Non-Technical Skills Training

Abstract

Previous research indicates that the success of professional practice depends not only on the ability to solve problems and design solutions but also on project management and communications skills in working with others in a team and dealing with a client. So far design education provides little systematic training and assessment for these skills. We suggest that an appropriate form of training would combine situated approaches for experiential learning with explicit guidance. We examined one student project in engineering with ample opportunity for experiential learning and explored means for more explicit instruction to nontechnical skills. Based on research of professional practice, a pilot version of a training programme was developed for design students. It incorporates team co-ordination, planning, client communication and problem solving. Learning progress is measured with a behavioural marker system. We found statistically significant improvements for planning and anticipation of potential outcomes and a tendency in the expected direction for co-ordination and considering team and client. However, so far the success seems to depend on face-to-face interaction and personal feedback, so the questions remains if the same concept can be applied to larger classes or distance learning.