Anticipating Operational Workforce Readiness for Capital-Asset Integration: A Tri++ and Kepner-Tregoe Approach
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The success of integrating new capital assets and automated technologies depends not only on the technology itself but also on the readiness of the operational workforce. However, workforce readiness is often assessed only after technology adoption and through narrowly individual or technical perspectives. This study developed an anticipatory pre-commissioning framework that extended the Technology Readiness Index (TRI 2.0) into TRI++ by incorporating organizational dimensions, including role clarity and organizational capability, and integrating them with Kepner–Tregoe Potential Problem Analysis (KT-PPA) to transform identified readiness gaps into actionable mitigation measures. Specifically, the framework was developed using a mixed-methods design and demonstrated through the integration of a new shiploader at a large Indonesian mining port prior to commissioning. Data from 157 operational personnel were analyzed using a one-sample test and Pareto analysis, and the findings were triangulated with 25 semi-structured interviews analyzed through thematic analysis. The results indicated that the workforce demonstrated willingness but lacked sufficient organizational capability, with attitudinal readiness emerging as the strongest dimension and organizational constraints identified as the primary barriers. KT-PPA translated these findings into seven potential problems and five proposed solutions. This study offers a transferable approach for anticipatory workforce readiness evaluation by integrating psychometric measurement with structured, forward-looking risk analysis.
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