All,

I'm trying to find vendors who do some form of data accuracy training that focuses on how to enter data and reduce your error rate. I can't believe I'm coming up dry - any suggestions or experience out there that can lead me in the right direction?

Thanks!

If the error problem is human factors (ergonomics) related, it can be fixed. But you cannot train humans to be more "accurate" at entering data.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: KaliKo,

Hi tbh,

I’m not sure if you’re still looking for suggestions here, but I thought I’d chime in…

From a performance improvement standpoint there are a few ways to address this situation. One of the most helpful tips would be to not assume that training is the solution… Just because people aren’t doing what they’re supposed to doesn’t mean that they don’t know how to do what they’re supposed to. You may have already done your research and determined that training is required (if that’s the case, this post has far less meaning!), but just in case, I would look at these areas before implementing a training solution:

• Can your organization provide employees with better tools/resources/software? Many data-entry issues are due to poorly designed software. Can this be upgraded, or can a data validation tool be added to your existing software that can catch errors as they occur?
• Is your organization providing staff with the necessary information/feedback? In other words, does the staff know when they are making errors? If so, is this feedback timely?
• Is the staff being provided with meaningful incentives to enter data accurately, or is it just an assumption that they will perform to standard? If not, can your organization provide incentives that will help to motivate staff to perform better?

After these alternatives are reviewed, I would then look at training/hiring options to ensure that your staff has the knowledge, capacity, and motivation to perform the required tasks. I’d be happy to share thoughts on that too, but don’t want to write to overwhelming of a post right now…

Thanks!
-Ed

Agree totally with Ed MacD. Aviation psychologists probably have more research devoted to this topic than any other group. They advise that the following four human interfaces plus individual characteristics are key to reducing human error - including the type you are interested in. The interfaces are:
1) people-people interfaces - i.e., communication between teams, individuals, departments, etc.
2) people-equipment interfaces - i.e., interfaces between people and computers, or any other equipment, tools, parte, etc.
3) people-environment interfaces - i.e., noise levels; hazardous chemicals or processes, cold or hot spaces, cramped spaces, etc.
4) people-information interfaces - i.e., written documentation - clear, confusing, and/or correct/incorrect documentation, etc., verbal communication - clear or confusing, etc.

And individual differences such as personality variables, aptitude for the work, adequate and appropriate training, motivation, etc.

You might try searching on "aviation psychology research" for more detailed information - especially, the SHEL model (which describes these interfaces and individual differences that relate to human error).

Other issues you will likely read about include amount of time spent on data entry - i.e., time without breaks; whether or not there is any tactile or aural feedback when errors are made; whether or not the managements' attitudes about errors are known to the employees and what those attitudes might be.

Not to beat a dead horse here but...the reason why you're not finding a lot of reputable sources who do data entry accuracy training is because that is rarely going to be successful. As the previous posters have pointed out, the errors are rarely a question of knowledge or skills (which is what training addresses).

You need to do a cause analysis of your performance gap. Until you know the cause, you can't figure out what the solution is.