COBRA Briefing COBRA Briefing

February 25, 2009February 25, 2009

Job Performance Systems, Inc.

AgendaAgenda

About JPSAbout JPS What is COBRA?What is COBRA? How to fit COBRA into your plant’s How to fit COBRA into your plant’s

hiring processhiring process Product demonstrationProduct demonstration SummarySummary

About JPSAbout JPS

We help organizations improve the We help organizations improve the performance of their peopleperformance of their people

JPS Products and Services:JPS Products and Services:– Management Consulting Management Consulting – Selection TestsSelection Tests– Customized TrainingCustomized Training

Who we are:Who we are:– Industry ConsultantsIndustry Consultants– Process EngineersProcess Engineers– Industrial and Organizational PsychologistsIndustrial and Organizational Psychologists– Instructional DesignersInstructional Designers– IT SpecialistsIT Specialists– Graphic ArtistsGraphic Artists

Client – US Public Client – US Public SectorSector

Federal Aviation Admin.

Internal Revenue Service

Department of Commerce

Department of Labor

Department of State

Army

Department of Justice

Department of Defense

Federal Communications Commission

U. S. Customs

Department of Agriculture

Navy

Clients – Industrial Clients – Industrial SectorSector

Alberta EnvirofuelsAlberta Envirofuels

Angola LNGAngola LNG

Aughinish AluminaAughinish Alumina

Bahrain PetroleumBahrain Petroleum

BPBP

Buckeye PartnersBuckeye Partners

Cabinda Gulf OilCabinda Gulf Oil

CaltexCaltex

Caspian PipelineCaspian Pipeline

ChevronChevron

Colonial PipelineColonial Pipeline

ConocoPhillipsConocoPhillips

EliokemEliokem

EnbridgeEnbridge

Enterprise ProductsEnterprise Products

Ergon RefiningErgon Refining

Explorer PipelineExplorer Pipeline

ExxonMobilExxonMobil

Hunt Refining CompanyHunt Refining Company

Kinder MorganKinder Morgan

Koch IndustriesKoch Industries

Little John & Co, LLCLittle John & Co, LLC

LyondellBasellLyondellBasell

Magellan PipelineMagellan Pipeline

MarathonMarathon

Petro-CanadaPetro-Canada

Plains All American PipelinePlains All American Pipeline

PPLPPL

Qatar ChemicalQatar Chemical

Ras Laffan OlefinsRas Laffan Olefins

Saudi Chevron PetrochemicalSaudi Chevron Petrochemical

ShellShell

SunocoSunoco

TengizchevroilTengizchevroil

TEPPCOTEPPCO

ValeroValero

Levels of Console Levels of Console Operator ExpertiseOperator Expertise

Level 2:System Users40 - 50%

Level 1:System Responders 50 - 60%

Level 3:System Optimizer 10%

COBRA Goal: How to identify Level 2 &

3

What is COBRA?What is COBRA?

COBRA test consists of:COBRA test consists of:– 2 hours of training2 hours of training– 1 hour of practice1 hour of practice– 1 hour of testing1 hour of testing

How COBRA was How COBRA was DevelopedDeveloped

Job Analysis StudiesJob Analysis Studies– Structured interviewsStructured interviews– Fleishman Questionnaires (F-JAS)Fleishman Questionnaires (F-JAS)– Critical IncidentsCritical Incidents

Identified Key Abilities Identified Key Abilities

Evaluated Existing Selection Evaluated Existing Selection SystemSystem

Key Console Operator Key Console Operator Abilities that COBRA Abilities that COBRA MeasuresMeasures Selective Attention Selective Attention - focusing during busy and slow periods- focusing during busy and slow periods Problem Sensitivity Problem Sensitivity - determining when something is likely to - determining when something is likely to

go wronggo wrong Time Sharing Time Sharing - shifting between several things that need - shifting between several things that need

attentionattention Deductive Reasoning Deductive Reasoning - figuring out the cause of a problem- figuring out the cause of a problem Resistance to Premature Judgment Resistance to Premature Judgment - avoiding "over-- avoiding "over-

operating" the boardoperating" the board Response Orientation Response Orientation - quickly choosing among several - quickly choosing among several

actions actions Visualization Visualization – forming a mental image of the plant; “seeing the – forming a mental image of the plant; “seeing the

big picture”big picture” Speed of Closure Speed of Closure - making sense out of large amounts of - making sense out of large amounts of

information quicklyinformation quickly

Measurement of Key Measurement of Key AbilitiesAbilities

Key AbilitiesKey Abilities JobJob

ApplicatioApplicationn

Paper & Paper & Pencil Pencil TestsTests

InterviewInterviewss

COBRACOBRA

1. Selective Attention1. Selective Attention

2. Problem Sensitivity2. Problem Sensitivity

3. Time Sharing3. Time Sharing

4. Reasoning4. Reasoning

5. Oral Expression5. Oral Expression

6. Oral Comprehension6. Oral Comprehension

7. Resistance to 7. Resistance to Premature JudgmentPremature Judgment

8. Speech Recognition8. Speech Recognition

9. Response 9. Response OrientationOrientation

10. Visualization10. Visualization

11. Speed of Closure11. Speed of Closure

Traditional selection methods measure some “Key” abilities:

COBRA fills in many gaps

Chevron Technique for Chevron Technique for Validation (mid-90’s)Validation (mid-90’s) 3 Empirical Studies at Chevron3 Empirical Studies at Chevron

– Large refinery (151 operators)Large refinery (151 operators)– Six refineries and one chemical plant Six refineries and one chemical plant

(97 operators)(97 operators)– 6 chemical plants (81 operators)6 chemical plants (81 operators)

In every case, study results In every case, study results supported the validity of COBRAsupported the validity of COBRA

More Recent COBRA More Recent COBRA StudiesStudies

In every case, study results support the value/validity of COBRA In every case, study results support the value/validity of COBRA

Empirical Study by a major oil refinery for console operator and field operator positions

Empirical Study by a chemical plant in Ohio

Transport study by Chevron Pipeline Company

Transport study by a major natural gas utility company (PG&E)

Transport study by a major oil refinery on the west coast (included a mix of console, field, and maint)

Job analysis and evaluation at a major liquids pipeline company in Texas

Diversity hiring data collected by a major chemical complex on the Gulf Coast

Transport study at a liquids pipeline company in Pennsylvania

Job analysis and evaluation at a major liquids pipeline company in Ohio

Transport study for a power generation company

Job analysis and evaluation at a major liquids pipeline company in Kansas

COBRA SitesCOBRA Sites

– Chevron**– Caltex**– LyondellBasell– Shell Eastern

Petroleum Ltd.– BAPCO– Ergon– Hunt

Refinery Operations– Eliokem– SaudiChevron Petrochemical**– Qatar Chemical**– LyondellBasell**– Chevron Oronite**– Chevron Phillips**– Aughinish Alumina– Shell Eastern Petroleum Ltd.**– Alberta Envirofuels

Chemical Plant Operations

Nearly 100 locations total

Available in English, RussianFrench, and Portuguese

** Multi-site and/or Enterprise-wide

COBRA Sites (cont.)COBRA Sites (cont.)

** Multi-site and/or Enterprise-wide

– PPL **Power Generation Oil & Gas Operations

– Cabinda Gulf Oil Co.**– Chevron Nigeria Ltd. **– Tengizchevroil– Angola LNG

– Chevron – Colonial **– Kinder Morgan**– Shell– Caspian– Magellan– Buckeye**

Pipeline OperationsPipeline Operations– Sunoco Logistics**– Enterprise Products**– Plains All American– Enbridge– Marathon Petroleum– Explorer– PPL Interstate Energy

Why is COBRA Why is COBRA effective?effective? Assesses cognitive abilities that are Assesses cognitive abilities that are

difficult to measure any other waydifficult to measure any other way Reduces training time and training Reduces training time and training

attritionattrition Realistic job previewRealistic job preview Empirical studies support its validityEmpirical studies support its validity Provides objective, computer- scored Provides objective, computer- scored

assessmentsassessments

Sample COBRA Scoring Sample COBRA Scoring ReportReport Comments on this particular report:Comments on this particular report:

– Scores range from 45 to 95

– Five of the nine (55%) who were tested failed(score < 70)

Integrating COBRA Into Integrating COBRA Into Your Plant’s Hiring Your Plant’s Hiring ProcessProcess

Subject Matter Expertise

• Teamwork

• Oral communication

• Customer service orientation

General Competencies

• Reasoning

• Selective attention

• Time sharing

Cognitive Abilities

• Work ethic

• Absence of negative behaviors

Dependability

Test Administrator Test Administrator OptionsOptions Your company personnel (i.e. Your company personnel (i.e.

Operations or HR)Operations or HR) JPS personnelJPS personnel Third-partyThird-party

COBRA DemoCOBRA Demo

Thank you!Thank you!