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Professional Competency Checklist

Your go-to guide for developing human factors expertise

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If you can't wait to see the Professional Competency Checklist (PCC) and start using it, you can!

If you're a CIEHF member or you already have an account with us, please click the button below to log in.

If not, click the button to set up a free account and get your download.

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What is it and who's it for?

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The Core Competencies

At the heart of the PCC are five core competencies which are fundamental to an understanding of human factors and its application.

Here's what each competency covers:

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EXPLAINER

What makes human factors effective. Human factors is a scientific, data-driven multi-discipline. It uniquely recognises that people are at the centre of a system which needs to be optimised for maximum safety, health, comfort and performance.

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EXPLAINER

COGNITION: How people think. People think differently about the world depending on their lived experiences, psychology, neurodiversity and motivation.
PHYSIOLOGY: What people can physically do. People have different abilities that depend on their individual anatomy, physiology and physical attributes.
EMOTION: How people feel. People feel differently about others and their surroundings depending on their background, past interactions and influences.

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EXPLAINER

ACTIVITIES & TASKS: What people do. People might carry out the same task differently, depending on their experience, distractions, time available, expectations placed on them and level of fatigue.
TOOLS & EQUIPMENT: What people use. People may use equipment in different ways depending on their training, understanding of instructions, experience, strength, vision and reach capabilities.
PHYSICAL ENVIRONMENT: Where people do things. People respond to environments in different ways depending on their physiology, PPE, amount of activity and level of concentration.
ORGANISATIONAL ENVIRONMENT: How people interact with each other. People interact with others in different ways depending on their past experiences, biases, familiarity, language, culture and comfort level.
SYSTEM COMPONENTS: How parts of a system interact with each other. Everything humans interact with is part of a system and successful outcomes come from effective integration and learning from experience.

 
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EXPLAINER

INSIGHT: What data can be gathered. Gain qualitative insight and understanding directly from those with experience.
MEASUREMENT: What data can be gathered. Identify and gather quantitative data using specific tools and technology.
ASSESSMENT & ANALYSIS: How data can be gathered and understood. Collect, examine and interpret information about interactions using purpose-built tools and methods.
DESIGN & EVALUATION: What data can be used for. Investigate and develop solutions to design issues and evaluate their effectiveness.

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EXPLAINER

How my knowledge, skills, experience and behaviour impacts others. Human factors has an extensive reach, and I must work within my proven competencies whilst always aiming for increased proficiency.

 

 

A step-by-step guide

Everyone calling themselves a human factors professional should be able to demonstrate some level of knowledge, skills and abilities in each competency. Checklists of knowledge requirements and skills & abilities enable you to track your current level of expertise and your future development needs. The more boxes you tick under a particular competency, the stronger your expertise in that area.

This self-assessment helps you to recognise your strengths, spot areas for growth, shape your CPD and mentoring goals, or prepare for assessment or progression. It forms the basis of professional membership applications leading to Chartered status.

Think of it as a roadmap that will guide you from where you are now, to where you want to go.

 

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How the PCC links to professional recognition

If you want to apply for professional membership of CIEHF but you're not sure which grade to apply for, we can help you work it out. When you apply, assessors look at your PCC and log book, using a clear scoring guide (rubric) to judge your level of proficiency across the core competencies. We’ve simplified that rubric so you can do a quick self-check.

Do self-check now

 

See the PCC

 

If you're a CIEHF member or you already have an account with us, please click the button below to log in.

If not, click the button to set up a free account and get your download.

Let's go

 

 

Questions you might have about use of the PCC

I want some input into mentoring - can the PCC help me?

Yes, go through the competency knowledge, skill areas, and methods, tools & techniques to spot strengths and opportunities for improvement.

I want some help with my continuing professional development — where should I start?

Use the checklists to assess your knowledge and levels of proficiency. They can guide you in setting learning goals, choosing relevant training or mentoring opportunities and tracking your progress.

How can I assess my eligibility for CIEHF professional membership grades?

Ensure you can check off the majority of the knowledge requirements in the PCC. Check your proficiency levels in the skills and attributes match or exceed the minimum criteria as set out in the assessor rubric.

I've already started to fill in my log book and other application documents, can I still submit my application using these?

Yes, you don't need to start again. There will be a transition period of 12 months as we move over to the new PCC.

How can I find out if a certain course would benefit my development?

You could check how well the learning outcomes for each course match the competency knowledge and skills lists in the PCC and see if they align with gaps you have in your knowledge or skills.

I'm a provider, how do I ensure my course covers relevant human factors learning?

Check your course learning outcomes and content against the competency knowledge lists and skill areas in the PCC.

How can I use the PCC to input into my employment appraisals?

Use the checklists to help set objectives, to highlight your strengths and to look for opportunities for future development.

How can I use the PCC to get ideas for requirements to include in job descriptions?

You can pick out important requrements from each of the competency knowledge lists to include in your job descriptions.

What can I do to get a clearer picture of the breadth of human factors?

Download the PCC to see the core competencies, the different skill areas and the wide range of methods, tools, and techniques used in practice.

How can I tell if my organisation would benefit from a human factors professional?

Use the PCC to review the key skill areas and the methods, tools and techniques of human factors. If any of them align with your organisation’s challenges, a human factors professional could provide valuable support.

 

Got feedback?

Just drop us an email with your constructive comments - and anything else that will help us further develop this resource. Thanks very much!