Pre-course profile/questionnaire

[zadocbrown]

I'm putting together a pre course questionnaire specifically in this case for candidates starting IAM skill for life. The intention being they complete it before the first run. There are several reasons for doing this:

- To make it easier for me to pitch the course just right for each candidate
- To get them thinking analytically about what they want to achieve
- To distract them from unnecessary tinkering with their drive before I see it (I'd rather see what they really do than a half-arsed attempt at a partially understood house style)

I'm interested to hear from anyone else who has done this or who has views on what should go into it. It will have to be easy to complete, but of sufficient depth to be of use. More generally, what are the most important questions to ask a trainee?

[trashbat]

It's not the answer, but maybe a step towards it. In terms of the latter, I'd say you want to try and gauge:

-- what they think their own confidence is
-- how good they think their average drive is
-- how good they think they could drive when on best behaviour

You will inevitably change the drive by observing it, but armed with this information, you can at least offset what you're seeing by an appropriate margin, as well as catching the reality expressed in lazy moments.

In terms of pitching it right, find out where they normally drive - long motorway trips, or the shopping run? Ever had an accident, and whose fault was it? Might be a bit personal.

In terms of getting them thinking, it's easy to go off down GDE lane here, which would be no bad thing. There are some quick wins without that though, although the IAM configuration might negate them.

For example: "describe a driving scenario where you want to improve most". I came to the IAM wanting to make better, safer progress on the kinds of roads I liked driving - at the time, fast, twisty rural NSL A-roads like the A272. I was prepared to suck up a bit of general competency, reversing round an urban corner etc, but it was improving my driving in my preferred context that would motivate and inspire me to really try. In the end I didn't really get this (until the exam!) due to environment, and persevered anyway.

Another one might be "describe a driver you look up to", and then you can explore that in person - why do they inspire, what makes their driving good, is it actually a valid aim for the road, etc.

[TripleS]

The first thing that sprang to my mind was the matter of: do they want to be instructed or coached?

For most people that may not matter, but to some it could make all the difference between staying the course, and ducking out very early, as I did.

[jont]

The first thing that sprang to my mind was the matter of: do they want to be instructed or coached?

For most people that may not matter, but to some it could make all the difference between staying the course, and ducking out very early, as I did.

Prior to getting quite a long way into AD, I'm not sure I'd have known the difference.

[Gareth]

I'd have thought the first questions would include

• what prompted them to do the course
• what they hope to achieve (not including passing the test)

[martine]

Very worthwhile question I'd say and not something we formally do in my group but perhaps we should.

To add to the list:

Any areas of driving they particularly know they are weak on or want to improve?

Do they enjoy driving or is it A to B utility?

Do they drive/ride anything else regularly?

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

We ask:

How long they have been driving
Whether they have previous experience of AD
Whether they know anything about the SOCC
What brought them to AD
How they feel about the following:
- town driving
- night driving
- motorway driving
Whether there is anything about driving that concerns them

We don't ask them in a particularly structured order, and the questions are typically asked by the tutor before the first assessment drive, which may have the effect of colouring their drive immediately after, and only really serves to form a very vague structure for the tutor to hang the tuition on. We don't have formal "courses" so there is no question of tailoring it to suit the answers. Every now and then I wonder if we should do classroom sessions, but our intake is too small, really.

[daz6215]

How many miles do you cover?
What is the purpose of the journey?
Would you say you are punctual?
Are you a perfectionist?
What irritates you about others' driving?
What strategies do you have in place to deal with frustration?

[Horse]

Couple of thoughts:

A good question to focus thought is 'by the end of the day (in the case of the training I did), what three things would you like to be doing differently? '

Also, perhaps you could consider tying the questions in with their initial assessment, both with that format being part of the assessment and the earlier answers provided for practical evaluation.

The results must then be formally monitored with the trainee through their training and at the end, otherwise it will have been a pointless exercise!

Finally, how will you / the Group respond if you either initially or through the process realise that you can't help? I've had trainees who had been forced to try to learn 'advanced' techniques when their issues were very basic but needed a different skill set to fix (but not to identify).

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

I will be amending our sheet with some of the pointers received on this thread - particularly about adding desired outcomes. Of course we ask those things but they don't tend to be recorded clearly or measured. Most people say something like "to be a better driver" or "to be safer", but it would be better to have more specific (SMART even) goals.

[Horse]

Tie in those objectives with GROW, and get the trainee to do the work

[Mr Cholmondeley-Warner]

Yes, within reason. They may only have very vague woolly objectives and may need a little help refining them. However, let's not hijack Zadoc's thread and turn it into another coaching discussion.

[Horse]

Yes, within reason. They may only have very vague woolly objectives and may need a little help refining them. However, let's not hijack Zadoc's thread and turn it into another coaching discussion.

Indeed; but my earlier point holds - asking for what they want is a foundation, and one that shouldn't be ignored, especially if you want satisfied customers.

[kfae8959]

I use James's guidelines, given in this post from 2006:

http://www.advanced-driving.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=248

David

[Kimosabe]

The first thing that sprang to my mind was the matter of: do they want to be instructed or coached?

For most people that may not matter, but to some it could make all the difference between staying the course, and ducking out very early, as I did.

+1