Grammatically interpreted task analysis for supply chain forecasting

Traditional task analysis models have contributed to a more effective understanding of the tasks involved in different industries. As part of a broader study of interfaces for forecasting systems, we have used hierarchical task analysis to describe the normative process of producing sales forecasts. In order to validate this against reported scenarios and observations of actual use, we are applying an approach that uses a parallel to the grammar of everyday language to map tasks and sub-tasks to scenarios. In this paper we describe the technique and progress in applying this to observed tasks that users follow to produce forecasts in an organizational setting. We hope that the combination of grammar-based task analysis with interviews with users and software designers will enhance our understanding of sales forecasts.