Training High-Performance Skills: Fallacies and Guidelines

Abstract

A high-performance skill is defined as one for which (1) more than 100 hours of training are required, (2) substantial numbers of individuals fail to develop proficiency, and (3) the performance of the expert is qualitatively different from that of the novice. Training programs for developing high-performance skills are often based on assumptions that may be appropriate for simple skills. These assumptions can be fallacious when extended to high performance skills. Six fallacies of training are described. Empirical characteristics of high-performance skill acquisition are reviewed. These include long acquisition periods, heterogeneity of component learning, development of inappropriate strategies, and training of timesharing skills. A tentative set of working guidelines for the acquisition of high-performance skills is described.