Breaking Down Big Goals into Smaller, Obtainable Goals: Using a Task Analysis

Disclaimer: Just a little background information, I received my bachelor's in General psychology but had a huge focus on behavioral science, and then received my master's in Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), so the terminology used comes from my ABA background. But I make sure to explain the terms in ways that make sense to those unfamiliar and provide examples on how to use them in different aspects of your life (personal, professional, academic, and more).

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Let's get to it! The purpose of this post is to explain how to use a task analysis to achieve those key goals you've set for yourself. Essentially, this is a step-by-step plan to get you to what you want to achieve. Although task analysis is used in the world of ABA to work with an individual to develop a complex target behavior, it is still applicable in other areas, like project management.

So what exactly is a task analysis? A task analysis is the breaking down of a complex task or behavior into smaller steps that are more obtainable and lead up to displaying the target complex behavior or obtaining the main task.

I'll be honest, it took many conversations with my mentor for me to understand that I have many transferable skills that are not limited to psychology or data analysis, or other areas that I've gained experience in. It really just your perspective and thinking how the skills you've learned can be used in the many settings you're in....so here we are!

What is an example of a task analysis?

My favorite example that my instructors used for my peers and me to understand a task analysis was making spaghetti. We had to do a step-by-step on how we made spaghetti, of course, each one is different. Below is a simple TA of putting your coat on.

Putting a Coat On

- Pick up the coat by the collar (the inside of the coat should be facing you)

- Place your right arm in the right sleeve hole

- Move your arm through until you can see your hand at the other end

- Now reach behind with your left hand

- Locate the left sleeve hole

- Put your arm in the left sleeve hole

- Move your arm through until you see your hand at the other end

- Adjust the coat so it is ready to zip (Indiana University, 2019).

Now, take a look at the goals you've set for yourself, especially as we approach the new year, and really think about how you can break that goal down into smaller goals to achieve which will lead you into accomplishing that main one. For example, a goal may be to get a new position. That can be broken down into:

- Writing a resume or revising it

- Developing a curriculum vitae

- Review of open positions

- Applying

- Getting the interview

- Practicing for the interview

- Attending the interview

- Writing the thank you note to the interviewer

- Sending the thank you note to the interviewer

- Calling the recruiter

- Following up with the recruiter

- Receiving and reviewing the offer

- Accepting the offer

- Receiving a new position

Basically, you are developing and giving yourself a realistic timeline to achieve your goal, which ties into using project management at the same time. But that topic is for a different post and different day. I hope this post provides a different perspective on how to accomplish your goals by something used frequently in the world of applied behavior analysis!

@TheStudentForLife

Reference

Indiana University Bloomington (2019). Applied behavior analysis: The role of task analysis and chaining. Retrieved from https://www.iidc.indiana.edu/pages/applied-behavior-analysis