Cognitive Work Analysis of a Sensor to Effecter System: Implications for Network Structures

1 Abstract This paper presents a Cognitive Work Analysis of a command and control experimental environment. The network facilitates the exchange of information between agents in the field and a series of centrally located commanders. The environment developed allows the manipulation of dependent variables to establish the most efficient network structure for a variety of different scenarios. Cognitive Work Analysis has been used to analyse and model the experimental system and hypothesise the implications of changes to the network structure and the resulting influence this will have on the system and the agents contained within. The analysis uses a Work Domain Analysis to capture the purpose of the system. A Control Task Analysis outlines the task required to fulfil the purpose of the system. This task is broken down in a Strategies Analysis, which explains the possible ways that the system can be configured to enable the same end state. A Social Organisation and Cooperation Analysis elucidates which of the actors within the system can perform the tasks required. Finally a Worker