How CANSO best practice is helping to transform human performance management in ATM

01/04/2019

Remi Joly, Co-Chair of the CANSO Human Performance Management Task Force and National Manager, Human Factors at NAV CANADA, describes his experience of implementing human performance best practice.

The release of the CANSO Standard of Excellence in Human Performance Management has personally connected with me in two ways – both as the National Manager, Human Factors at NAV CANADA, but also as a human factors professional.

It is without a doubt that human performance is a critical component to effective safety performance, but it also directly supports the efficient delivery of ATM services. 

Taking on the CANSO Standard of Excellence in Human Performance Management and assessing our maturity against it has allowed NAV CANADA to identify our strengths and opportunities in each of the 12 elements of human performance management best practice. 

Conducting effective gap analysis

The Standard and associated human performance management assessment has helped us identify for example, that in all elements, we met some of the maturity requirements at almost each of the five levels of maturity. It also allowed us to pinpoint gaps and explore what we need to do to fill those gaps and improve our performance. 

Enhancing organisational integration

The Standard also pointed at some gaps between various groups responsible for the 12 elements, and enabled us to see where efficiency gains can be attained. This is key to the development of an effective human performance management programme because all 12 elements of human performance management need to be integrated and managed.

Creating a strategy for success

The results of the assessment, together with the CANSO Standard of Excellence in Human Performance Management, became a great communication tool with senior management as we provided the results as heat maps alongside the clear requirements on what needed to be done to improve our human performance management maturity. This laid the foundation for developing an effective strategy going forward to not only manage our current operations but also prepare ourselves for future challenges in human performance; such as technological advancements, traffic growth and new entrants into airspace.

Offering value for the industry

As part of the development of the CANSO Standard of Excellence in Human Performance Management, we assessed the maturity of a sample of ANSPs. The results gave us a snapshot of how mature the industry is in managing human performance, and what we need to focus on. To guide this activity, CANSO has created a Human Performance Management Workgroup to help implement effective human performance management within the industry.

I both recommend and encourage you to explore the CANSO Standard of Excellence in Human Performance Management and take advantage of the combined CANSO Member expertise and experience in improving human performance in your own organisation.

If you are interested in the finding out more about human performance in ATM and CANSO initiatives that can help to improve human performance management in your organisation, please get in touch.

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