Cognitive work analysis and design: current practice and future practitioner requirements

Cognitive work analysis (CWA) is a unique analytical framework which provides analysis information to inform system design. However, the literature describing CWA applications indicates that its use in design is not straightforward. An online survey was used to gather information from CWA practitioners about how they have used CWA in design applications and to gather their views and attitudes on aspects of CWA and design. The survey found that there was no typical means of using the outputs of CWA within design processes across survey respondents. Over half of the respondents indicated that there is a need for an additional approach or method to enhance the contribution of CWA to design. It is concluded that the field could benefit from the development of an additional design approach, with associated guidance, to assist in using the outputs of CWA in design processes.