The Development of a Cognitive Work Analysis Tool

摘要

Due to their complexity, systems used within Network Centric Warfare and Command and Control are notoriously difficult to predict. These systems are often influenced by an ever increasing number of dynamic constraints. This dynamic instability causes problems for many traditional normative Human Factors techniques. Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) is a formative process that focuses on these constraints rather than prescriptive methods of working; this constraint based approach allows the model to handle the unexpected and unanticipated events common in network-centric warfare. This paper presents the development of a Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) software tool. The tool has two main purposes. The primary purpose is to assist the user in developing the large number of graphical representations that support the iterative design process. The secondary purpose is to explain CWA to novices and systematically guide them through the analysis process. The paper provides a brief introduction to CWA along with a description of the tool and its current capabilities.