Cognitive work analysis

Cognitive work analysis (CWA) is a conceptual framework developed to model complex sociotechnical systems with a focus on understanding work constraints rather than prescribing specific procedures. Originally developed at Risø National Laboratory in Denmark by Jens Rasmussen and colleagues in the 1980s, CWA emerged as part of the broader field of cognitive engineering.

The framework systematically analyzes different types of constraints to build a comprehensive model of how work could potentially proceed within a given system. This distinguishes CWA from other task analysis approaches that either describe how work is actually conducted (descriptive modeling) or prescribe how it should be conducted (normative modeling). Instead, CWA adopts a formative approach by identifying the constraints that shape possible work practices without specifying a single correct method.

CWA typically consists of five interconnected phases that progressively analyze different constraint types. Through these phases, CWA can describe constraints imposed by the system's purpose, its functional properties, the nature of activities conducted, the roles of different human actors, and their cognitive skills, knowledge, and strategies.