The Operator Training Principles That Separate Average Plants From High-Performing Ones

Most manufacturing sites invest heavily in operator training.
Far fewer design training that actually holds up when conditions deteriorate.

Abnormal situations do not reward knowledge. They reward practiced behavior.

Decades of human performance research into high-skill work produced a set of training principles that consistently improve real-world performance. When applied to manufacturing and process operations, these principles explain why some training programs build resilient operators while others quietly fail.

1. Promote Consistent Processing to Build Automaticity

Critical tasks must be performed the same way every time during training so the brain can automate them.

In manufacturing, this means repeatedly practicing alarm recognition, trip response, or manual interventions using consistent cues and workflows. When stress is high, operators rely on automatic responses, not conscious reasoning.

2. Design Training to Allow Many Trials of Critical Skills

Training time should be spent where decisions matter most.

Instead of running a full unit for hours to reach one upset, compress scenarios to repeat critical actions multiple times. For example, repeatedly practice a compressor trip decision rather than waiting for it to occur once during a long simulation.

3. Avoid Overloading Working Memory

Human working memory is limited, especially during abnormal events.

Operators should not be expected to recall long lists of values, setpoints, or steps while responding to an event. Reference sheets, procedures, and decision aids should be available so training focuses on execution rather than memorization.

4. Vary Training Conditions to Match Real Operations

Plants do not always operate at design rates with all equipment available.

Training must include turndown conditions, alternate lineups, equipment out of service, and degraded states. A response that works at full rate may fail at half rate.

5. Maintain Active Participation at All Times

Passive observation does not build skill.

Even during steady-state operations, trainees should be required to answer questions, verify conditions, and make small decisions. This maintains alertness and reinforces situational awareness.

6. Maintain High Motivation

Training must feel relevant and meaningful to the operator’s job.

Scenarios should clearly connect actions to safety, equipment protection, and production outcomes. When operators understand why a task matters, engagement and retention improve dramatically.

7. Present Information in a Broader Operational Context

Operators must understand how their actions affect upstream and downstream systems.

For example, a local valve action should be taught in the context of its impact on unit stability, utilities, or product quality.

8. Intermix Component Skills During Training

Skills should not be trained in isolation.

Alarm handling, manual control, communication, and troubleshooting should be mixed throughout training rather than taught in separate blocks.

9. Train Under Mild Time Pressure

Real events do not allow unlimited time.

Training should gradually introduce mild time pressure so operators learn to perform correctly without rushing or freezing.

10. Teach Strategies That Minimize Operator Workload

Training should emphasize efficient methods.

Operators should learn prioritization strategies, alarm filtering approaches, and structured response techniques that reduce cognitive overload.

11. Train Time-Sharing and Multitasking Skills

Operators rarely deal with one issue at a time.

Training should include scenarios where multiple demands compete for attention so operators learn how to shift focus without losing control.

Final Thought

Strong operator training is not about more content, longer sessions, or more procedures.

It is about designing training around how people actually perform under pressure.

Source: Adapted from Training High-Performance Skills: Fallacies and Guidelines by Walter Schneider.

Continuing the Conversation

This article is part of an ongoing dialogue with operations leaders, training professionals, and engineers who are rethinking how readiness is built across manufacturing and process industries.

Organizations that consistently perform well during abnormal situations do not rely on chance. They design training that reflects how people actually perform under pressure.

If you are exploring how to strengthen operator readiness, reinforce critical skills, or align training more closely with real operating conditions, we welcome the conversation.

Some of the most valuable discussions we have had start with a simple question:

“How do we ensure the next shift is better prepared than the last?”