History of the VPS TOCAS Documentation and Training System

The following is the history – in his own words – of how VPS Founder, Warren Averill, developed the concepts and methodologies that led to the creation of TOCAS.

“About 29 years ago, I started studying methods which could accelerate the learning process and improve comprehension. This was founded on Gestalt Theory of Learning and a study of comprehension theories associated with speed reading. My general direction was to test theories about how visual representations and graphics are effective mechanisms to help improve the ability of people to assimilate, comprehend, recall, and develop analytical solution strategies based on large amounts of technical information.

“As an officer in the US Marine Corps, I first tested and proved the theories on myself while I was at the Naval Post Graduate School (NPGS) earning a masters degree in electrical engineering. In one year I was able to reduce my studying time from 3 hours per hour of class to just 30 minutes per hour of class while at the same time driving my GPA to 4.0.

“I then applied the visualization concepts in a practical situation, teaching three sections of an electrical engineering course at the US Naval Academy. All Midshipmen had to go through this course, but for the first two years, I was only teaching the course to engineering students. There were a total of 350 students and nine instructors; each instructor taught between one and three sections of students. I applied my techniques and was able to raise the average test score from 60 to 70% for the 350 students, reduce the amount of time students needed to study by over 50%, and reduce the failure rate by over 95%. During my second year as an instructor at the Naval Academy, I was selected as the outstanding engineering professor by Tau Beta Pi.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW: Navy Times Article“Marine Teaches Midshipmen Well”

CLICK HERE TO VIEW: Letter of appreciation from the USNA Academic Dean

“While at Naval Post Graduate School and at the Naval Academy, I established myself as the Marine Corps’ expert on antenna modifications for combat applications. In that capacity I wrote multiple articles for the Marine Corps Gazette, published multiple handbooks and set up multiple research projects for Marine Corps and US Army. In these endeavors, I further refined my ability to first create the right graphic and then the textual description or procedure for each topic. Working with the senior editor of the Marine Corps Gazette, I learned to edit material for completeness and coherency from the reader’s perspective.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW: Citation for NAVY COMMENDATION MEDAL from the Commandant of the Marine Corps

“I left the Marine Corps in 1988 and started looking for a commercial application of my methods and techniques. In 1990 I began working for RWD Technologies, Inc, a company providing performance improvement solutions to clients in many industries. Early in my RWD career, I was given the task of developing documentation and training solutions for Petroleum Refineries. By 1998, I had designed the operating manual systems for over a dozen process industry plants and had completed many successful projects that included effective documentation and training strategies for not only Petroleum and Chemical Facilities, but also for Automotive Plants, Steel Mills, and a Food Production plant.

“I left RWD in 2002 and founded VPS with the goal to apply all that I had learned to build a comprehensive learning model for Operators in the process industries.

“Fundamental to the design was the recognition that there are common issues and challenges that apply throughout each of the process industries and that standardized documentation and training approaches can be developed to address each of these challenges. We can look at the 5-milestone learning curve in TOCAS and know that most operators, regardless of the industry that they work in, must climb a similar learning curve to reach full competence.

“While working at RWD and in new projects at VPS, I developed and refined the TOCAS system component-by-component with the goal to exceed customer expectations. Our strategy has been to learn from every project and to incrementally build-out a full array of documentation and training approaches.

“An approach typically includes a centerpiece diagram design and the specific description guidelines needed to ensure the Operator can use the diagram for its intended purpose. Each individual component targets a very specific knowledge and skill requirement. The VPS strategy to work with workforce and client management to implement the following sequence:

• Validate the need for the component and ensure that it contributes towards improved performance associated with specific Operator tasks.
• Design and develop a graphic strategy that can serve as a visual centerpiece for consolidating operating team knowledge and capturing the full picture of information associated with the component.
• Design and develop supporting documentation to include descriptions and procedures that are built around the graphic.
• Create an efficient production process to create the component and ensure consistent quality.
• Validate and continuously improve the component based on feedback from end users of the material.
• Production processes and automated tools to ensure consistent quality.

“With the TOCAS system now in a mature state, my intent is to grow VPS capacity and apply the model in a broad range of applications to include Refineries, Chemical Plant, Oil Field Production Plants, Equipment Maintenance, and other Process Industries.”