Designing teams for first-of-a-kind, complex systems using the initial phases of cognitive work analysis: case study

Area of Science:

• Human Factors Engineering
• Systems Engineering
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Conventional team design methods struggle with the unique challenges of complex, novel systems.
• First-of-a-kind systems require specialized approaches to team composition and structure.
• Understanding cognitive demands is crucial for effective team design in high-stakes environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To present and evaluate a team design technique grounded in Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA).
• To address the limitations of traditional team design for complex, unprecedented systems.
• To demonstrate the applicability of CWA in early-stage system development.

Main Methods:

• Developed a rationale for CWA-based team design by analyzing limitations of existing methods.
• Introduced a specific CWA-based technique for team design.
• Conducted a case study applying the technique to design a team for a complex military system.

Main Results:

• The CWA-based team design technique was successfully applied in a real-world case study.
• The technique demonstrated feasibility and utility in designing teams for complex, first-of-a-kind systems.
• The case study provided valuable insights into the practical application of CWA for team design.

Conclusions:

• The Cognitive Work Analysis-based team design technique is a viable and beneficial approach.
• Empirical validation is recommended to further substantiate the technique's effectiveness.
• The method has potential applications across military, medical, and industrial sectors for complex system development.