Task analysis
Breaking a complex skill into a sequence of smaller, teachable steps, listed in order; the written list is also called a task analysis.
A task analysis (TA) takes a skill such as handwashing, getting dressed or making a sandwich and divides it into its component steps in the order they are performed. Each step is a specific, observable action. Handwashing might be: turn on water, wet hands, get soap, rub hands, rinse, turn off water, dry hands.
Supervisors create a task analysis by watching competent people do the task, consulting experts or guides, or doing the task themselves. The number and size of the steps are matched to the learner: a learner who needs more support gets smaller steps. The TA then guides both teaching and data collection.
A task analysis is also used as an assessment. The RBT may have the learner attempt the whole task and record which steps are done independently. In single-opportunity assessment, the assessment stops at the first error; in multiple-opportunity assessment, the RBT completes the missed step for the learner, without teaching it, and lets the learner try the next one.
Once the TA is written, the skill is taught through chaining. The RBT follows the steps exactly as written, uses the planned prompts, and records performance on each step so the supervisor can see which steps need more work.
Example and non-example
| Example | A teen's plan for doing laundry lists 12 steps from "Carry basket to washer" to "Close dryer door and press start." The RBT marks each step as independent or prompted every time the teen does laundry. |
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| Non-example | A goal that says "Client will do laundry independently" states the target skill but does not break it into steps, so it is not a task analysis. |
Don't confuse it with
| Chaining | A task analysis lists the steps; chaining is the procedure used to teach the learner to perform those steps in sequence. |
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Test yourself
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Question 1A handwashing task analysis has 8 steps. Today the client completed 6 steps independently. What percentage of steps were completed independently?
Show answer
A: 75%. Divide the independent steps by the total steps and multiply by 100: 6 / 8 x 100 = 75%.
- B: 6 is the number of independent steps, not a percentage.
- C: 25% is the percentage of steps not completed independently.
- D: This is a calculation error; 6 / 8 is 0.75.
Task A.6 · 40-hour curriculum section C
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Question 2To assess a multi-step skill such as handwashing, the RBT records which steps the client completes independently. What is the written list of steps called?
Show answer
C: A task analysis. A task analysis breaks a complex skill into smaller, ordered steps. Scoring each step shows exactly where the client needs teaching.
- A: A scatterplot shows when a behavior happens across times of day.
- B: A functional analysis tests what maintains problem behavior.
- D: A preference hierarchy ranks items by how much the client prefers them.
Task B.2 · 40-hour curriculum section D · Task C.5
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Question 3What is a task analysis?
Show answer
A: Breaking a skill into small, ordered steps. A task analysis lists the separate steps of a complex skill in the order they are performed, so each step can be taught, prompted and scored.
- B: That describes shaping, which changes one response rather than listing steps.
- C: That describes most-to-least prompting.
- D: That describes a generalization probe.
Task C.5 · 40-hour curriculum section E
Answer every question to see your score.
On the RBT exam
This term belongs to task C.5 Task analysis and chaining in content area C, Behavior Acquisition, which is 19 of the 75 scored questions.