Standards in the digital age
16 February 2015I recently met with a contact who has, for many years, been active in developing standards and best practice guidance. He pointed out that while he learnt to understand documents like this by reading carefully through binders full of A4 pages, this sort of reading is becoming less common. Many of us will still spend much of our day reading and otherwise dealing with written material, but on a screen of one form or another, and not as a single long document that we read uninterrupted from start to finish.
At the same time as they undermine traditional forms of reading, smart phones and other connected devices like watches and tablets, can increasingly deliver us information in timely, bite sized, chunks: traffic alerts tailored to our journey, shopping list reminders as we pass the grocers, todo lists and nudges to complete our fitness goals.
These technologies will likely never replace traditional forms of learning for skilled and specialist staff. But they have the potential to supplement that learning, and to help staff who may not be comfortable with intensive study of written material.
For example, location-aware smartphones or watches could remind staff of PPE requirements as they enter a job site. Bluetooth devices could present pre-lift checks for operators as they approach the cab. Inspection engineers could call up maintenance records of the crane they are working on.
Indeed, much of this is already happening. Both crane manufacturers and third party controls and software companies are developing new ways of giving staff the information they need, when they need it. But, it doesn't seem like these new ways of presenting information are always being considered fully when standards and best practice guidance are developed. The most obvious way in which document development could be improved is by considering its format.
For example, written material is almost always prepared as an A4 PDF. Might it make more sense for it to also be written to be viewed on a smaller screen? Can the traditional contents and index pages be replaced by alternative ways of navigating a document or presenting information as needed? Can this be done in a way that works across all systems? If some staff will need to know a standard from cover to cover, others reminders of in-depth training, and others prompts as they work, how will employers make sure the right information is presented in the right way?
Many of us will be used to clicking through warning dialogues without reading them. What then is the correct frequency of safety reminders for staff? To what extent should they act as a stop to continued work if left unacknowledged? Finally, if staff are increasingly going to be getting routine safety information and prompts on devices rather than posters or handbooks, how can we ensure these are reliable? While paper has its flaws, it rarely fails for the lack of a GPS lock or sufficient battery. Is an overall standard needed for when these devices are used in a working environment?
