Task Analysis, Cognitive Task Analysis, Cognitive Work Analysis: What's the Difference?

1995 ◽  
Vol 39 (9) ◽  
pp. 534-537 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kim J. Vicente
Keyword(s):  
Human Factors ◽  
Task Analysis ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Cognitive Task Analysis ◽  
Task Demands ◽  
Cognitive Work Analysis ◽  
Work Analysis ◽  
Cognitive Work ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The 19Th Century

The term cognitive task analysis (CTA) has been appearing in the human factors literature with increasing frequency. Others have used the term cognitive work analysis (CWA). Is there a difference? Do either of these methods differ from traditional task analysis (TA)? If so, what advantages can CTA/CWA provide human factors engineers? To address these issues, the history of work analysis methods and the evolution of work are reviewed. Work method analyses of the 19th century were suited to manual labor. As job demands progressed beyond the physical, traditional TA was introduced to provide a broader perspective. CTA has since been introduced to increase the emphasis on cognitive task demands. However, CTA, like TA, is incapable of dealing with unanticipated task demands. CWA has been introduced to deal with complex systems whose demands include unanticipated events. The initial evidence available indicates that CWA can be applied to industry-scale problems, leading to innovative designs.

Elicitation by Critiquing: Applications to Computer Network Defense

2018 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 1247-1251
Author(s):  
Alexander Scott ◽  
Ian Cooke ◽  
Katarzyna Sliwinska ◽  
Novia Wong ◽  
David Schuster
Keyword(s):  
Human Factors ◽  
Task Analysis ◽  
Computer Network ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Cognitive Task Analysis ◽  
Network Defense ◽  
Important Concern ◽  
Cognitive Work ◽  
Computer Network Defense ◽  
And Training

With an increasing frequency of data breaches suffered by organizations, computer network defense (CND) is becoming an increasingly important concern. With understanding of how cybersecurity professionals engage in the cognitive aspects of their work, human factors researchers and practitioners can improve tools and training. By optimizing the tools and training network defenders rely on to detect and respond to novel network threats, the cybersecurity workforce will be strengthened. While cognitive task analysis (CTA) is well-positioned to represent the cognitive work of CND, we identify challenges practitioners are likely to encounter in the field. Through a review of published CTAs in CND and other domains, we provide guidance for future CTA efforts in CND. Finally, we present an argument for the use of Elicitation by Critiquing (EBC) and demonstrate its efficacy in mitigating the challenges of applying CTA in CND.

scholarly journals Designing for self-organisation in sociotechnical systems: resilience engineering, cognitive work analysis, and the diagram of work organisation possibilities

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neelam Naikar ◽  
Ben Elix
Keyword(s):  
Task Demands ◽  
Sociotechnical Systems ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Work Organisation ◽  
Resilience Engineering ◽  
Cognitive Work Analysis ◽  
Work Analysis ◽  
Essential Components ◽  
Cognitive Work ◽  
Self Organisation

Abstract In designing sociotechnical systems, accounting for the phenomenon of self-organisation is critical. Empirical studies show that workers in these systems adapt not just their individual behaviours, but also their collective structures to deal with complex work environments. The concept of self-organisation can explain how such adaptations can be achieved spontaneously, continuously, and relatively seamlessly, and why this phenomenon is important for dealing with instability, uncertainty, and unpredictability in the task demands. However, existing design approaches such as resilience engineering and cognitive work analysis are limited in their capacity to design for self-organisation. This paper demonstrates that the diagram of work organisation possibilities, a recent addition to cognitive work analysis, provides a sound theoretical basis for designing for self-organisation. That is, it shows how essential components of the diagram are aligned with the concept of self-organisation and are well-grounded in empirical observations of adaptation in a variety of sociotechnical systems, specifically emergency management, military, and healthcare systems. Consequently, designs based on this diagram should have the potential to facilitate the emergence of new spatial, temporal, and functional organisational structures from the flexible actions of individual, interacting actors, thereby enhancing a system’s capacity for dealing with a dynamic, ambiguous work environment. Future research should focus on validating these ideas and demonstrating their value in industrial settings.

Cognitive Task Analysis: What is it? Why Do It?

1995 ◽  
Vol 39 (9) ◽  
pp. 519-519
Author(s):  
Kim J. Vicente
Keyword(s):  
Human Factors ◽  
Task Analysis ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Cognitive Task Analysis

Cognitive task analysis (CTA) is increasingly being used to effectively address a wide variety of human factors problems. However, different researchers are using significantly different methods. In many cases, a particular method is used solely by its originators. Therefore, there are significant issues that must be worked through before CTA becomes a widely accepted and easily transferable human factors tool. The objectives of this symposium are to: bring CTA to the attention of a wider audience; develop a better understanding of the differences and similarities between different CTA methods; and demonstrate the practical advantages of CTA.

Scenarios as a Tool for Design Envisioning: Using the Case of New Sensor Technologies for Military Urban Operations

2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (24) ◽  
pp. 2105-2108 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua Schoenwald ◽  
Stoney Trent ◽  
James Tittle ◽  
David Woods
Keyword(s):  
Task Analysis ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Cognitive Task Analysis ◽  
Cognitive Engineering ◽  
Military Operations ◽  
Collaborative Tool ◽  
Cognitive Work ◽  
Urban Terrain ◽  
Validation Tool

This paper describes the use of a collaborative envisioning tool to combine the goals of disparate communities concerning the role of new sensor technologies being deployed in Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT). To do this, Cognitive Engineering intersects with the sensor development and military operations communities. Through the use of scenario-based design and the Topic Landscape tool, generic patterns provide seeds that help envision realistic futures of MOUT which are expressed in a narrative. These patterns provide insight on two levels: On one level they describe complexities inherent to all cognitive work, while on another level they provide insight about what makes MOUT difficult. The Topic Landscape is a collaborative tool that organizes information from a Cognitive Task Analysis of MOUT in many forms (text, graphics, video, etc.) from many contributors. This approach turns scenarios from a validation tool to an effective envisioning tool.

Analysis, Redesign, and Evaluation of a Patient-Controlled Analgesia Machine Interface

1995 ◽  
Vol 39 (11) ◽  
pp. 738-741 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura Lin ◽  
Racquel Isla ◽  
Karine Doniz ◽  
Heather Harkness ◽  
Kim J. Vicente ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Human Factors ◽  
Experimental Evaluation ◽  
Task Analysis ◽  
Medical Equipment ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Design Principles ◽  
Cognitive Task Analysis ◽  
Patient Controlled Analgesia ◽  
Reliable Performance ◽  
Machine Interface

The hypothesis explored in this paper is that, by adopting human factors design principles, the use of medical equipment can be made safer and more efficient We have selected a commercially available patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) machine as a vehicle to test this hypothesis. A cognitive task analysis of PCA usage, combined with a set of human factors design principles, led to a redesigned PCA interface. An experimental evaluation was conducted, comparing this new interface with the existing interface. The results show that the new interface leads to significantly faster, less effortful, and more reliable performance. These findings have implications for improving the design of other medical equipment.

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