Estimating your Worker Functions

One of the more important aspects of your vocational assessment is your relationship to Data, People, and Things. These three elements are called Worker Functions.

Every occupation or career requires you to relate to data, people, and or things, even if that relationship is a simple one. Some jobs require more of one element than another. For example, an accountant relates much more to data than to people. The three elements are described in terms of hierarchies or ladders for each of the three elements. Each element is numbered, with the lowest number indicating the highest involvement. The table below demonstrates how the three elements are organized.

WORKER FUNCTIONS
DATA
PEOPLE
THINGS
0 Synthesizing 0 Mentoring 0 Setting Up
1 Coordinating 1 Negotiating 1 Precision Working
2 Analyzing 2 Instructing 2 Operating-Controlling
3 Compiling 3 Supervising 3 Driving-Operating
4 Computing 4 Diverting 4 Manipulating
5 Copying 5 Persuading 5 Tending
6 Comparing 6 Speaking-Signaling 6 Feeding-Off-bearing
7 Serving 7 Handling
8 Taking Instructions

Each of the descriptive terms under each heading has a definition. As you read the various definitions and review the examples, you can also go to Vocational Assets Profile and use the form there to record your choices. Once you have an idea about your vocational assets, you can review the various job description listed at All About Careers

Data-People-Things Definitions

DATA: Information, knowledge, and conceptions related to data, people and things obtained by observation, investigation, interpretation, visualization, and mental creation. Data are intangible and include numbers, words, symbols, ideas, concepts, and oral verbalization.

0 - Synthesizing:
Integrating analyses of data to discover facts and/or develop knowledge concepts or interpretations. Examples: conduct research, write reviews, or designs dance routine.
1 - Coordinating:
Determine time, place, and/or sequence of operations or action to be taken on the basis of analysis of data; executing determinations and/or reporting on events. Examples: coordinating a whole project, formulate corporate policies, or plans advertising campaign.
2 - Analyzing:
Examining and evaluating data. Presenting alternative actions in relation to the evaluation is frequently involved. Examples: evaluating student loan application, plotting weather patterns, or investigating customer complaints.
3 - Compiling:
Gathering, collating, or classifying information about data, people, or things. Reporting and/or carrying out a prescribed action in relation to the information is requently involved. Examples: inspects precision instruments, summarizes details of transactions, or catalogues library materials.
4 - Computing:
Performing arithmetic operations and reporting on and/or carrying out a prescribed action in relation to them. Does not include counting. Examples: calculates interest on loan payments, a cashier in a supermarket, or calculates total cost of items on a list.
5 - Copying:
Transcribing, entering, or posting data. Examples: Records meter readings, types letters, reports, and envelopes, or enters data into a computer.
6 - Comparing:
Judging the readily observable functional, structural, or compositional characteristics of data, people, or things. Examples: sorts items according to size and color, compares invoice numbers, or inspects finished products from an assembly line.

PEOPLE: Human beings; also animals when they are dealt with on an individual basis.

0 - Mentoring:
Dealing with individuals in terms of their total personality in order to advise, counsel, and/or guide them with regard to problems that may be resolved by legal, scientific, clinical, spiritual, and/or professional principles. Examples: counseling clients in legal matters, providing treatment for individuals with mental or emotional disorders, or providing individuals with career planning.
1 - Negotiating:
Exchanging ideas, information, and opinions with others to formulate policies and programs and/or arrive jointly at decisions, conclusions, or solutions. Examples: Negotiating for the purchase of property or land, participates in talks to settle labor disputes, or develops company policies on a variety of programs.
2 - Instructing:
Teaching subject matter to others, or training others through explanation, demonstration, and supervised practice; or making recommendations on the basis of technical disciplines. Examples: a high school teacher, providing orientation to new employees, or demonstrating how to paint ceramics.
3 - Supervising:
Determining or interpreting work procedures for a group of workers;, assigning specific duties to them, maintaining harmonious relations among them, and promoting efficiency. A variety of responsibilities is involved in this function. Examples: Supervises workers loading freight, assigns duties to clerical assistants, or directing landscape workers at a golf course.
4 - Diverting:
Amusing others, usually through the medium of stage, screen, television or radio. Examples: Singing in a chorus, performing a classical dance, or acting in a play.
5 - Persuading:
Influencing others in favor of a product, service, or point of view. Examples: selling insurance, soliciting membership in a health club, or representing a public relations firm to prospective clients.
6 - Speaking-Signaling:
Talking with and/or signaling people to convey or exchange information. Includes giving assignments and/or directions to helpers or assistants. Examples: directing traffic, answers questions of passengers about schedules, etc., or answering telephone to give information to customers.
7 - Serving
Attending to the needs or requests of people or animals or the expressed or implicit wishes of people. Immediate response is involved. Examples: assisting an ambulance driver on a call, feeds and waters animals in a zoo, or being an aid for a person with a disability.
8 - Taking instructions - Helping:
Attending to the work assignment, instructions, or orders of supervisor. Helping applies to "non-learning" helpers. Examples: driving a fork-lift truck, records transactions in a ledger, or folds laundry in a hospital.

THINGS: Inaminate objects as distinguished from human beings, substances or materials; and machines, tools, equipment, work aids, and products. A thing is tangible and has shape, form, and other physical characteristics.

0 - Setting Up:
Preparing machines (or equipment) for ooperation by planning order of successive machine operations, installing and adjusting tools and other machine components, adjusting the position of workpiece or material, setting controls, and verifying accuracy of machine capabilities, properties of materials, and shop practices. Uses tools, equipment, and work aids, such as precision gauges and mesuring instruments. Workers who set up one or a number of machines for other workers or who set up and personally operate a variety of machines are included here. Examples: Selecting and installing saw blades to cut wood, preparing a tool and die machine, or setting up a printing press.
1 - Precision Working:
Using body members and/or tools or work aids to work, move, guide, or place objects or materials in situations where ultimate responsibility for the attainment of standards occurs and selection of appropriate tools, objects, or materials, and the adjustment of the tool to the task requires the exercise of considerable judgement. Examples: repairing and maintaining production machinery, sketching original designs, cutting someone's hair.
2 - Operating-Controlling:
Starting, stopping, controlling, and adjusting the progress of machines or equipment. Operating machines involves setting up and ajusting the machine or material as the work progresses. Controlling involves observing gauges, dials, etc., and turning valves and other devices to regulate factors such as temperature, pressure, flow of liquids, speed of pumps, and reactions of material. Examples: operating a television camera, placing spools on threading machines, or operating a control panel for machines.
3 - Driving-Operating:
Starting, stopping, and controlling the actions of machines or equipment for which a course must be steered or which must be guided to control the movement of things or people for a varieity of purposes. Involves such activities as observing gauges and dials, estimating distances and determining speed and direction of other objects, turning cranks and wheels, and pushing or pulling gear lifts or levers. Includes such machines as cranes, conveyor systems, tractors, furnace-charging machines and excludes manually powered machines such as handruckes and dollies. Examples: airplane or helicopter pilot, drives street sweeper, or operates a crane.
4 - Manipulating:
Using body members, tools, or special devices to work, move, guide, or place objects or materials. Involves some latitude for judgement with regard to precision attained and selecting appropriate tool, object, or material, although this is readily manifest. Examples: trims material using a file or chisel, guides soldering iron, or attaches cables to buildings for telephones.
5 - Tending:
Starting, stopping, and observing the functioning of machines and equipment. Involves adjusting materials or controls of the machine, such as chanaging guides, adjusting timers and temperature gauges, turning valves to allow the flow of materials, and flipping switches in response to lights. Little judgement is involved in making these adjustments. Examples: observes air gauges and adjusts temperature, presses peddles to start, stop or control machine, or positions materials for cutting.
6 - Feeding-Off Bearing:
Inserting, throwing, dumping, or placing materials in or removing them from machines or equipment which are automatic or tended or operated by other workers. Examples: removes cartons or bottles from conveyor, places soiled garments into washing machine, or picks up parts from conveyor belt.
7 - Handling:
Using body members, handtools, and/or special devices to work, move, or carry objects or materials. Involves little or no latitude for judgement with regar