Task Analysis 

What Is Task Analysis?

Task analysis is a comprehensive process of breaking down tasks and skills into smaller but attainable components. The procedure helps you understand how to perform certain tasks according to the planned objectives. The same goes for making tasks easier for those who need special education. With task analysis, you can teach effectively to every student or person with autism. That is if the process is managed appropriately.

According to the book User and Task Analysis for Interface Design, task analysis enables you to understand goals, how to achieve them, what experiences are incorporated in each task, and how users become influenced by various factors.

Different Types of Task Analysis

Task analysis is known to have four different types. And it is essential to finalize which type you should use so that you will receive relevant and appropriate results. The different types of tasks analysis are:

Hierarchical Analysis: Also known as prerequisite analysis, the hierarchical analysis focuses on breaking down high-level tasks into sub-tasks. And it is perfect for analyzing intellectual skills.Procedural Analysis: When you are concerned more about procedural skills, then expect to conduct procedural or cognitive task analysis. This form of analysis suits for information processing.Cluster Analysis: One hybrid of a task analysis is the cluster analysis. And this example is important for analyzing verbal information skills.Conceptual Graph Analysis: If you need to analyze concepts, you can insert visuals to represent the concepts. And this is where conceptual graph analysis is at play wherein graphs or any form of diagram is included in the analysis.

How to Conduct Task Analysis

Now that you know about the meaning and components of task analysis, get ready to apply your knowledge to the next level by conducting the analysis itself. In fact, it is quite easy. You only need to follow these steps:

Step 1: Recognize Your Target Skill or Purpose

First things first, what is the reason you should observe task analysis? Identify your purpose or target skill until you can slowly generate a list of the expected tasks. Thus, align your objectives and purpose to the tasks you are going to make and analyze. Maybe you are preparing the analysis for classroom use, work, sports training, and any other example. Note it down.

Step 2: Decompose and Classify Tasks

When you are done with the whole task list, be sure to decompose them and classify them into groups. By decomposing, you can break down tasks into smaller yet manageable examples. And group the tasks according to their common element. This way, you won’t have to prepare a full workload because you may classify them into smaller components.

Step 3: Select the Tasks to Prioritize

Tasks can be divided according to their priority level. Expect to arrange tasks according to the most important down to the least important. Or perhaps, you could organize tasks according to their urgency and difficulty level. How that goes is up to you. And be sure to focus on how to do the tasks and be realistic in the process. All your data would go to waste when there is no actual action plan that must be done in the end.

Step 4: Sequence the Task List and Sub-Tasks

From all the tasks and sub-tasks listed, start sequencing them accordingly. Answer which specific task works best to be managed first until last. And once you analyze the content, don’t forget to begin strategizing optimization plans. From what you learned in the analysis itself, create strategic plans and solutions that help you manage tasks more efficiently. And that is how you ace task analysis.

FAQs

What is the purpose of task analysis?

Task analysis is known to contribute to understanding goals, how to accomplish them, what experiences are included in every task, and how users get influenced by certain aspects.

When do you perform task analysis?

When to conduct task analysis is up to your call. But generally, it is performed during site requirements gathering, creating content strategies, wireframing, prototyping, and conducting usability testing.

What are task requirements?

Task requirements refer to the physical, mental, functional, and administrative needs from designated resources. And they are essential for criteria in checking if the suitability of resources is acceptable or not.

From as simple as getting dressed down to a professional information technology instructional design, task analysis involves many functions. And what matters the most is you know how to fulfill such tasks and use the right set of tasks in the first place with a reliable document on hand. Allow sample task analysis templates to guide you for support. Download now!