Study guide
13.6 Training Needs Analysis, Training Delivery & Competency for Automated Systems
ISA CAP Certified Automation Professional Exam
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1 Introduction
About the ISA CAP Exam (2024 Content Outline)
2 Chapter 1: Feasibility Study — Scoping & Justification
1.1 Business Needs, Scope Definition & Operational Strategies 1.2 Automation Opportunity Assessment & Technology Screening 1.3 Benefit-to-Cost Analysis, Payback & Financial Metrics (NPV, ROI, IRR)
3 Chapter 2: Feasibility Study — Technical Analysis & Risk
2.1 Technical Feasibility Studies & Automation Architecture Alternatives 2.2 Preliminary Risk Assessment, Process Safety & Environmental Constraints 2.3 Preliminary Project Cost Estimating, Scheduling & Resource Requirements
4 Chapter 3: Definition — Requirements & Specifications
3.1 User Requirements Specification (URS) & Stakeholder Analysis 3.2 Functional Requirements Specification (FRS) & Functional Safety Requirements 3.3 Process & Control Strategy Determination (Continuous, Discrete, Batch & Hybrid) 3.4 Automation Boundaries, High-Level System Architecture & Scope Definition
5 Chapter 4: Definition — Safety, Cybersecurity & Cost Baseline
4.1 Regulatory Compliance & Safety Criteria (OSHA PSM, EPA RMP, 21 CFR Part 11) 4.2 Preliminary Security Architecture & Industrial Cyber Threat Assessment (ISA/IEC 62443) 4.3 Baseline Cost Estimating, Financial Justification & Project Viability Analysis
6 Chapter 5: System Design — Control Architecture, Field Devices & Motion
5.1 Control System Architecture Selection: PLC, DCS, SCADA & Hybrid Systems 5.2 Process Instrumentation, Sensor Selection & Analytical Measurement 5.3 Final Control Elements: Control Valves, Actuators & Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs) 5.4 Hazardous Location Classification, Electrical Safety & Enclosures (NEC, NFPA, ATEX/IECEx) 5.5 Discrete Devices, Motor Control, Motion Control & Mechatronics
7 Chapter 6: System Design — Safety Systems & Cybersecurity
6.1 Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS) & Safety Lifecycle (ISA-84 / IEC 61511 / IEC 61508) 6.2 SIL Determination, Verification & Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) 6.3 Industrial Cybersecurity by Design: Zones, Conduits & Security Levels (ISA/IEC 62443) 6.4 Hardware/Software Specifications, Procurement & Detailed Engineering Packages
8 Chapter 7: System Design — Networks, Continuous Control & Standards
7.1 Industrial Fieldbuses & Digital Communications (HART, Fieldbus, Profibus, Modbus) 7.2 Industrial Ethernet & Open Protocols (EtherNet/IP, PROFINET, OPC UA, MQTT) 7.3 Continuous Control Strategies: Feedback, Feedforward, Cascade, Ratio & Advanced PID 7.4 Batch Control Architecture, Recipes & Procedural Standards (ISA-88 / S88)
9 Chapter 8: System Design — HMI, Alarms, Enterprise Integration & Data
8.1 Human-Machine Interface (HMI) & High-Performance Graphics Design (ISA-101) 8.2 Alarm Management Lifecycle, Rationalization & Performance (ISA-18.2) 8.3 Enterprise Integration & Manufacturing Operations Management (ISA-95 / S95) 8.4 Data Flow Analysis, Historians, Relational Databases & Reporting
10 Chapter 9: Development — Software Logic & Programming
9.1 IEC 61131-3 Programming Languages: LD, FBD, ST, SFC and Legacy IL 9.2 Discrete Control Logic, Sequencing, State Machines & Interlock Implementation 9.3 Safety Logic Development, Burner Management & Interlock Verification 9.4 Software Configuration Management, Version Control & Change Tracking
11 Chapter 10: Development — Simulation, Tuning & FAT
10.1 Loop Tuning Methodologies & Dynamic Process Response (Ziegler-Nichols, Cohen-Coon, Lambda) 10.2 Simulation, Emulation & Hardware-in-the-Loop (HIL) Verification 10.3 Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT): Planning, Test Protocols, Execution & Punch Lists 10.4 Software Quality Assurance, Code Review & Validation Documentation
12 Chapter 11: Deployment — Installation, Wiring & Pre-Commissioning
11.1 Field Installation Oversight, Wiring Practices, Grounding & Shielding 11.2 Pre-Commissioning Checkout: Cold Loop Checks, Hot Loop Checks & Calibration 11.3 Site Safety Protocols, Lockout/Tagout (LOTO) & Permitting during Deployment 11.4 Installation Punch List Management & Defect Resolution
13 Chapter 12: Deployment — Commissioning, SAT & Turnover
12.1 Site Acceptance Testing (SAT): Execution, Environmental Validation & Variance Management 12.2 Commissioning & Startup Sequencing (Cold/Hot Commissioning & Fluid Runs) 12.3 Cutover Strategies, Legacy System Migration & Contingency Fallback 12.4 System Turnover, Operator/Maintenance Training Delivery & As-Built Documentation
14 Chapter 13: Operation & Maintenance — Diagnostics, Reliability & Training
13.1 Maintenance Strategies: Reactive, Preventive, Predictive & Reliability-Centered (RCM) 13.2 Troubleshooting Methodologies & Root Cause Failure Analysis (RCFA) 13.3 Calibration Management, Proof Testing & SIS Periodic Validation (IEC 61511) 13.4 Spare Parts Strategy, Critical Spares Analysis & Obsolescence Management 13.5 Asset Performance Management (APM) & Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) Tracking 13.6 Training Needs Analysis, Training Delivery & Competency for Automated Systems
15 Chapter 14: Operation & Maintenance — Optimization, MOC, Security & Decommissioning
14.1 Loop Auditing, Process Variability Analysis & Control Optimization 14.2 Management of Change (MOC) Procedures & Software Modification Controls 14.3 Backup, Disaster Recovery & Disaster Recovery Testing for Industrial Systems 14.4 Operational Cybersecurity: Patch Management, Vulnerability Monitoring & Incident Response 14.5 Decommissioning Planning, Asset Retirement & Environmental Disposition
13.6 Training Needs Analysis, Training Delivery & Competency for Automated Systems
Key Takeaways Explain This Topic AI
A training needs analysis works at three levels—organization, task and individual—to find gaps between required and current competence.
OSHA PSM requires initial operator training and refresher training at least every three years, documented with how understanding was verified.
A measurable training objective states the condition, the observable behavior and the performance standard.
ADDIE (Analyze, Design, Develop, Implement, Evaluate) is the common instructional design model for automation training programs.
Kirkpatrick's four evaluation levels are reaction, learning, behavior and results.
Last updated: October 2026
Training Needs Analysis, Training Delivery & Competency for Automated Systems
Two Operation and Maintenance tasks in the CAP outline concern people rather than equipment: work with training professionals to perform training needs analysis and establish training goals and measurable outcomes , and participate in the delivery of the training for customers and personnel on the safe and secure operation of automated systems . The listed knowledge includes the applicable standards and regulations, assessing training requirements, instructional techniques, training program development, and the safety, security and automation systems themselves. Section 12.4 covered training at turnover; this section covers the continuing training program.
Why Training Is an Engineering Responsibility
An automation system is only as safe and productive as the people who run and maintain it. Regulations make this explicit:
OSHA PSM (29 CFR 1910.119(g)) requires initial training for employees operating a covered process and refresher training at least every three years (more often if necessary), with records showing how understanding was verified.
OSHA PSM 1910.119(j) requires maintenance employees to be trained in the process hazards and the procedures for their job, and 1910.119(l)(3) requires affected employees to be informed of and trained in a change before start-up.
IEC 61511 requires everyone with SIS lifecycle responsibilities to be competent for their tasks, and ISA-18.2 expects operators to be trained on the alarm system and alarm responses.
ISA/IEC 62443 security programs include security awareness and role-based security training.
Training Needs Analysis (TNA)
A training needs analysis works at three levels:
Level Question Evidence
Organizational What do the business, regulations and standards require? PSM rules, permits, company standards, MOC records, incident lessons
Task (job) What must each role actually do with the system? Job and task analysis: start-up, shutdown, alarm response, module replacement, loop tuning
Individual Who lacks which competence today? Assessments, observations, interviews, performance data such as alarm-response errors or repeat work orders
The output is a training matrix : roles against required competencies, with the current status of each person, the priority of each gap and the planned method of closing it.
Writing Measurable Training Objectives
Training goals must be measurable, or no one can tell whether training worked. A good objective states three things:
Condition: the situation or tools provided ("given a simulated loss of cooling water on the operator training simulator").
Behavior: the observable action ("the board operator places the reactor in its safe hold state").
Standard: how well or how fast ("within 5 minutes, with no procedure deviations").
Verbs such as understand , know or be familiar with cannot be observed and should be replaced with verbs such as identify , calculate , demonstrate or restore . Bloom's taxonomy (remember, understand, apply, analyze, evaluate, create) helps set the depth each role needs: an operator must apply the alarm-response procedure, while a control engineer must analyze a tuning problem.
Designing and Delivering the Program
The common instructional design model is ADDIE : Analyze (the TNA), Design (objectives, assessments and methods), Develop (materials), Implement (deliver) and Evaluate (measure results and improve).
- Method Best For
- Classroom or virtual instruction Concepts: process chemistry, control strategies, safety-system philosophy
- Hands-on training rack or lab Module replacement, configuration, loop calibration, diagnostics
Operator training simulator (Section 10.2) Start-ups, shutdowns and abnormal situations that cannot be practiced on the live plant
- E-learning Awareness topics, refreshers and security hygiene
- Structured on-the-job training Applying skills on the real unit under a qualified mentor, with sign-off
- Job aids Quick-reference cards for rare or critical tasks
Adults learn best when the content is relevant to their job, when they practice and receive feedback, and when practice is repeated over time rather than crammed. Training on safe and secure operation should explain what each safety function and interlock protects against, the bypass and MOC rules, alarm responses, and everyday security practices: removable-media rules, password and account rules, recognizing phishing and following the remote-access procedure.
Evaluating Training and Maintaining Competence
Kirkpatrick's four levels describe how deeply training is evaluated:
Reaction: did trainees find the training useful?
Learning: did they gain the knowledge or skill, as shown by tests or demonstrations?
Behavior: do they apply it on the job, as shown by observation and audits?
Results: did plant outcomes improve—fewer upsets, faster recovery, less rework?
Competence is confirmed by written tests, practical demonstrations and simulator scenarios scored against the objectives and signed off by a qualified assessor. Records show who is qualified for what and when refreshers are due. Requalification is triggered by system changes through MOC, incidents, long absences and the regulatory refresher interval.
Example
After a DCS migration, a chemical plant's TNA showed that board operators could navigate the new high-performance graphics but were slow to recognize a developing loss of cooling. The team wrote simulator objectives with time limits, ran each crew through three abnormal-situation scenarios, and audited alarm responses on shift for three months. The audits (Kirkpatrick Level 3) showed operators using the new alarm-response guidance correctly, and the number of cooling-related upsets fell over the following year (Level 4).