Specifying the requirements for requirements specification: the case for Work Domain and Worker Competencies Analyses

Abstract

This article presents an argument for the applicability of Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA), particularly Work Domain and Worker Competencies Analyses, in supporting the requirements specification process for the acquisition of bespoke, socio-technical systems. We argue that the outputs of CWA should be included within requirements specification documents as they provide a comprehensive system model, in terms of constraints, opportunities and functional relationships, that would not be possible to represent in the current style of textbased requirements documents, and that communicating required system architectures to system designers is more effective using the graphical-based representations of CWA than by text alone. We also argue that the collaborative and iterative process of conducting a CWA should be continually performed throughout the acquisition cycle, involving Human Factors specialists, prospective end-users and subject matter experts.

Cognitive work analysis and design: current practice and future practitioner requirements

“…This aligns with recommendations from the literature (e.g. Jamieson 2003;McIlroy and Stanton 2012). Further approaches exist to achieve the idea of a feedback loop to support the evaluation of design ideas using the CWA outputs (e.g.…”

Driving towards a greener future: an application of cognitive work analysis to promote fuel-efficient driving

“…As can be seen, the different stages of the CWA process provide qualitatively different insights that can be used to inform future development. Supporting previous research, the most significant information was generated within the initial WDA stage (McIlroy and Stanton 2012). Despite this, all stages actively contributed to the understanding of the fuel-efficient driving task (McIlroy and Stanton 2015b).…”

“…Insights generated within this analysis can be used to directly inform the specifications of the required system. Championing the positive role CWA can play in devising requirement specifications is not novel and has been discussed at length by McIlroy and Stanton (2012). They propose that as the WDA stage of the CWA process, the abstraction hierarchy offers a focus on what Fig.…”

Decision Support System Requirements Definition for Human Extravehicular Activity Based on Cognitive Work Analysis

“…Furthermore, while various methods have attempted to demonstrate and link CSE requirements to specific CSE model components (Cattermole, Horberry, & Hassall, 2016;Cummings, 2004;Cummings, Tappan, & Mikkelsen, 2012;Lintern, 2006;Nehme et al, 2006), the extent to which these studies emphasize the actual requirements derivation process and situate their development within traditional SE processes is limited. Although examples are deemed valuable within the CSE community for their specific domain application, if they cannot be translated to the SE community of system developers, customers and other engineers, CSE insight and influence will remain limited (McIlroy & Stanton, 2012). One approach to integrate CSE requirements with the SE process was proposed by Elm et al (2003) using an applied CWA framework.…”