Empowering Youth through Task Analysis Techniques

When I’m working with a young person, I don’t just see a “task” like cooking or catching a bus. I see a giant, solid wall that often feels impossible to them. My goal is to teach young people how I turn that wall into a staircase.

Here is exactly how I use Task Analysis Theory. I move someone from being dependent on me to being the “Admin” of their own plan.

1. How I Break It Down (Deconstruction)

First, I never assume a task is simple. For our youth, “making a sandwich” isn’t one step; it’s a sensory and executive functioning marathon.

I do it myself first: I literally make the sandwich and write down every tiny movement.
I get granular: If I’m working with someone who gets overwhelmed easily, I don’t just say “get the butter.” I break it into: 1. Reach for the fridge, 2. Find the butter, 3. Put it on the bench.
I look for the ‘Cue’: I teach them that finishing one step is the cue to start the next. Completing each step signals them to continue.

2. How I Choose My Teaching Strategy (Chaining)

Once I have my list of steps, I decide which “Chain” will work best for that specific person today.

I use Forward Chaining when they need a routine.

I have them do Step 1. Then I do everything else. Next time, they do Steps 1 and 2. This is perfect for someone who struggles to get started or forgets the order of operations.

I use Backward Chaining for the “Instant Win.”

This is my favorite for youth with low confidence. I do every single step except the very last one. I let them do the final action. They might hit the “Start” button on the laundry. Or they might put the plate on the table. They get the immediate feeling of success, and that builds the hunger to do more next time.

I use Total Task for the “Co-Pilot” phase.

If they know the steps but just get distracted, I let them try the whole thing. I only step in as a “co-pilot” when they hit a friction point.

3. How I Step Back (Fading My Help)

The hardest part of my job is knowing when to stay quiet. I use a “Prompt Hierarchy” to make sure I’m not making them dependent on me.

I follow this order to fade my support:

I Model: “Watch me do it first.”
I Gesture: I just point at the butter or the next button.
I Prompt: I ask, “What’s next on your checklist?”
I Fade: I stand back, say nothing, and let them own the finish.

4. How I Measure Success (The Upgrade Ratio)

I’m always tracking where we are on the Upgrade Ratio. It’s how I prove they are growing:

Level 1: I’m leading. They are watching.
Level 2: We are co-piloting. It’s 50/50.
Level 3: I’m shadowing. They are in the lead, I’m just there for safety.
Level 4: They are self-led. I’m just giving a high-five at the end.

My Golden Rule

I never do for a participant what they can do for themselves. It might take us ten minutes longer to get out the door, but that’s ten minutes of them building Sovereignty.

Remember: We aren’t here to finish the task; we are here to upgrade the person.

Be you. We’ve got your back.