Table 2 Brief scale descriptions

Things: Physical interaction with and response to tangibles – touched, felt, observed, and related to in space; images visualized spatially.

Data: Interaction with information, ideas, facts, statistics, specification of output, knowledge of conditions, techniques; mental operations.

People: Live interaction among people, and between people and animals

Worker Instructions: The degree to which a task is completely prescribed by instructions to the worker, vs. left completely to the discretion of the worker.

Reasoning Development: Knowledge, ability to deal with theory versus practice, abstract versus concrete, and many versus few variables.

Mathematical Development: Knowledge and ability to deal with mathematical problems and operations from county and simple addition to higher mathematics.

Language Development: Knowledge and ability to speak, read, or write language materials from simple verbal instructions to complex sources or written information and ideas.

Worker Technology: Means and methods employed in completing a task or work assignment - tools, machines, equipment or work procedures, processes or any other aids to assist in the handling, processing or evaluation of things or data.

Worker Interaction: When working with others (through direct or indirect contact), workers assist them, coordinate their efforts with them and adapt their style and behavior to accommodate atypical or unusual circumstances and conditions. This effort results in achievement of employer goals to given standards.

Human Error Consequence – Degree of responsibility imposed upon the performer with respect to possible mental or physical harm to persons (including performer, recipients, respondents, co-workers, or the public) resulting from errors in performance of the task being scaled.