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Analysing activity in complex systems with cognitive work analysis: concepts, guidelines and case study for control task analysis.

Cognitive work analysis is gaining momentum as an approach for the analysis, design and evaluation of complex sociotechnical systems. This paper focuses on control task analysis (ConTA), the second phase of cognitive work analysis. The paper consolidates existing approaches to ConTA and extends the...

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Published in:Theoretical Issues in Ergonomics Science Vol. 7; no. 4; pp. 371 - 395
Main Authors: Naikar N, Moylan A, Pearce B
Format: case study review tables/charts Journal Article
Published: Taylor & Francis Ltd Jul/Aug2006
Online Access:View this record in EBSCOhost
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      dt: Jul/Aug2006
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      pub: Taylor & Francis Ltd
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        atl: Analysing activity in complex systems with cognitive work analysis: concepts, guidelines and case study for control task analysis.
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          Naikar N
          Moylan A
          Pearce B
        affil: Defence Science and Technology Organisation, PO Box 4331, Melbourne, VIC 3001, Australia
      sug:
        subj:
          Cognition
          Task Performance and Analysis Methods
          Decision Making
          Work Environment
      ab: Cognitive work analysis is gaining momentum as an approach for the analysis, design and evaluation of complex sociotechnical systems. This paper focuses on control task analysis (ConTA), the second phase of cognitive work analysis. The paper consolidates existing approaches to ConTA and extends the basic concepts, in particular, by asserting that activity in some work systems is better characterized by both work situations and work functions and by introducing a new formative representation for ConTA called the contextual activity template. In addition, the paper proposes a set of methodological guidelines for performing ConTA and presents a case study of a ConTA for a first-of-a-kind military system called Airborne Early Warning and Control. As well as illustrating the conceptual extensions and methodological guidelines for ConTA by example, this case study highlights some of the difficulties of conducting ConTA for first-of-a-kind, complex systems during the early stages of development.
      pubtype: Academic Journal
      doctype:
        case study
        review
        tables/charts
        Journal Article
      ougenre: Article
    language: English
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