Task and Needs Analysis
Week 2
Technical Communication, DAHMEN
What is Task Analysis?
“task analysis break down a complex
task into its components—its knowledge
that and knowledge how”
A. Keller
What you want to learn from Task
Analysis¹






Why someone would learn the skill
Prerequisite skills, knowledge, and
attitudes
Special materials or tools required
Warnings of dangers, either overall and at
specific junctures
The critical steps (no more than 5 -7) and
their sequence
All other steps necessary to complete the
task and their sequence
¹ Keller, A. “Task Analysis”. Professional Writing 408. 17 Feb 2003. 9 September 2003
<http://web.uvic.ca/akeller/pw408/r_taskanal.html>
What to Learn continued…






How critical any given substep is
Conditions that must be satisfied before
going on to the next step
Reasons for doing steps at a particular
point
Signs of success for each step (for
confirmations)
Signs of failure for each step
Steps that require graphics or other media
besides text
How to do a Task Analysis






Remind yourself of the objective and the degree of mastery
required
Observe experts and take notes as they do the task.
Take notes as you observe an expert achieve the objective.
Slow down experts so that you can identify each step.
Ask the experts to speak aloud and say
 what they are doing
 why they are doing it
 what warning they would issue
 how do they know if a step has succeeded
 how do they know if a step has failed
List what you learned that you did not expect to
Needs Assessment Matrix¹
SOURCES OF
INFORMATION
TYPE OF
INFORMATION
OBSERVATIONS
INTERVIEW
DOCUMENTATION
AUDIENCE
Observe in
work
environment.
Interview
audience or
supervisors.
Review
employee files
or personnel
records.
TASKS
Observe
audience or
expert
performing.
Interview expert
or other
performers.
Review job
descriptions,
policy
statements, and
trouble reports.
CONTENT
Observe expert
or creators of
product/
process.
Interview SMEs,
policymakers,
marketers, or
managers.
Review product
plans,
specifications,
and marketing
guidelines.
¹ Center for Education Integrating Science, Math and Computing. Georgia Int. of Tech. July 30,
2003. Sept. 04, 2003. < http://mime1.marc.gatech.edu/MM_Tools/NAM.html
Approaches to Task Analysis with Product
Documentation





Use the product itself/computer interface as
an organizational guide
Seek out most common tasks and go from
most frequent to infrequent
Organize tasks by theme or topic or action
Go from simplest to most difficult
Seek out logical questions to be answered
Function Oriented vs. Task Oriented
This button increases the volume…
Vs.
To adjust the volume…use this button
Defining the Job or Task¹




Create or identify task statements
Break down larger tasks into sub tasks
Identify sources of information about how
these jobs are done
Decide on appropriate techniques to help
define job

Interview, questionnaires, observation, etc.
¹ “Job Task Analysis”. Front-End Analysis for Human PERFORMANCE Technology DECISIONS .
Manal El-Tigi. Syracuse University. 1 August 1999. 8 September 2003.
<http://syllabus.syr.edu/IDE/maeltigi/ide713/TOOLBOX/CLASS97/CJ/analysis/index.html>
Describing the Job or Task





Describe as a sequence of steps
Flowchart of input and/or decisions
Flowchart indicating different directions task
can take
Visual orientation of tasks
Describe job via end results
Teaching the Job or Task






Set standards
Articulate criteria of successful mastery
Provide job aids
Define behaviors which lead to success
Properly sequence learning objectives
Articulate required base skills and knowledge
Linear Graph of Expertise
Sample with Tasks
Sample in Flowchart Form
Combination Linear Graph/Flowchart
Web Resources




Needs Assessment Matrix:
http://mime1.marc.gatech.edu/MM_Tools/NAM.html
Task Analysis Assessment:
http://www.io.com/~hcexres/tcm1603/acchtml/task_a
nalysis.html
Task Analysis for Mining
http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/hfg/taskanalysis.ht
ml
Task Analysis for Instructional Design
http://classweb.gmu.edu/ndabbagh/Resources/Reso
urces2/taskanalysis2.htm
Group Exercise
The situation: Your group has realized there is
quite a lot of confusion about how to prepare
for l'aid el kebir. For this project, you need to
identify the audience you wish address for
your communication product, decide what
needs they will have, and present a thorough
task/job analysis of the situation. Then your
group will need to decide on the most
appropriate media for this communication
product. You also need to define who you are
'working for' (i.e. who will support this project
and pay for it and why).
Step 1: Audience Analysis

Use an audience analysis worksheet (either
from our book or from the web) to help
identify and clarify your audience, perhaps
you will have both a primary and secondary
audience. You will also need to identify what
methods you will use to find out more about
your target audience’s needs. Can you
identify Subject Matter Experts or ‘Master
Performers’?
Step 2: Job & Task Analysis

After you have clarified your audience, use
the resources we have seen to identify the
needs this group will have and clarify what
tasks they will need to do. What information
will you need to obtain, and what
assumptions will you need to make about
their knowledge? What information will it
include/not include? Where can you go to
observe the needed tasks?
Step 3: Defining the TCP
You need to decide on the approach you will
take, making decisions such as:
 Format of TCP (Technical
Communication Product)
 Identify which of the three 'types' it
belongs to (end user, internal, oral)
 Cultural/societal factors
 Level of language
 Media
 Economic considerations
 Etc...
Step 4: Drafting a Proposal

You need to draft a proposal to submit
covering each of these points and laying out
a plan for how your team will go about
achieving its goal. Add appendices as
needed. (See P. 272-280 in CGTC)