ABSTRACT
The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the fifth and final phase of CWA, worker
competencies analysis, in detail. Only at this point do we finally address the traditional
core concerns of the human factors and HCI communities (i.e., the relevance of human
strengths and weaknesses to systems design). Following the logic of the formative
approach described in chapter 5, the overall objective in this phase is to identify the
competencies that an ideal worker should exhibit. That is, rather than assuming a
particular set of worker competencies up front, the analysis lets the requirements of the
application domain tell us what kinds of competencies workers need to have to function
effectively.1 This overall goal is achieved in two steps. First, the analysis consolidates the
requirements imposed by the previous phases of CWA. Decisions made in those phases
affect the competencies that workers need to function effectively. For example, if certain
responsibilities are off-loaded to computer automation, then workers’ responsibilities may
be lessened. Therefore, knowledge of how demands are to be partitioned allows us to
identify the competencies that workers need to cope effectively with the demands that
they are responsible for satisfying. Second, the worker competencies analysis helps us
determine how those requirements can be met in a way that is consistent with human
limitations and capabilities. Note, however, that the goal is to leverage, not replace,
existing knowledge of human cognition (e.g., Wickens, 1992).
