Table 1.

Task analysis and examples of steps for designing an assessment

#	Step	Example(s)
1	Pick a topic to evaluate.	Select based on the client’s treatment goals.
2	Identify interventions to include in the assessment.	Select an empirically validated intervention, an intervention recommended by the treatment team, and/or commonly used interventions.
3	Identify target behavior.	Align target behavior with a topic such as measuring independent correct responses and the number of trials or duration of instruction for multiple error-correction procedures.
4	Select an experimental design.	Use an adapted alternating-treatments design.
5	Select a skill and targets.	Include socially valid targets and targets based on the client’s current and future treatment goals.
6	Equate noncritical procedures across conditions.	Use similar reinforcement schedules, arrange a similar number of instructional trials, and use same the mastery criterion across conditions.
7	Design templates for data collection.	Use standard or enhanced data-collection sheets; refer to Fig. 2 for an example.
8	Conduct the assessment.	Conduct a comparison at least once, semirandomly rotate conditions, and consider the use of a discontinuation criterion.
9	Use assessment results to guide practice.	Apply results to some or all current and future treatment goals.