Chapter 15: Task Analysis (8 classes to go; 6 chapters to go)

How do people do tasks?
	Decomposition
	Classification
	Listing what used
	Listing actions performed
Sources of information
	Documentation
	Observation
	Interviews
In design
	Manuals
	Documentation
	New systems
15.1 intro
	How do you clean the house, make coffee, make tea, 
get ready for the day, win at checkers?
	Task decomposition
	Knowledge base techniques
	Entity relation based analysis
15.2 wide scope
	Include aspects of world
	(fetch documents, change ink, ….)
	More observable behaviors than internal mental state
	Best at beginning of requirements capture
15.3 task decomposition
	Hierarchical
	Iterative
		P * C rule
		Probability of error  cost of correction < N, stop decomposition
		Examine for errors (domain expert or user)
		Look for start with no stop, etc

15.4 knowledge based analysis
	List objects
	Taxonomy (inheritance)
	[Which one of these things is not like the other?]
	View of passenger, driver and mechanic are very different!
	(ask user to form groups, name, further sort)
	Objects can appear in more than one group
		Kitchen(preparation, cooking, dining)
		Refine until all pairs can be distinguished?

Group by position or purpose?

15.5 entity-relationship-based techniques
	Focus on relationship
	Objects and actions
	Concrete objects, actors, composite objects
	Actions: agent does action changes state of object
	(message is an action too)
	Agents can have multiple roles
	Events: anything that happens
		Action
		Spontaneous
		Timed
	Relationships between objects, actions, events
		Agent and action
		Temporal order
		Causality

15.6 sources of information and data collection
	Task analysis only as good as original data
	Iterative
	Manuals and pilot studies cheaper than direct observation
	Documentation
		Supposed to not actual
		Functions of device rather than how to do task
		Starting point
		Rule books
		Job descriptions
		(VTC policies about administrative servers)
	Observation
		Familiarization
		Lab versus ‘field’
			Lab better recording
			Field more real
		Walk thru (post task)
	Interviews
		expected and unexpected
		why? What if?
		Watch for your perspective inducing bias
	Initial analysis
	Sorting and classification
		Grouping of tasks or task objects
		Likert scales of importance
15.7 uses of task analysis
	Manuals and tuition
		Training
	Requirements capture &
	System design
		Which should be in new system?
		How different for new system
	Detailed interface design
		Menus from top level
		Menus from roles/tasks
		Objects with actions

ASSIGNMENT: Task Analysis
In Chapter 15 there are three approaches discussed to task analysis.
Task decomposition;	Knowledge; 	Entity-relationship

Of course, to do your project, you will be dealing with tasks.

Part I: (20%)
RANK the three approaches in order of their applicability to your project, most applicable to least applicable. Explain the applicability in at most one paragraph each.
A-Task decomposition (15.3)
	Break your project down into tasks
	Use your decomposition to gain insights (and find errors) in your design
B-Knowledge based (15.4)
	List objects
	Classify them by taxonomy
	Use your classification to gain insights (and find errors) in your design
C-Entity-relationship (15.5)
	List objects, actions, events, relationships
	Use your entities and relationships to gain insights (and find errors) in your design

Consider the project whose evaluation plan you reviewed.
RANK the three approaches in order of their applicability to that project, most applicable to least applicable. Explain the applicability in at most one paragraph each.

Part II: (50%; 25% each)
For Two of the three approaches (A, B, C) do a draft analysis for your project.
If your draft analysis is longer than one page, prepare a one-page summary/abstract.
A-Most Applicable
B-Second Most Applicable

Part III: (20%)
For the THIRD approach, EITHER:
A-Explain the value to the project whose evaluation plan you reviewed of that analysis.
B-Explain what kind of projects the third analysis would be MOST valuable for.
C-Explain why that third analysis is not valuable.

Part IV: (10%)
After having done the analysis above, (choose one)
A-explain what benefits you received for your project by doing task analysis
B-explain what benefits you expect to receive in general by doing task analysis
C-Explain why task analysis is not a beneficial idea.