with Human Performance

The HPOG Resource is structured around a framework that promotes a systematic approach to Human Performance, aligned to a Recommended Practice for developing and sustaining a company-wide Human Performance program and policy.

If your requirement is to build your HP Program, or to review and enhance your existing systems, we recommend that you take the time to explore the content of this online resource by following this step-by-step Getting Started journey.

Individual disciplines may have specific requirements in applying HP practices or want to influence colleagues right now! You are free to navigate the website using the menu systems or the Search function to find specific reference and associated resource. 

Understanding Human Performance in all tasks and systems is key to identifying opportunities for improvement across all disciplines and all activities.

HPOG Recommended Practice focuses on typical processes used by large organisation to manage risk and demonstrates how HP concepts and tools should be integrated with those processes. 

As part of this online resource, the section HP in Your Management Systems promotes a structured approach to this, with carefully selected references and guidance at each Level.

As real benefits can be derived from this approach, the HPOG Central Resource encourages users to follow a series of Levels to facilitate the development of an HP Program or comprehensive review of existing policy. 

LEVEL 1 : A 'starter' Level that promotes a broader appreciation of Human Performance and Human Factors to encourage applications in every task at every worksite. It outlines the basic requirements to complete individual elements of an HP Program using free-to-access templates, selected industry references and toolkits.

LEVEL 2 : An Advanced level, suitable for HP and HF Specialists and Professionals, but still accessible to all users who wish to expand their knowledge of the subject. These are advanced applications to facilitate deeper analysis of Performance Shaping Factors through educated and accredited techniques and systems. 

LEVEL 3 : Achieve Excellence in HP Program Design, Development and Implementation, integrating and consolidating readily accessible corporate governance, guidance and best practice and enhancing roles and responsibilities across the suite of Business and Safety Management Systems.

The HPOG resources and guidance are designed to hone your skills in advancing Human Performance principles for your business.

Ideally you will be approaching this systematically, developing your HP Program around the recommended framework of topics and identifying opportunities for improvement. As this is such a broad and all-encompassing process, try focusing first on Safety Critical tasks or areas where you have experienced unplanned incidents. 

As you progress through the resources at each Level your HP Capability will be enhanced. It is important to share these techniques, tools and learnings with your colleagues and peers. Many benefits can be derived from even a basic awareness of Human Performance.

Learning from other industry sectors and bodies, particularly from those industries that manage safety critical tasks, has opened up opportunities for Oil and Gas to develop a deeper understanding of Human Performance - how work is actually done and the various factors that influence it.

The opportunity includes exploring beyond the generic 'root causes' of potential errors or actual incidents to identify and manage system deficiencies and organisational failures that can ultimately lead to poor training, unclear instructions, incompatible equipment, unavailable tools, inabilities to deal with changing situations etc.

HPOG recommends the following first steps in developing your skills in Human Performance applications:

Study HPOG DEFINITIONS : Clarity on the application of acronyms and terminologies is critical.

FREE 'HP For All' eLearning : Enrol on this freely available course hosted by the Energy Institute. It provides a good foundation in Human Performance.

There are also a number of selected publications available from online bookshops. Please click here for more details.

Advanced learning and professional certification can be achieved through a number of accredited sources. Find out more here.

It is critical that your Business and Safety Management Systems can accommodate the potential changes that Human Performance Program will deliver.

Studying each Level of HPOG resources will help you coordinate your activities in structuring and reviewing your strategy. In combination, each element of HPOG Recommended Practice will provide the building blocks of awareness, functional application at the worksite and informed organisational guidance.

Across the full range of topics; from roles and responsibilities, risk management, engineering design, investigations, procedural review, safety critical communications, supply chain management; HPOG will help consolidate each element through best practice guidance on managing the change.

Achieving conformance with industry expectations and requirements may be your ultimate goal, but even taking small steps in your HP Journey will deliver safety and operational benefits.

> Now explore the HP in Your Management Systems section! We recommend tackling Level 1 in each element, in particular the adoption of the HPOG Walk-Through Talk-Through technique.