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Designing for Adaptation with Cognitive Work Analysis: Initial Conceptualisation of an Approach for Integrated Sociotechnical System Design

This paper presents an initial conceptualisation of an approach to integrated sociotechnical system design based on cognitive work analysis (CWA). A convincing argument has already been made that the design of complex sociotechnical systems should be driven fundamentally by the goal of promoting adaptation and that a formative approach to work analysis, such as that offered by CWA, is necessary for achieving this goal. Moreover, considerable evidence exists for the value of CWA for design, for example, for designing teams and ecological interfaces that can support adaptation. It is clear, however, that a system will not be adaptive simply because it has a flexible team design or an ecological interface. Instead, to create systems that can adapt successfully, all of their various elements—such as the interfaces, teams, training, and automation—must be designed in an integrated or coordinated fashion based on a common underlying philosophy. The framework presented in this paper for this purpose proposes the set of possibilities for work organisation in a system as the central mechanism for integrating the design of the various elements and thus creating systems that are truly adaptive. Practitioner Summary: This paper is concerned with how the design of complex sociotechnical systems, such as nuclear power plants, petrochemical plants, and military aircraft, can be enhanced to achieve high levels of safety and productivity. An approach based on cognitive work analysis is outlined for integrating various elements of a system’s design, including its interfaces, teams, training, and automation, in a way that maximises the system’s capacity for adaptation. By increasing a system’s capacity to adapt to, and thus handle effectively, the demands of a wide range of situations, including unforeseen events, performance benefits may be expected.