Task Analysis
CSCI 4800/6800 Feb 27, 2003
Goals of task analysis
Elicit
descriptions of what people do Represent those descriptions Predict difficulties, performance Measure learnability, transfer of knowledge between systems Evaluate systems against usability and/or functional requirements
Possible problem with TA
Instantiate
current tasks in new system, rather than redesigning flow of work to achieve desired higher-level function
Lower-level view:
Actions/operations:
Pressing a key Moving a mouse
Types of TA techniques:
Focus
on:
Cognition Practice of task Logic of task
Goals, tasks, actions : terminology
Goal
= external task, such as producing a letter Device = method, tool, or technique appropriate for achieving goals Tasks = activities necessary to achive goals using a device Subtasks = components of tasks Actions = simple tasks w/ no control structure Method = plan = number of tasks or actions linked into a sequence
Types of Task Analysis
Hierarchical
Task Analysis (HTA) Cognitive Task Analysis Modeling how to knowledge
HTA: Hierarchical Task Analysis
Graphical
representation Decomposition of high level task into constituent subtasks, operations, plans Uses structure chart notation
Structure chart notation
activities
ordered left to right * indicates iteration indicates selection ----- indicates absence of an action
Creating an HTA diagram:
Start
the analysis Progress the analysis Finalize the analysis
Starting the Analysis
Define
the area of work / main task Break down main task into 4-8 subtasks; specify subtasks in terms of objectives Draw subtasks as layered plans
Progressing the analysis
Choose
level of detail
click mouse v. delete block of text
Choose
depth-first, breadth-first, or combo Use hierarchical numbering convention 1, 2, 3, then 1.1, 1.2, 1.3 and so on ...
Finalizing the analysis
Check
for consistency in decompositions and numbering of tasks Consult with user knowledgeable in task domain
Cognitive Task Analysis
Inform the design process through application of cognitive theories Some tasks, actions are cognitive define these
Examples:
decide which button to press recall previously stored knowledge from memory compare two objects
Model the internal representation and processing that occurs for the purpose of designing tasks that can be undertaken more effectively by humans
Techniques for CTA
MHP
Model Human Processor (Card 83)
Psychological model of humans as three interacting systems: perceptual, motor, cognitive. Each system has its own memory and processor.
GOMS
Goals, Operators, Methods, and Selection Rules, and related NGOMSL(Kieras, 88) CCT Cognitive Complexity Theory
Techniques for CTA
TKS
Task Knowledge Structures (Johnson
92)
Theory: Assumes that as people learn and perform tasks, they develop knowledge structures
KAT
Knowledge Analysis of Tasks (Johnson
92)
Method: identify the elements of knowledge represented in a task knowledge structure
Other techniques
Focus
on learnability (Task-Action Grammars) Focus on mappings from external tasks to internal tasks (External Task Internal Task, Yoked State Spaces)
Modeling Procedural Knowledge
how
to do it knowledge Focuses on task to action mapping GOMS (Goals, Operations, Methods, Selection Rules) is most famous approach
The GOMS approach
Three
levels of granularity:
GOMS model (general approach fo accomplishing set of tasks) unit task level : breaks users tasks into unit tasks, then estimates the time it takes for user to perform these keystroke level: describes and predicts time it takes to perform a task by specifying the keystrokes needed.
Exercise w/ GOMS
In a word processor, a single word can be selected by double-clicking the cursor in the middle of the word. If the user wishes to select an arbitrary string of characters, the characters must be highlighted by dragging the mouse over the text with the mouse button held down. To cut the text out of a document, the user must first highlight the text and then issue the cut command.
Write an NGOMSL description for the goal of cut out text. Write out the selection rules for this example Write out the method for selecting a word and for selecting an arbitrary string of characters
Uses of GOMS models
to
predict quality of existing system or prototype to check of consistency of methods (similar goals are achieved by similar methods) to check that most frequent goals are achieved by relatively quick methods as a quantitative evaluation technique to choose between alternative designs
Problems with GOMS
works
well for simple tasks, unwieldy for larger
tasks requires substantial time, skill, effort results questioned by some
Representing task knowledge
Important
to understand what people already know about the specific task and this class of tasks Now: focus on goal-to-task mapping KAT knowledge analysis of tasks, looks at this
More recently...
focus
has shifted to less formal methods
claims analysis[Carroll & Kellogg, 89] Scenario analysis[Young & Barnard, 91; Carey 91] Cognitive walkthroughs[Lewis, 90] Design rationale [Carroll and Moran 91; Maclean 91] cognitive dimensions framework [Green 89]
Cognitive Dimensions
Vocabulary for describing aspects of information structures:
Viscosity
resistance to change. How easy is it to make changes to some aspects of the artifact? effort required to meet goal. user is forced to make choices too soon information links that arent easily visible
Delayed gratification
Premature commitment
Hidden dependencies
ERMIA - Entity
Relationship Modeling for Information Artifacts
Uses ER notation One for conceptual level One for perceptual level
ERMIA example: hidden dependecy
Spreadsheet cell 1 uses M Related cell conceptual level 1 used by M
Spreadsheet cell 1 uses M Related cell perceptual level
Highlights problem w/ spreadsheets not visible which cells use this cell, only which cells are used by this cell
Exercise
Draw an ERMIA diagram for the case of Word style sheets, based on the following description: A style is a collection of character and paragraph formats that can be applied to paragraphs or documents as required. A style can be based on another style. For example, the styles List and Quotation may be based on the style Normal. Changing style Normal will change all styles based upon it. The style display shows only the style that it is based upon.
Summary
Task
analysis describes behaviors at three levels: goals, tasks, actions Tasks are usually viewed in terms of a hierarchical decomposition of tasks into subtasks. HTA and related techniques focus on what actually happens, rather than on what should happen.
Summary, continued
Cognitive
task analysis techniques aim to describe some aspect of the cognitive characteristics of users tasks. Some methods (such as GOMS) concentrate on users procedural or how-to-do-it knowledge. Other methods focus on task knowledge. Many techniques difficult to use / dont scale well.
