Task analysis is the analysis of how a task is accomplished, including a detailed description of both manual and mental activities, task and element durations, task frequency, task allocation, task complexity, environmental conditions, necessary clothing and equipment, and any other unique factors involved in or required for one or more people to perform a given task.
- Workflow analysis, including user actions, system response, and environmental context
- Task encompasses any physical actions and mental processes as activities used to achieve goals and any information flows within the system environment.
- Designers typically incorporate a blend of qualitative and quantitative approaches to gain insight into user and task processes.
- The method targets user options, tools, decision points, common mistakes, corrections, inputs/outputs, frequency and importance of tasks, and risks of failure.
- Actions in task decomposition can be organized by categories, such as purpose, cues, objects, method, and options.
- A Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA) typically results in tree diagrams or flowcharts, which can be verified by walk-through tests.
- Task analysis is useful for all design disciplines, ranging from navigation of software to wayfinding in the built environment.