A practical lesson plan for exploring how procedures are understood, interpreted, and applied in working environments. Designed for Crew Resource Management (CRM) and human factors training.
The session examines how Standard Operating Procedures work in practice. Through hands-on exercises, real-world examples, and guided reflection, participants explore why procedures that seem clear on paper can still be misunderstood, misapplied, or bypassed – and what this means for safety.
+ Main topic: Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
+ Related topics: Human performance and limitations; multitasking; information acquisition and processing; workload management
+ Training length: 40 minutes
+ Included: SOP student handout (group exercise), lesson plan with instructor notes, PowerPoint slides
+ Access: Instant download after payment
+ File formats: Pdf and PowerPoint
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Intuitive design
CORE ELEMENTS
The standard operating procedures lesson plan leads participants through practical exercises that reveal how easily people interpret the same procedure differently. Using a known psychology “test”, participants experience how assumptions and confirmation bias influence
how procedures are read and followed. Facilitated discussion helps participants reflect on their own use of procedures, the role of communication and briefings, and how SOPs can better support human performance in real-world conditions.
INCLUDED
A fully structured session with clear trainer guidance. The complete training package includes lesson plan with trainer notes, PowerPoint slides, and psychology “test” handout. The material is designed to be easy to use and adaptable, allowing you to deliver the session with confidence.
LENGTH
Designed to be flexible and can be used as a stand-alone session or as part of a longer CRM or Human Factors programme. It can be adjusted to allow more time for discussion and reflection, with trainer notes indicating where the session can be shortened or expanded depending on time and group dynamics. When delivered as a stand-alone session, the lesson takes approximately 40 minutes.
The Standard Operating Procedures Lesson Plan is designed as a practical facilitation tool. The lesson explores how human interpretation, assumptions, and bias influence procedural compliance.
The session is particularly well suited for CRM and Human Factors training, but also works effectively for flight instructors, healthcare educators, and trainers working in safety-critical or regulated environments. While aviation-inspired, the learning is not aviation-dependent and transfers easily across domains.
Developed by trainers for trainers, the lesson provides a structured way to explore procedural error.
We have gathered the most frequently asked questions from our customers to help you in the best way possible
The lesson plan is designed for trainers working with procedures, compliance, and human factors in complex or safety-critical environments, including CRM and Human Factors trainers, flight instructors, healthcare educators, and safety trainers.
Participants gain insight into how assumptions and confirmation bias influence procedural use, and increased awareness of how misunderstandings arise.
No. The learning points are universal. The lesson can be delivered effectively by trainers from non-aviation backgrounds.
No specialist equipment is required beyond standard classroom facilities, including a projector or TV and a flip chart or whiteboard.
The lesson is also relevant for healthcare settings, where procedures, checklists, and protocols play a critical role and are subject to similar interpretation challenges.
