SMS Time Management

 SMS Time Management

By OffRoadPilots

Safety management system (SMS) time management is the

systematic and proactive approach taken to ensure

compliance within various processes, procedures, and

acceptable work practices. SMS time management involves

the identification, assessment, and mitigation of

identified risks and hazards to remove opportunities

for accidents, injuries, or damage to structures or

aircraft. The primary goal is to establish and maintain

a behavioral friendly working environment.

A behavioral friendly environment refers to

environments, products, or practices that are designed

with an understanding and consideration of human

behavior. This can apply to various fields, such as

design, technology, education, or psychology. The goal

is to create spaces, products, or systems that align

with human tendencies, preferences, and cognitive

processes, making them more user-friendly and

effective.

In design and technology, for example, a behavioral-

friendly approach might involve creating interfaces

that are intuitive and easy to navigate based on how

users naturally interact. In education, it could refer

to teaching methods that take into account the ways

people learn best, considering cognitive and behavioral

aspects to enhance the learning experience. In a safety

management system, it is defined in the aviation

industry acceptable SHELL model.

Ultimately, being behavioral-friendly means

acknowledging and incorporating insights from

behavioral science and psychology to create solutionsthat are more in tune with human nature, making them

more accessible, user-friendly, and effective.

Key aspects of successful SMS safety time management

include a variety of tasks.

SMS TIME MANAGEMENT

Risk Assessment:

Identifying and

evaluating potential

hazards associated

with a particular

task, project, or

process. This

involves analyzing

the likelihood and

severity of risks.

Preventive Measures:

Implementing measures to prevent or minimize identified

risks. This involves the use of established processes,

procedures and acceptable work practices, suitable

equipment, training programs, and airside operation

plans.

Documented and establish processes may not always

produce an acceptable outcome but makes the foundation

for improvement and changes to more positive outcome.

An undocumented process may work quite well, but there

is no links or ties to the SMS policy for performance

assessment. In that case, document and implement an

undocumented process that works well.

Training and Education: Ensuring that individuals

involved in their workplace and assigned workresponsibilities are adequately trained and educated on

processes, procedures and acceptable work practices.

Continuous Monitoring: Regularly monitoring and

reviewing processes, procedures, and acceptable work

practices to identify areas for improvement or changes

in the work environment.

When implementing changes to processes it is vital for

success that an accountable executive (AE) does not

overcontrol the current process. Overcontrolling

processes can lead to a less desired outcome compared

to allowing for some imperfections due to several

reasons.

OVERCONTROLLING

Overcontrolling often involves strict adherence to

predefined rules and procedures. This can lead to a

lack of flexibility and resilience when unexpected

situations, or special cause variation arise. An

imperfect process, on the other hand, may allow for

adaptations and creative problem-solving.

Overcontrolling processes can stifle innovation and

creativity because it leaves little room for

experimentation and learning from mistakes. An

imperfect process may encourage a culture of trial and

error, fostering continuous improvement and innovation.

The global aviation industry is currently operating in

a trial and error system, with a purpose of an SMS to

learn from mistakes.

Overly controlling processes may require excessive

resources, both in terms of time and money, to maintain

strict adherence to guidelines. Imperfect processes maybe more resource-efficient, allowing for a focus on

critical areas and the allocation of resources where

they are most needed.

In a rapidly changing environment, overcontrolled

processes may struggle to adapt to new circumstances.

An imperfect process, while not ideal, may possess a

degree of adaptability that enables it to evolve and

respond to changing conditions.

Overcontrol can lead

to frustration and

disengagement among

airport personnel

and airline

personnel, who may

feel micromanaged

and restricted in

their decision-

making abilities. An

imperfect process

may empower

employees to take ownership of their work and contribute to the improvement of processes. A true example of over controlling a pilot is when a pilot a few years ago was required to arrive at a destination

within the next 20 minutes, when normal flying time is

an hour and a half.

Overcontrolling processes can lead to unnecessary

complexity and bureaucratic hurdles. An imperfect

process may be simpler and easier to navigate, reducing

the burden on individuals involved in the process.Overcontrolled processes may prioritize adherence to

rules over the customer experience. An imperfect

process that allows for flexibility can better

accommodate the unique needs of customers, leading to

higher satisfaction.

Imperfect processes may be more conducive to a culture

of continuous improvement. When mistakes occur, they

can be analyzed, learned from, and used as a basis for

refining and enhancing the overall process.

While it's important to have control and structure in

processes, an excessive focus on control have negative

consequences. Balancing control with flexibility,

adaptability, and a culture of continuous improvement

can lead to more resilient and effective processes in

the long run.

SMS TIME MANAGEMENT

Emergency Preparedness: Developing and implementing

plans for responding to emergencies or accidents,

including evacuation procedures and first aid

protocols.

Compliance: Adhering to relevant regulations, standards

and SMS policy established are time management tools.

Safety Culture: Fostering a culture of safety and just-

culture within an SMS enterprise where all members are

actively engaged in promoting and prioritizing safety.

In the context of time management, safety

considerations are integrated into the planning and

scheduling of tasks to ensure that adequate time is

allocated for safety measures. This may involveallowing extra time for safety inspections, training

sessions, and the implementation of safety protocols,

contributing to a more comprehensive and effective

safety program.

TIME MANAGEMENT AND PROCRASTINATION

Time management is the process of planning, organizing,

and controlling how you allocate your time to specific

tasks and activities. It involves setting priorities,

creating schedules, and efficiently using the available

time to achieve goals and objectives. Effective time

management helps individuals make the most of their

time, reduce stress, and enhance productivity.

Procrastination is the habit of unnecessarily delaying

an important task, usually by focusing on less urgent,

more enjoyable, and easier activities instead. It is

different from laziness, which is the unwillingness to

act. Procrastination can restrict and undermine an

effective safety management system (SMS).

TIME MANAGEMENT

Setting Goals: Clearly define short-term and long-term

goals to guide activities. The 14-points Goals Setting

Plan is an excellent tool.

Prioritization: Identify tasks based on their urgency

and importance. Focus on high-priority items to ensure

essential activities are completed.

PARETO PRINCIPLE

The Pareto Principle, also known as the 80/20 rule,

states that roughly 80% of the effects come from 20% of

the causes. Prioritization is to focus on the vital few

as opposed to the trivial many.Time Management:

80% of results come from 20% of tasks.

80% of interruptions come from 20% of people or

sources.

Project Management:

80% of project success is due to 20% of the tasks.

80% of project delays are caused by 20% of the issues.

Customer Relations:

80% of customer complaints come from 20% of the issues.

80% of customer satisfaction may result from 20% of the

efforts.

Finance:

80% of financial gains come from 20% of investments.

80% of financial losses may result from 20% of

decisions.

Education:

80% of learning may come from 20% of the study

material.

80% of academic success may result from 20% of the

effort.

Sales:

80% of sales revenue may come from 20% of the sales

team.

80% of deals may be closed by 20% of the salespeople.

Quality Control:

80% of defects may come from 20% of processes.

80% of incidents may result from 20% of organizational

factors.Communication:

80% of effective communication may come from 20% of

key messages.

80% of misunderstandings may result from 20% of

unclear communication.

TIME MANAGEMENT

Planning: Create a

schedule or to-do

list to allocate

specific time blocks

for different tasks.

This helps in

organizing your day

and staying on

track.

Time Allocation:

Allocate appropriate

amounts of time to

each task based on its importance and complexity. Lost

time cannot be regained.

Procrastination: Avoid delaying tasks. Procrastination

lead to stress, reduced productivity and occurrences.

Delegation: Delegate tasks to others.

Eliminating Time Wasters: Identify and minimize

activities that do not contribute to goals and

objectives or are not beneficial to operations.

Flexibility: Be adaptable to changes and unexpected

events. Build in buffer times in your schedule to

handle unforeseen circumstances.Avoiding Multitasking: While it may seem like a time-

saver, multitasking lead to decreased efficiency.

Focusing on one task at a time improves overall

productivity.

MULTITASKING

Human nature is to focus on and execute one task at a

time. The time it takes to complete a task may only be

a few seconds, but each 7-seconds task has its own

focus and completion process.

Airside maintainers may attempt multitasking by driving

their vehicle along the runway centerline when

performing their daily inspection of runway edge

lights. While this process may cut the time in half,

none of the lights are checked since details of the

inspection are ignored and eliminated.

A pilot may run a pre-takeoff checklist while taxiing

to the runway. While this may shave of time to the

runway hold line, none of the processes are completed.

The pilot must be focused on inside tasks while

performing the checklist, and the outside tasks are

ignored. Some years ago, a pilot crashed into another

aircraft by multitasking taxiing and checklist

processes.

Multitasking is for autonomous and artificial

intelligence (AI) systems. Multitasking refers to the

ability of a system to handle and execute multiple

tasks or processes simultaneously. In computing, it

often refers to the concurrent execution of multiple

tasks by a computer's operating system. This allowsusers to run multiple applications or processes at the

same time, switching between them seamlessly.

Preemptive Multitasking: In preemptive multitasking,

the operating system has the ability to interrupt and

suspend a currently running task to start or resume

another. The system allocates time slices to each task,

and it switches between them rapidly, giving the

appearance of simultaneous execution. This is commonly

used in modern operating systems like Windows, Linux,

and macOS.

Cooperative Multitasking: In cooperative multitasking,

tasks voluntarily yield control to the operating

system, allowing other tasks to run. Each task must

explicitly release control, and if a task fails to do

so, it can impact the overall system performance.

Cooperative multitasking is less common today but was

more prevalent in early operating systems.

Studies suggest that human multitasking can be less

efficient than focusing on one task at a time, as

constant switching between tasks is not multitasking

but individual tasking and may lead to reduced

productivity and increased errors.

The global aviation industry, trucking industry and

personal vehicle operations have all accepted the fact

that human are incapable of multitasking. Taking on a

handheld mobile telephone is not allowed when taxiing

or driving. The aviation industry went a step further

in multitask behavior with the sterile cockpit concept

where unnecessary communication while flying at an

altitude below 10,000 feet is a regulatory violation.Self-Care: Include breaks and downtime in your schedule

to recharge and maintain overall well-being.

Effective time management is a skill that can be

developed over time through self-awareness, practice,

and a commitment to improving productivity and

efficiency. It is a valuable skill in both personal and

professional settings.

PROCRASTINATION

Procrastination is

the act of delaying

or postponing tasks,

often despite

knowing that it may

lead to negative

consequences. It

involves a voluntary

delay in taking

action or completing

a task, even when

one is aware of the

potential negative

outcomes associated with the delay. Procrastination is a common human behavior and can manifest in various

aspects of life, including work, academics, personal

goals, and daily responsibilities.

Several factors contribute to procrastination,

including a lack of motivation, fear of failure,

perfectionism, poor time management skills, and

difficulty in prioritizing tasks. People who

procrastinate may experience stress, anxiety, guilt,

and a sense of unfulfillment as a result of not meeting

deadlines or achieving their goals in a timely manner.While occasional procrastination is a normal part of

the human experience, chronic procrastination can have

detrimental effects on one's well-being and success.

Overcoming procrastination often involves developing

effective time management strategies, setting realistic

goals, breaking tasks into smaller, more manageable

parts, and addressing underlying psychological factors

that may contribute to the behavior.

SELF DISCIPLINE

Self discipline refers to the ability to control

oneself, make decisions, and take actions in accordance

with one's goals and values. It involves the practice

of restraining impulses, overcoming procrastination,

and staying focused on tasks even in the face of

distractions or difficulties. Self discipline is an

essential quality for achieving long-term success, as

it helps individuals develop good habits, persevere

through challenges, and make consistent progress

towards their objectives.

Delayed Gratification: The ability to resist the

temptation of immediate rewards in favor of achieving

more significant, long-term goals.

Consistency: Developing and maintaining positive habits

and behaviors on a regular basis, regardless of

external circumstances.

Time Management: Efficiently organizing and

prioritizing tasks to maximize productivity and

accomplish goals.Resilience: Bouncing back from setbacks and failures, learning from them, and using them as opportunities for

growth.

Focus: Concentrating

on the task at hand

without getting

easily distracted,

allowing for more

effective and

efficient work.

Accountability:

Taking

responsibility for

actions and

decisions and being

proactive in

addressing any challenges or obstacles that may arise.

Accountability is forward-looking accountability to

assess and mitigate upcoming hazards.

Cultivating Self discipline requires conscious effort,

practice, and the development of a strong sense of

purpose. It is a valuable skill that can contribute to

personal and professional success in various aspects of

life.

Conventional wisdom is that time must be managed.

However, time is not something that anyone has control

over. If it cannot be controlled, it cannot be managed.

Time does not stop but keeps on going without anyone

noticing. Time management is actually time

adaptability, or time resilience to bounce back to be

on task.We don’t manage Time. We adapt to time by leading

personnel, manage equipment and validate operational

design for improved performance within an established

start and end time.

In the global aviation industry, SMS is a time

management system. Operating with an SMS is to operate

with a time management system. Included in a successful

SMS and time management system are key performance

indicators (KPI)for statistical process control (SPC)

analyses. SPC and control chart analyses are crucial

for a successful time management system.

OffRoadPilots