DACUM = Developing A CurriculUM

A DACUM is a method of occupational (or task) analysis. Led by a trained facilitator, expert practitioners in an occupation come together in a two-day workshop to provide input on the specific tasks, knowledge, and skills required to perform their job. During the workshop, the expert workers develop a DACUM chart as a graphical representation of their input. The DACUM  chart can then be used by educators, curriculum developers, or human resource professionals to:

• Identify instructional needs.
• Plan an instructional program.
• Design and develop curriculum.
• Design and develop instructional materials.
• Create and revise job descriptions and performance standards
• Recruit employees.
• Ensure ISO and internal QA standard performance.
• Provide career guidance.

ATEEC has a number of DACUM-trained facilitators who may be contracted to lead DACUM workshops or other types of occupational analysis efforts (in either a traditional or online format). 

DACUM Chart Example

DACUM Facilitation Workshops

Contact Glo Hanne (ghanne@eicc.edu) for information about scheduling.

DACUM Charts    DACUM Overview    During a DACUM    Using a DACUM 

DACUM Charts

Currently, ATEEC is in the process of updating our bank of DACUM charts. We are collecting technician-level charts from across the nation in the fields of environmental and energy technology. This information will be consolidated and disseminated in our latest resource-sharing clearinghouse effort.

The following charts are examples of DACUM facilitation that ATEEC has been contracted to  conduct in the past. They are available free of charge as either a printed chart or electronic text outline by contacting mdocherty@eicc.edu.

• Agriculture Technician, Precision
• Energy Technician, Residential
• Hazardous Materials Technical Coordinator
• Natural Resource Technician
• Pollution Prevention Specialist
• Safety and Health Coordinator
• Solid Waste Technician
• Spill Response/Environmental Cleanup Technician
• Waste Management Specialist
• Wastewater Plant Operator
• Water Treatment Technician

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Overview of the DACUM Process

A basic description of DACUM principles:

• A curriculum that prepares students for a technical occupation should present real-world, problem-based preparation.
• An occupation can most effectively be described in terms of successfully performed job tasks or competencies.
• The expert worker is the best source for recognizing and describing job tasks.

A basic description of DACUM activities:

• The DACUM process has three main elements: needs assessment, a data-gathering workshop, and curriculum development.
• A needs assessment is simply a focused effort to determine whether instruction is needed and, if so, in what area; this effort often begins with a curriculum review or labor market survey.
• A DACUM workshop brings together a focus group of expert workers in a specific field or occupation for a brainstorming session (which can also be regarded as a structured group interview). A trained DACUM facilitator guides the workshop participants to produce a chart that lists the tasks performed by an entry-level worker in the occupation.
• A curriculum designer can then use the DACUM chart to develop an industry-validated program of instruction for training an entry-level worker for the job.

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What Happens During a DACUM Workshop?

The expert workers on the DACUM panel work with the DACUM facilitator using guided brainstorming techniques to discuss and reach a consensus on a job title, job description, and identification of the areas of competency and tasks. Each suggestion is written on a card and attached to the wall for easy viewing by all panel members. This method ensures that the ideas can be easily created, rearranged, and discarded (or retrieved) during the panel discussion. The tasks are written using action verbs to ensure that they are performance-based and as clear as possible. When consensus on the content is reached, the panel refines the wording and prioritizes the tasks. The completed DACUM chart contains general areas of competency (in a single column to the left), followed by rows of the specific tasks within each general area.

Depending on the intended use and specific requirements of each DACUM, the panel may also identify general knowledge and skills required of successful workers; the necessary facilities, tools, equipment, supplies, and materials; worker behaviors that are essential for success; and emerging technologies and issues that are likely to affect the occupational field.

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How is a DACUM Used?

DACUMs are mainly used for identification of instructional needs, instructional program planning, curriculum development, training materials development, creating and revising job descriptions and standards, employee recruitment, ISO 9000/14000 performance, and career guidance. In the past, DACUMs were mostly used by community colleges for vocational-technical instruction. Since the 1980s, business and industry have also used DACUMs extensively for corporate and industrial training programs. In the past few years, the DACUM concept has increasingly been used by secondary and post-secondary educators in arts and sciences programs, as well as vo-tech programs and business/industry.