Coffeehouse Task Analysis Nitro Machine
The Coffeehouse has a “clean play” process where specific machines are cleaned in a particular fashion at certain times. The “clean play” is a task that all employees should be familiar with; however, within The Coffeehouse, only three out of twenty-two employees stated that they knew how to clean the Nitro machine. Of those three people, only one follows the correct procedure.
The Coffeehouse is under new management and would like to revamp the training of all employees on the Nitro machine. This will ensure all employees are trained on the proper method of cleaning the Nitro machine, and they will all follow one procedure. Training will begin with the supervisors. The subject matter expert (SME) will conduct face-to-face training based on the written procedure.
Since the “clean play” of the Nitro machine is complicated, a training aid is needed to refresh the procedure for any employee undertaking this task.
Clean the Nitro machine as quickly and effectively as defined by The Coffeehouse procedure.
Learner Analysis General Characteristics
The audience comprises male and female baristas and supervisors, who range in age from 17 to 45. Most employees are either going to college or just finishing college. Most employees consider this a transition job for them. Ninety percent of employees have been at The Coffeehouse for less than one year.
The Coffeehouse has many job duties, and all employees must be effectively trained as they rotate through different roles throughout their shift; however, only specific tasks are done at certain times, which means many employees might not encounter a job for weeks depending on what shift they are covering.
Cleaning the Nitro machine is a task within the “clean play” schedule. This means the task is completed once a week; however, management would like to change the Nitro machine’s cleaning to twice a month instead of weekly. Currently, the Nitro machine is cleaned at the close of business; therefore, employees frequently working nights must be trained on this procedure first. However, because all employees eventually have night shift duties, all employees need to be trained on the Nitro machine, which will allow employees to “move with urgency,” a mentality stressed by management.
Orienting Context
Because most employees are new to the store, they do not realize that specific procedures have not been trained or followed; therefore, employees will not see this as anything negative. This will be seen as another process new management is undertaking.
Supervisors will hold baristas accountable for the task at hand. The written procedure will be available for all to follow. This will ensure no issues with steps within the procedural process are eliminated. Understanding how to clean the Nitro machine assists in the “need to move with urgency” mentality management stresses and equips employees to function in the “clean play” procedure.
Instructional Context
The process of cleaning the Nitro machine is complex. Many steps are involved, and the learner must realize that time impacts specific steps. What complicates the instructional context is the fact that the process of cleaning the Nitro machine is a task only done weekly and will soon be bi-monthly. This impacts the learner’s ability to recall steps and times. To help the learner laminated 5 x 7-inch flip cards will be created, which will refresh their memory by providing them with clear steps and times for each step.
Laminated flip cards are small, transportable, and waterproof. They can be kept by the cleaning equipment or by the Nitro machine. It allows the learner to quickly reference the time or procedure they are unfamiliar with. The specific times with the button are the most difficult concepts to grasp and retain. An aid is imperative. If unsure, the employee needs to have a quick reference so they can quickly complete this task, carry on to their other tasks, and “move with urgency.”
Transfer Context
Training will begin with the female supervisors since they are typical “closers” and proceed through the baristas based upon those typically working shifts during the “clean play.”
A checklist of employees having received the one-on-one training will be provided in the evaluation packet to ensure all employees have been through the training.
When new baristas are hired, training on how to clean the Nitro machine will be incorporated into their onboarding training. This will ensure all new hires have been trained to clean the Nitro machine, enabling baristas to be moved to other shifts without worrying about whether they know the tasks for each shift. Even though this is a specific task within the “clean play,” the need for employees to undertake this task in a “need to move with urgency” is a critical skill management stress within the store. The “need to move with urgency” is greatly hindered when the steps within the task are not known.
Employees will have an in-person, one-on-one, 30-minute training session with the subject matter expert (SME). The SME will demonstrate all the steps as they walk the student through the correct process of cleaning the Nitro machine. The SME will introduce the student to the flip card aid. At the end of the hands-on activity, the student will clean the Nitro machine on their own as the SME watches for accuracy.
Microsoft products were used to create wordage and send communications.
Graphics were created in Adobe Photoshop.
The report was created in Adobe InDesign.
The results were exported by Adobe Acrobat and delivered through OneDrive.
At the end of the training, the learner will clean the Nitro machine based upon Starbucks cleaning protocol within 20 minutes without any skipped or inaccurate steps.
This is a small sample of the thirty-four-step task analysis.
- Get a clean Keg, found at “back of house.”
- Get a KAY5 cleaning packet located in the “back of house” with the cleaning supplies. By easily ripping off the top of the packet, place KAY5 contents in an empty Keg and discard the packet in the garbage by the sink.
- Use the large pitcher to add 4 L of warm water to Keg. Measurements are located on the side of the pitcher.
- Put the lid on Keg and shake it eight times, which will dissolve the KAY5 cleaner.
- Write “wash” on a day dot, and attach it to the top of the Keg for easy reference in the cleaning process.
- Go to Nitro machine. If a Keg is there, remove it by gently pulling upwards on the white gas line to disengage it from the Nitro. Let this line hang down to the floor. Then remove the black cold brew line in the same manner.
- Take this Keg to the back of the house and put it on the floor by the sink, and take back the Keg marked “wash” to the Nitro machine. Place the “wash” Keg into the place where the Keg just disconnected was. Attach the black cold brew line first by attaching the black line to the black connector. Attach the white line to the white connector, which is the Nitro line.
- Press the Nitro button once. It will illuminate blue for one second after being pressed. If it doesn’t turn blue, call the supervisor.
- The button turning blue is the visual signal the machine is primed. Let the machine sit for three minutes while you ready your other materials.
* The images are cut off unless one views them from a desktop.*
Below are some of my favorite visuals from this project.
The first set of images is from the trainer guide, which lists each step to guarantee facilitators follow the same training protocol.
Set two and three are some of the visuals from the laminated flip chart.