Establish Rapport and Create a Participatory Atmosphere

DOE-HDBK-1076-94

The facilitator should also introduce the recorder and briefly explain the nature of that

person's job. It is important that the team members understand that the recorder is not

one of them but is present to help the facilitator accurately record the team's

contributions.

appropriate introductions, the facilitator's major responsibility begins. The facilitator must

present an overview of the entire TTJA process in a relaxed but forceful manner. The

opening minutes of the session can "make" or "break" the members' enthusiasm and

attitudes.

The facilitator should quickly establish a first-name basis with the members, and

congratulate them on their selection into the team. The facilitator must also stress the

importance of the member's individual and collective participation in the process.

The facilitator should exude his or her enthusiasm and belief in the TTJA process.

One approach is to discuss generally how organizations have successfully used the TTJA

process to develop and update task lists upon which the technical training program will be

based.

The facilitator should try to put the workers at ease and reduce possible anxieties by

telling them their job is primarily one of collectively describing what tasks they perform

when carrying out their jobs successfully. The responsibility of developing instructional

strategies and materials will rest with the training organization.

Once a safe environment and rapport has been established, a formal explanation of

TTJA can begin.

members, it is useful to explain the following three assumptions, which are the foundation

for the TTJA process:

Expert Workers are better able to describe their own job than anyone else.