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Showing papers on "Task analysis published in 1983"


Book
01 Jan 1983
TL;DR: The GOMS Model of Manuscript Editing as mentioned in this paper has been used in many applications, e.g., for text selection and text editing in computer science, and for circuit design.
Abstract: Contents: Preface. An Applied Information-Processing Psychology. Part I: Science Base. The Human Information-Processor. Part II: Text-Editing. System and User Variability. An Exercise in Task Analysis. The GOMS Model of Manuscript Editing. Extensions of the GOMS Analysis. Models of Devices for Text Selection. Part III: Engineering Models. The Keystroke-Level Model. The Unit-Task Level of Analysis. Part IV: Extensions and Generalizations. An Exploration into Circuit Design. Cognitive Skill. Applying Psychology to Design Reprise.

4,999 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The results of the series of three experiments illustrate the sensitivity of the P300 to the processing requirements of a complex target acquisition task and the multidimensional nature of processing resources.
Abstract: Current concerns in the assessment of mental workload are discussed, and the event-related brain potential (ERP) is introduced as a promising mental-workload index. Subjects participated in a series of studies in which they were required to perform a target acquisition task while also covertly counting either auditory or visual probes. The effects of several task-difficulty manipulations on the P300 component of the ERP elicited by the counted stimulus probes were investigated. With sufficiently practiced subjects the amplitude of the P300 was found to decrease with increases in task difficulty. The second experiment also provided evidence that the P300 is selectively sensitive to task-relevant attributes. A third experiment demonstrated a convergence in the amplitude of the P300s elicited in the simple and difficult versions of the tracking task. The amplitude of the P300 was also found to covary with the measures of tracking performance. The results of the series of three experiments illustrate the sensitivity of the P300 to the processing requirements of a complex target acquisition task. The findings are discussed in terms of the multidimensional nature of processing resources.

181 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a review of 10 studies dealing with the effects of social and information cues in the workplace on employee task perceptions, evaluations, and reactions is presented. But, the two basic conclusions of the review are that social cues have been shown consistently to influence perceptions and affect, but that the area needs additional theoretical articulation and integration.
Abstract: This paper reviews 10 studies dealing with the effects of social and information cues in the workplace on employee task perceptions, evaluations, and reactions. Both Judgmental and meta-analytic approaches are used to interpret the findings. The two basic conclusions of the review are that social and information cues have been shown consistently to influence perceptions and affect, but that the area needs additional theoretical articulation and integration. Unanswered questions and suggestions for future research are identified.

145 citations


Proceedings ArticleDOI
Thomas P. Moran1
12 Dec 1983
TL;DR: A task analysis technique, called ETIT analysis, is introduced and it is shown how this analysis can be used to assess the potential transfer of knowledge from one system to another, i.e., how much knowing one system helps with learning another.
Abstract: A task analysis technique, called ETIT analysis, is introduced. It is based on the idea that tasks in the external world must be reformulated into the internal concepts of a computer system before the system can be used. The analysis is in the form of a mapping between sets of external tasks and internal tasks. An example analysis of several text editing systems is presented, and various properties of the systems are derived from the analysis. Further, it is shown how this analysis can be used to assess the potential transfer of knowledge from one system to another, i.e., how much knowing one system helps with learning another. Several issues are briefly discussed.

129 citations



Posted Content
TL;DR: The findings suggest that by improving dialogue quality, taking advantage of two way communication to reduce uncertainty, usingsmaller and less integrated systems and matching system performance to operator needs a job can be created that is likely to improve both operator well-being and effectiveness.
Abstract: Evidence is reviewed that the operating characteristics ofcomputer application systems, in addition to physical characteristicsof display units (CRTs), are the cause of many observed effects onoperator health and task effectiveness. These effects arehypothesized to occur through changes in task structure, and theman-machine redivision of labor that results when computer applicationsystems are introduced into work settings. First, the associationbetween task dimensions and models of operator performanceeffectiveness and well-being are reviewed. Second, application systemdesign parameters that affect task structure are identified. Then,empirical evidence supporting this three part causal linkage -application system parameters to task characteristics to operatoreffectiveness and health - is presented.The findings suggest that by improving dialogue quality, takingadvantage of two way communication to reduce uncertainty, usingsmaller and less integrated systems and matching system performance tooperator needs a job can be created that is likely to improve bothoperator well-being and effectiveness.

83 citations



Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A method for analyzing reaction times (RTs) in tasks involving both sequential and concurrent processing is proposed and suggests that in the color-naming task the decision about the word precedes the decisions about the color, whereas in the word-n naming task the order of the decisions is reversed.
Abstract: A method for analyzing reaction times (RTs) in tasks involving both sequential and concurrent processing is proposed. Tasks are analyzed with the method by selectively prolonging mental processes, as with the additive factor method. Falsifiable predictions about the changes in RT produced by prolonging processes are derived by drawing on the theory of scheduling. Under certain conditions, which frequently arise in practice, one can determine for a given pair of processes whether they are executed sequentially or concurrently. If one process precedes another, one can often determine which comes first. One can also construct intervals within which the process durations lie. Two experiments are analyzed using the method. One, by Holyoak, Dumais, and Moyer, is on a sentence-verification task involving associated and unassociated items. The other experiment is on the Stroop effect and supports the single-channel hypothesis that a subject makes only one decision at a time. The data suggest that in the color-naming task the decision about the word precedes the decision about the color, whereas in the word-naming task the order of the decisions is reversed.

64 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A job aid was developed to enable accident investigators to obtain human factors data during their investigations using task analysis as a basis, with sections on the victim, the task, the product, and the environment.
Abstract: Using task analysis as a basis, a job aid was developed to enable accident investigators to obtain human factors data during their investigations. For each product, a limited number of characteristic accident patterns were found; these are referred to as hazard patterns or scenarios. These patterns were used to structure "intelligent" questionnaires, with sections on the victim, the task, the product, and the environment.

63 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the effects of task and personality characteristics on subordinate responses to participatory decision making were investigated among 229 supervisor-subordinate pairs, and high need-for-independence subordinates performed better and were more satisfied with high participation only for nonrepetitive tasks.
Abstract: The effects of task and personality characteristics on subordinate responses to participatory decision making were investigated among 229 supervisor-subordinate pairs. Contrary to prediction, high need-for-independence subordinates performed better and were more satisfied with high participation only for nonrepetitive tasks.

58 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper applied a systematic approach to task analysis within a large, state child welfare state and found that the dominance and administrative functions of the supervisiors were correlated with the performance of supervisions.
Abstract: Despite its hollowed position in the field, there are few studies describing what social work supervision actually do The study applied a systematic approach to task analysis within a large, state child welfate bureucracy Three levels of organizational personnal were queried with rather large discrepancies uncovered between from line workeres and supervisions The results stronly suggest the dominance and administrative functions of the supervisiors studied implications for improving supervisor effectivness and efficency and insights into the task analysis method are discussed

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Three types of task analysis are described: sequential, branching and process control.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A 3-step strategy is proposed for cognitive/information processing task analysis which may lead to practical procedures for task analysis and instructional design and avoids extremely detailed information flow analysis performed in much descriptive research on human information processing.
Abstract: A 3-step strategy is proposed for cognitive/information processing task analysis which may lead to practical procedures for task analysis and instructional design. The three steps are: (1) concept hierarchy analysis, (2) analysis of example sets to teach relations among concepts, and (3) analysis of problem sets to build a progressively larger schema for the problem space. The strategy avoids extremely detailed information flow analysis performed in much descriptive research on human information processing. The research basis of the strategy is outlined by offering a descriptive model of human performance which identifies four dimensions: (1) Knowledge System, (2) Cognitive/Information Processing System, (3) Physiological System, and (4) Motivational/ Emotional System. The Knowledge Dimension is analyzed as consisting of problem-solving tasks, because of the basic cognitive process of perception. Problem-solving is structured by expectancies, which are in turn structured by schemata. Hence, the strategy proposed for task analysis focuses on identifying the structure of the schema underlying a problem space. Implications of the strategy for design of instruction to teach the schema are discussed. Contrasts are drawn with conventional (Gagne-style) methods. Examples from aviation training are presented.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: An analysis of the task facing people, who have to read text from VDUs, is presented, where it is suggested that the VDU situation may lead to fatigue and stress, which may decrease performance.
Abstract: This article presents an analysis of the task facing people, who have to read text from VDUs. Psychological research related to different aspects of this task is reviewed. First, situational factors are considered. It is suggested that the VDU situation may lead to fatigue and stress, which may decrease performance. Then a task analysis is performed, where potential difficulties and advantages of the VDU presentation are pointed out. Psychological investigations of text processing are then reviewed, with particular consideration of research methodology and text processing theory. Finally, some conclusions for planning research in this area are presented.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a task analysis was conducted to determine the extent to which six jobs from a single classification in one organization were similar in their task composition, and MAN-OVA results demonstrated that five were significantly different.
Abstract: A task analysis was conducted to determine the extent to which six jobs from a single classification in one organization were similar in their task composition. Of the six jobs studied, MAN-OVA results demonstrated that five were significantly different. Follow-up analyses indicated that there were practically significant differences between the jobs. These results suggested that selection options would be affected and that differing training and evaluation procedures should be used. The practical implications of these findings for selection, training, performance appraisal and job grouping are discussed.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This paper used a counterbalanced ABA withdrawal design to look at several aspects of data collection on instructional programs that have been taught for more than 1 month, and found that teaching assistants could accurately teach such programs without using a data sheet to guide them through the task analysis.
Abstract: This study used a counterbalanced ABA withdrawal design to look at several aspects of data collection on instructional programs that have been taught for more than 1 month. The results indicated that (a) teaching assistants could accurately teach such programs without using a data sheet to guide them through the task analysis; (b) accuracy of judging how well a student performed during a session was surprisingly similar in the data and no data conditions, though there were slight increases in accuracy under the data condition on four of the five programs; (c) all three of the teaching assistants made more accurate statements about how well a student's current performance compared with his/her previous performance when data were collected than when data were not collected, and (d) the teaching assistants also agreed more often with the instructional decisions of experts when data were collected.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, task analysis and instructional design are integrated by using design activities (such as sequencing and synthesis) as a basis for selecting different types of task analysis, and by using specific strategies such as a procedurally-based simple-to-complex sequence as another basis for choosing different task analysis methodologies.
Abstract: Perhaps the most important trend in task analysis today is the substantive and temporal integration of task analysis with instructional design. Task analysis and instructional design are being integratedsubstantively by using designactivities (such as sequencing and synthesis) as a basis for selecting different types of task analysis, and by using specificstrategies (such as a procedurally-based simple-to-complex sequence) as another basis for selecting different task analysis methodologies. The area of synthesis is one that deserves to receive considerable attention in the near future. Also, as new instructional strategies are developed to utilize the capabilities of new delivery systems (such as new strategies for sequencing and synthesis), new task analysis methodologies will be needed to provide the information necessary to design those strategies into the instruction.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Task analysis is the key to developing the specifications for performance and instructions in instructional systems design as discussed by the authors, and when considered from a process perspective, involves three steps, each of which can be approached with various analysis techniques.
Abstract: Task analysis is the key to developing the specifications for performance and instructions in instructional systems design. Task analysis, when considered from a process perspective, involves three steps, each of which can be approached with various analysis techniques. These steps and techniques can be summarized as follows. Step 1. Break the task, content, etc., down into the constituent elements. Analysis Techniques: Step 2. Determine the relationship among these elements. Analysis Techniques: Step 3. Restructure in accordance with the underlying principle or optimal learning design. Analysis Techniques: Instruction and training are often derived using analysis techniques which follow this process in a haphazard manner. If task analysis is carefully organized and follows the proper steps, it can be used to solve many training problems—not because of some inherent magic, but because of the detailed, careful, integrated analysis involved.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The match/mismatch between user's goals and the implementation requirements of the computer system at various levels of analysis are described, and the mismatch boundaries are discussed.
Abstract: A methodology for integrating observational data of specific human errors with theoretical task analysis of the man-machine interface is presented. Error data collected during sessions using a emi-inter ative statistics package are superimposed on a Command Language Grammar [a task analysis developed by Moran (1981) ]. The match/mismatch between user's goals and the implementation requirements of the computer system at various levels of analysis are described. The mismatch boundaries are discussed, and recommendations are derived for the interface and the methodologi-cal approach.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Individuals learned a motor skill having temporal and spatial dimensions, determined by amount of allotted processing time, and repeated-measures multivariate analysis indicated reduction of errors by groups.
Abstract: Individuals learned a motor skill having temporal and spatial dimensions. Two groups, determined by amount of allotted processing time (3 or 6 sec.), were tested. Analyzed data were specific to absolute and variable errors associated with movement. A series of 2 (post-knowledge delay) × 3 (trial blocks) repeated-measures multivariate analysis indicated reduction of errors (both temporal and spatial) by groups. Follow-up analysis favored the 6-sec. group while the 3-sec. group learned only the accuracy portion of the task.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Oct 1983
TL;DR: In this paper, three major assumptions often implicitly assumed in dual task experiments conducted to assess operator workload are shown to be incorrect and three criteria which should be met in dual-task experiments that draw inferences from secondary task decrements are discussed.
Abstract: The present paper outlines three major assumptions often implicitly assumed in dual task experiments conducted to assess operator workload. These assumptions are shown to be incorrect. Three criteria which should be met in dual task experiments that draw inferences from secondary task decrements are discussed. An experiment, meeting the proposed criteria, was conducted which demonstrated that when the criteria are met secondary task performance can be predictive of primary task difficulty. However, the data also indicate that a simple assessment of effort alone will not predict total task performance. Language: en

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The rationale for distinguishing between task analysis and instructional analysis is described, the contributions that both processes make to the design of instruction, and why one is dependent upon the other are described.
Abstract: In the design of industrial instruction, it is important to maximize learning and transfer to job performance, while minimizing learning time. Both task analysis and instructional analysis are essential processes for achieving these goals. Task analysis is a tool for understanding and specifying the desired final performance or job. The product of task analysis may be a task list, flowchart, and/or other documentation which describes competent performance. Instructional analysis, as distinct from task analysis, identifies the type(s) of learning involved in acquiring a new performance capability and the structure of that learning in terms of component skills and their relationships. The product of the instructional analysis process is a learning map. This paper describes the rationale for distinguishing between task analysis and instructional analysis, the contributions that both processes make to the design of instruction, and why one is dependent upon the other. The major functions included in the instructional analysis process are described and illustrated with examples. The benefits of using this approach to achieve effective and efficient instruction are summariz-

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a consensus of procedures comprising educational and industrial task analysis applications is presented. Butte et al. examined representative examples of task analysis procedures for common components, methods, and terminology.
Abstract: Representative examples of task analysis procedures were examined for common components, methods, and terminology. Resulting generic components were categorized into two phases of task analysis: task description and instructional analysis. Task description included the components of task inventory, ordering, and refinement. Instructional analysis was comprised of the specification of needs, goals, objectives, learning hierarchy, learning taxonomy, training considerations, and product development specifications. Identification of these components permitted the formulation of a generalized model of task analysis. The model contained a consensus of procedures comprising educational and industrial task analysis applications.

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Aug 1983
TL;DR: In this article, measures of self-reinforcement variables and data concerning their psychometric adequacy are presented, and relationships among self reinforcement variables and between those variables and affective an...
Abstract: Measures of self-reinforcement variables and data concerning their psychometric adequacy are presented. Relationships among self-reinforcement variables and between those variables and affective an...


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Aug 1983
TL;DR: In this paper, the utility of attribution theory for understanding how raters acquire performance information was tested and it was found that raters sought distinctiveness type informat- ing information.
Abstract: Two experiments were conducted testing the utility of attribution theory for understanding how raters acquire performance information. Experiment 1 found raters sought distinctiveness type informat...

Journal ArticleDOI
01 Oct 1983
TL;DR: The Training Development Decision Support System (TDDSS) as discussed by the authors is a computer-aided training development and evaluation procedure designed to support the conduct of the instructional systems design process.
Abstract: The Training Development Decision Support System (TDDSS) is a computer-aided training development and evaluation procedure designed to support the conduct of the instructional systems design process. Training program development using TDDSS is conducted in two phases: (1) Training Design and (2) Training Evaluation. Phase 1 is carried out in three steps: Job Function Analysis, Task Analysis, and Learning Requirements Analysis. The product of Phase 1 is a series of viable Training Program Alternatives (TPAs). In Phase 2, a cost-benefit trade-off analysis is performed on the TPAs. The benefits assessment portion of the trade-off analysis is based upon the use of a flexible multiattribute utility measurement procedure. Resource requirements and associated cost estimates for each TPA also are produced during Phase 2. Following the completion of both analyses—benefits assessment and cost estimation—training program merit and cost indices are integrated leading to the identification of a preferred TPA.

01 Sep 1983
TL;DR: A task analysis of nuclear-power-plant control-room crews was performed by General Physics Corporation and BioTechnology, Inc., for the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research as discussed by the authors, which focused on a generic structural framework for assembling the multitude of task data that were observed.
Abstract: A task analysis of nuclear-power-plant control-room crews was performed by General Physics Corporation and BioTechnology, Inc., for the Office of Nuclear Regulatory Research. The task analysis methodology used in the project is discussed and compared to traditional task-analysis and job-analysis methods. The objective of the project was to conduct a crew task analysis that would provide data for evaluating six areas: (1) human engineering design of control rooms and retrofitting of current control roooms, (2) the numbers and types of control room operators needed with requisite skills and knowledge, (3) operator qualification and training requirements, (4) normal, off-normal, and emergency operating procedures, (5) job performance aids, and (6) communications. The data collection approach focused on a generic structural framework for assembling the multitude of task data that were observed. The results of the data-collection effort were compiled in a computerized task database. Results including a description of the computerized task analysis data format.


Journal Article
TL;DR: The technique of task analysis was selected to determine components of competence in clinical neurology appropriate to the needs of primary care and to innovations in curriculum and programme design whereby the graduating student might be more suitably prepared to give primary care.
Abstract: Defining educational objectives is the key to achieving the goal of professional competence in students. The technique of task analysis was selected to determine components of competence in clinical neurology appropriate to the needs of primary care. A survey of neurological problems in general practice revealed that these constitute a significant proportion of consultations, and that teaching programmes have failed to provide the appropriate knowledge and skills to manage the commonest problems effectively. Consideration is given to innovations in curriculum and programme design whereby the graduating student might be more suitably prepared to give primary care.