SEIPS in action: training resource guide

Summary

This training guide was developed to help people facilitate an interactive workshop, bringing SEIPS (Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety) to life.

It is simple to set up, highly engaging, and encourages teams to think beyond individuals and see the wider system in action.

If you'd like to use the video to run a workshop in your organisation, please see our helpful guide and templates below.

Content

Training guide

Aim: To experience how a structured approach such as SEIPS (Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety) can help us understand and improve the realities of care.

1. Introduce the SEIPS framework

Before watching, participants should be given a brief introduction to the SEIPS framework and an outline of its five key elements:

• Person
• Task
• Tools and Technology
• Organisation
• Environment

Many people will not be familiar with SEIPS. This video can be a helpful resource to share at this point -SEIPS Just a cup of tea. 

2. Introduce the workshop exercise 

Each participant is given a blank SEIPS template (attached). Blank SEIPS template.docx

Explain that shortly they will be asked to watch a video, and, as it unfolds, they should note down observations about each element of the system.

For example:

• How were individuals adapting under pressure?
• What tasks created bottlenecks or risks?
• Did tools, technology or equipment support or hinder practice?
• What organisational factors or expectations were visible?
• How did the environment — layout, noise, interruptions — shape the situation?

3. Watch the video

Next you can watch the video as a group.

4. Feedback discussion 

The video depicts a scenario where the flow of work did not entirely match how it might be described in guidelines or procedures. This illustrates the important distinction between Work as Imagined and Work as Done.

Ask everyone to contribute their thoughts and notes to a discussion. What did they notice? How might the scenario have ended? 

An example of a completed template is attached. Populated SEIPS template.docx

This can be used to help guide facilitation, or shared with participants after they have fed back their thoughts. 

Impact

Crucially, the video does not show an outcome. This is intentional. It means the group has to consider that the scenario could end in different ways.

The actual outcome does not matter. What matters is that the vulnerabilities in the system — pressures, constraints, workarounds, and risks — were always present. 

This underlines why observing Work as Done is always beneficial: it allows us to see the realities of practice, understand where systems are fragile, and identify opportunities to strengthen them before harm occurs.

Your feedback

We'd love to hear how you have used this resource and if you found it useful. Share your feedback with our team at [email protected].