Application of ethnography and cognitive task analysis to elicit expert knowledge in perceptual-motor tasks: A case study

• Main Authors: Tan, Angela L.S., Seva, Rosemary R., Helander, Martin G.
• Format: text
• Published: Animo Repository 2007
• Subjects: Cognition—Testing; Perceptual-motor processes—Testing; Operations Research, Systems Engineering and Industrial Engineering
• Online Access: https://animorepository.dlsu.edu.ph/faculty_research/9225
• Institution: De La Salle University

This study aims to describe the cognitive demands associated with the tasks involved in car cosmetics repair using a combination of Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) and hands-on training CTA and hands-on-training were combined to enrich the information in extracting expert knowledge in performing a perceptual motor tasks. During interviews, questions were used to elicit knowledge from a subject matter expert (SME). Four aspects of the job were thought to be necessary to meet the objectives: Decision cues, inspection cues, techniques and possible errors. It was found that CTA guided the SME to narrate cognitive aspects not conveyed in the hands-on session. Although CTA proved to be a good method to complement hands-on experience in the analysis of this task, it was faced with some hurdles including language barriers and difficulty of conveying abstract concepts such as cognition. The results suggested that the use of CTA can accelerate the extraction of cognitive functions in ethnographic studies. Keywords: cognitive task analysis, perceptual-motor task, knowledge elicitation, ethnography