ABSTRACT
This chapter highlights the utility of the framework in domains other than those that fall under the category of complex safety critical and provides a description of how, by modelling constraints, cognitive work analysis (CWA) can be used to inspire more innovative design. It contends that the consideration of constraints and a specification can, and should, exist throughout the design process. However, the level of detail, and means of presentation, should change to meet the requirement of the design activity at hand. The importance of a design specification is particularly evident in projects with sizeable development teams and supply chains. The chapter explains the utility of the abstraction hierarchy as part of product specification with an example — a humble thermostat. A relatively simple example has been chosen to illustrate the utility of the approach and also to highlight that CWA can be effectively applied in non-safety critical domains.
