An overview of the Air Force's Research and Development Program for the Improvement of Maintenance Efficiency is provided. First described are the steps found in any detailed task analysis, a process which results in the complete specification of each task involved in an overall maintenance effort. The factors influencing maintenance effectiveness are listed and the structure of maintenance jobs outlined. Job Performance Aids (JPA), which are step-by-step guidance procedures designed to reduce maintenance personnel training needs and to improve maintenance performance, are discussed, along with the more general concept of Job Oriented Training and the specific problem of the Job Task Performance Tests required for reliable, valid measurement. The results of two experiments are also summarized; these indicate that inexperienced personnel using JPA perform maintenance tasks better than experienced personnel using traditional technical manuals. This supports the conclusion that the use of JPA improves both maintenance personnel training and the performance of maintenance tasks. (LB)