title: Cognitive simulation as a tool for cognitive task analysis.
abstract: Cognitive simulations are runnable computer programs that represent models of human cognitive activities. We show how one cognitive simulation built as a model of some of the cognitive processes involved in dynamic fault management can be used in conjunction with small-scale empirical data on human performance to uncover the cognitive demands of a task, to identify where intention errors are likely to occur, and to point to improvements in the person-machine system. The simulation, called Cognitive Environment Simulation or CES, has been exercised on several nuclear power plant accident scenarios. Here we report one case to illustrate how a cognitive simulation tool such as CES can be used to clarify the cognitive demands of a problem-solving situation as part of a cognitive task analysis.
authors.affiliation: Westinghouse Science and Technology Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15235.
authors.forename: E M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Roth
authors.forename: D D
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Woods
authors.forename: H E
authors.initials: HE
authors.lastname: Pople
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D006801:Humans; D011340:Problem Solving; D012985:Software Design; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014584:User-Computer Interface