Work Domain Models for Cognitive Ergonomics: An Illustration From Military Command and Control

Abstract

There is general agreement that 'work' is a primary concept for Cognitive Ergonomics (CE). However, there is little agreement how the domain of work might best be modelled. This paper assesses two contrasting approaches to such modelling. The first, and implicit approach, derives from domain experts. The second, and explicit approach, derives from domain research. The approaches are illustrated by an initial analysis of the domain of military command and control and specifically of models of the Vincennes incident. Implicit and explicit domain models are assessed in terms of the incident events. It is concluded that both models have potential to support design, but the explicit model also has potential to support research. The need for explicit domain modelling to support validation of CE design knowledge is underlined.