ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the extent to which cognitive work analysis (CWA) can facilitate the requirements analysis and specification process. It provides a link between the requirements specification process and CWA. The CWA comprises five phases: work domain analysis (WDA), control task analysis (ConTA), strategies analysis (StrA), social organisation and cooperation analysis (SOCA) and worker competencies analysis (WCA). Although the CWA process comprises five stages, it is argued that the abstraction hierarchy (AH) constructed in the WDA stage and the AH informed SRK inventory developed in the worker competencies stage are the most applicable. The chapter also describes which parts of a CWA can be applied, and how that application should proceed, to specify requirements that lead to usable, functionally relevant, affordable systems that minimise post-deployment redesign, and that do not necessitate extensive training schedules. In order to demonstrate the CWA approach, the chapter considers a real case study based on mission communications planning.
