Development of The Purdue Cognitive Job Analysis Methodology

The objective of this article is to develop a cognitive job and task analysis methodology that not only analyzes jobs and tasks, but also provides a mechanism for improving cognitive job and task performance. Two phases were used to achieve this objective. The 1st phase developed a human-centered cognitive performance (HCCP) model based on human information processing. To quantitatively measure those aspects related to human performance in the HCCP model, a Purdue Cognitive Task Analysis Questionnaire (PCTAQ) was developed by mapping from the HCCP model to provide an easy way to measure the dynamic job requirements on human cognitive abilities. In the second phase, data on cognitive-oriented job elements for 50 diversified cognitive jobs were collected using the PCTAQ with 321 job incumbents (8 job incumbents per job, 242 job incumbents rated 1 job, and 79 job incumbents rated 2 jobs). Factor analysis based on these collected data resulted in the identification of 8 reasonably meaningful cognitive job dimensions. Overall, this method focuses on estimating all aspects of human performance in technical work, with the goal of assisting job (re)design to increase human job performance.