Analysing Activity for Future Systems

Future systems pose special challenges that preclude many standard forms of work analysis for identifying the cognitive demands of those systems. Yet identifying the cognitive demands of future systems early during development is critical for system effectiveness. In this paper we demonstrate that Cognitive Work Analysis offers an approach for capturing the cognitive demands of future systems. Specifically, we illustrate the kinds of cognitive models that result from conducting a Cognitive Work Analysis of a future system called Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C). These models characterise the cognitive activity of AEW&C in terms of: the work domain, decision making, and mental strategies. We also discuss actual and potential applications of these analyses for team and interface design and we show how we have applied this approach to design a team for AEW&C.