Designing a ticket to ride with the Cognitive Work Analysis Design Toolkit

Abstract

Cognitive work analysis has been applied in the design of numerous sociotechnical systems. The process used to translate analysis outputs into design concepts, however, is not always clear. Moreover, structured processes for translating the outputs of ergonomics methods into concrete designs are lacking. This paper introduces the Cognitive Work Analysis Design Toolkit (CWA-DT), a design approach which has been developed specifically to provide a structured means of incorporating cognitive work analysis outputs in design using design principles and values derived from sociotechnical systems theory. This paper outlines the CWA-DT and describes its application in a public transport ticketing design case study. Qualitative and quantitative evaluations of the process provide promising early evidence that the toolkit fulfils the evaluation criteria identified for its success, with opportunities for improvement also highlighted.

Abstract

Practitioner summary: The Cognitive Work Analysis Design Toolkit has been developed to provide ergonomics practitioners with a structured approach for translating the outputs of cognitive work analysis into design solutions. This paper demonstrates an application of the toolkit and provides evaluation findings.

Keywords::

• cognitive work analysis
• sociotechnical systems theory
• system design
• ticketing system design
• participatory design

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

Gemma Read's contribution to this article was funded through an Australian Postgraduate Award (Industry) provided by an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant (ARC, LP100200387) to Monash University in partnership with the University of Sunshine Coast and the University of Southampton, and industry partner organisations. Professor Paul Salmon's contribution to this article was funded through his Australian Research Council Future Fellowship (FT140100681).