Linking Performance-Based Assessment Centers to DACUM's (Developing a Curriculum) For Effective Public Sector Promotions
DACUM is an abbreviation for Developing a Curriculum and is an occupational analysis performed by expert workers in that particular occupation, who are led by a DACUM facilitator. Generally, it is a one or two day story-boarding process that provides a picture of what the worker does in terms of duties, tasks, knowledge, skills, traits and in some cases the tools the worker uses. The information is presented in graphic chart form and can include information on a variety of issues, critical or frequently performed tasks, as well as addressing training needs of workers.
DACUM’s can be used as an occupational skill analysis which can be used for instructional program planning, curriculum development, development of training materials, training needs assessment, organizational restructuring, employee recruitment, meeting ISO 90000 standards, career counseling, job descriptions, competency test development and other purposes.
Much of the DACUM process focuses on the specific skills and abilities of the employee; technician, supervisor or manager, etc. By combining the power of the DACUM process to then identify those key job dimensions for a specific job, one can then design accurate performance based scenarios and evaluatory instruments for Assessment Centers.
Speaker
Rick Michelson
Director
Knowledge, Skills and Abilities, Ltd.
and Grossmont College
Rick Michelson, MPA, is a professor in the Criminal Justice Program at Grossmont College in the San Diego area as well as an adjunct professor with Webster University. He also conducts workshops and DACUM’s through his training firm, KSA. Ltd. (Knowledge, Skills and Abilities, Ltd.) Rick specializes in small group training workshops designed to demystify the assessment center process for public safety professionals who wish to promote up their career ladder.
Rick has conducted DACUM's for a variety of Public Safety positions, including Forensic Specialists. Fingerprint Specialists. Criminalists, Police-Fire Dispatchers, Firefighters and Marine Safety Officers. He is a trained DACUM facilitator, having been trained by Dr. Bob Norton at Ohio State University. He is also a is a certified Assessor for assessment centers, having trained under Pat Maher, D. Crim. Rick is also the co-author of several books and articles on the Assessment Center method in Public Safety, with Pat Maher.
