Computer System Design and Group Task Analysis

Preparation is the understanding and anticipation of the task to be observed and analyzed. The ethnographer or analyst must recognize the parties involved with a given task. Additionally, the environment must be taken into consideration. Where will the observation take place? Will it be in a controlled or uncontrolled environment? What will be the ideal focus? What equipment will be needed (recording devices, notes, etc.)? How can observation be conducted to not interfere with natural behavior during the task? These are all questions that must be addressed in the preparation phase of GTA. Ultimately, goals and expectations need to be set out ahead of time, but with flexibility in mind. A fully prepared observer is better equipped in the following steps.

Field Study

The field study involves the actual ethnographic observation of the task. In this step, the desired data is gathered that will be used to suit users' needs. In this case the observer has several responsibilities. He/she must remain attentive to the task while avoiding interference. How is the group responding? Is the situation awkward? Are you able to accurately watch and record everything that is necessary? These are questions the observer must think about in the field. Reactions are important. How will he/she react depending on various things that may occur. The observer must attempt to view the task from multiple perspectives. The hope is to gain the most accurate and complete data possible.

Analysis

It is now time to analyze the gathered data. There are often three types of data: qualitative data for interpretation, qualitative data that is categorized, and quantitative data collected from interaction. Qualitative data for interpretation is used to formulate a descriptive story of what transpired. The data is used to construct this story that will provide explanations for what occurred and how it occurred. Categorization is a different method of analysis and focuses on discovering patterns in incidents. This can help break down large loads of data into groups for more efficient analysis. Quantitative data analysis uses annotations and recording to calculate and produce more data. Examples would be simple statistics, means, standard deviations, etc. With any data analysis, data should be reviewed thoroughly to maintain accuracy. In the end, analysis help transform data for the final step of GTA.

Reporting

In the final step, data has been transformed into information and presented to the design team for decision making. In this phase it is critical for the information to be presented with clarity and accuracy. The most common form of presentation is a written report. The reports include the various findings, including overviews and summarizations. The amount of quantitative vs. qualitative data depends on the type of study that was conducted. The design team will be using these reports to further modify or begin changes on a certain system. It is also critical that information is presented objectively. This may be the first time many of the readers have seen this information. Decisions making must be based on objective material to have the most positive effect.