Universal Methods of Design

RESEARCH METHOD • SYNTHESIS / ANALYSIS TECHNIQUE

84 Task Analysis

Task analysis breaks down the constituent elements of a user’s work flow, including actions and interactions, system response, and environmental context.

Traditional task analysis holds a scientific view of human interactions within systems, isolating key elements of human behavior, product or system behaviors and responses to human actions, the provision of system feedback, and the context in which tasks occur. Such analyses are usually expressed formally in flowcharts or other structured visuals, indicating tasks and subtasks, key decision points, and human-system response cycles. ...