Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) attempts to describe how people perform tasks: the cues and patterns they use, their inferences and strategies, mental models, and other related topics. It differs from behavioral task analyses that seek to enumerate the steps that must be followed without examining the expertise needed to perform critical steps. Therefore, CTA provides a more in-depth picture, which complements the broader and more comprehensive behavioral task analysis. A CTA usually consists of five steps: Preparation, Knowledge Elicitation, Data Analysis, Knowledge Representation, and Application. The applications of CTA can take a number of forms, such as training, system design, personnel selection, and market research.
