Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) is a research methodology used to understand the cognitive processes and mental strategies that individuals employ while performing a task. CTA aims to uncover the knowledge, decision-making, problem-solving, and other cognitive activities involved in completing a task. The goal is to bridge the gap between observable behaviors and underlying cognitive processes.
Key aspects:
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Interviews: Interview experienced individuals who perform the task. Use open-ended questions to learn about thought processes, decision-making strategies, and problem-solving techniques.
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Think-Aloud Protocol: Ask participant to verbalize their thoughts and actions while performing the task. They express their thinking process, observations, decisions, and reasoning out loud.
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Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA): Examine the interplay between the individual's cognitive processes, the social and organizational context, and the task. Focus on the mental models, task strategies, and knowledge structures.
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Knowledge Elicitation Techniques: Extract explicit and tacit knowledge via methods like knowledge maps, concept mapping, and decision trees. Capture the cognitive structures and relationships between different pieces of relevant knowledge.
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Cognitive Task Interviews: Present participants with specific task scenarios. Probe for thought processes, problem-solving approaches, decision-making strategies, and task-relevant cognitive aspects.
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Cognitive Workload Assessment: Measure the cognitive workload experienced by individuals while performing a task. Methods include subjective ratings, physiological measures, and performance measures.