Use the outline to define your learning needs
The Practical Domestic Inquiry course outline follows five stages: work before an inquiry, preparation, conducting the hearing, findings and disciplinary decisions, and the Industrial Court perspective and risk management. Read the topics and mark the stages that are unfamiliar to you.
This is a guide to preparing for training, not a procedure for handling an active employee case. Use the workshop to build understanding and practical skills. Questions about an actual matter may require advice based on its facts, the organisation’s procedures and applicable requirements.
Identify the role you need to understand
A newly appointed panel member may want to focus on hearing responsibilities and recording findings. HR personnel may need a clearer understanding of coordination and documentation. A people manager may want to understand how a concern moves through the disciplinary process. Write down your intended role rather than expecting every participant to need the same answer.
Distinguish what you already do from what you have only observed. That helps you ask for explanations at the right level and makes it easier to identify a suitable practice goal. Share general learning priorities with the organiser when enquiring about the programme.
Prepare questions across the five modules
- Before the inquiry: What should I learn about preliminary investigation, documentation and the purpose of an inquiry?
- Preparation: Which responsibilities around charges, supporting documents and witnesses do I need to understand?
- The hearing: What should I practise about panel roles, questioning and maintaining a clear record?
- Findings: How will the workshop help me connect an observation to evidence and distinguish a fact from an assumption?
- Risk management: Which examples will help me recognise weaknesses in fairness, consistency and documentation?
These are learning prompts drawn from the published outline. They do not prescribe what must happen in a particular case or replace an organisation’s case-specific advice.
Prepare for the simulation and discussion
The programme includes case discussions, practical exercises and a DI simulation or role-play. Be ready to take a role, listen to another participant and explain what information supports an observation. When you receive feedback, note the specific action you could improve rather than only whether you felt confident.
Use fictional or suitably anonymised examples that you are authorised to discuss. Do not bring identifiable employee records for open group discussion. A general question about a learning topic is often enough to start a useful conversation with the facilitator.
Sample learning note: “I need more practice separating what a document states from the interpretation I have added. During the simulation, I will record the source for each observation and flag what remains uncertain.”
Plan what happens after the course
Choose a learning action with your manager, such as reviewing the organisation’s approved documentation with the responsible HR lead or arranging another fictional practice exercise. A workshop can support understanding; responsibility for an actual process depends on the situation and the organisation’s arrangements.
Download the DI training learning plan (.txt). The listening and clarification exercises can support communication practice, while the evaluation guide can help you plan a suitable learning review.
See the current public programme details for the date, fee and venue, and read Mas Ayu Ruslan’s trainer profile. Use the programme enquiry form for registration arrangements and any remaining logistical questions.