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-----Original Message-----
From: "Locke David" <dlocke -at- bindview -dot- com>
Sent: Friday, May 05, 2000 10:35 AM
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Subject: FW: Task analysis
The first slide [of a slide show recommended by another poster] says a task
analysis determines the human function in the
system. A task analysis should be more flexible and allow for a variety of
task allocations, because a product's task allocation will vary over the
life of the product.
David W. Locke
[Kimber remarked:] Task analysis focues on the human being. Functional analysis
focuses on the machine or other tool. The analysis focuses on the actions taken
toward the objective (task) or the analysis focuses on the capabilities of the
tool to meet an objective (function).
If one is asked to perform "task analysis" on a software package, one is being
asked to break down the user's tasks that are performed with the software tool.
Such analysis often evolves as a concatonation of a functional analysis with a
task analysis.
The "Use Case" is a handy way to accomplish this kind of analysis. Rational
(makers of Rational Rose) Software's site < www. rational.com > hosts a UML
(unified modeling language) reference site that pertains specifically to using
Rational Rose, but the concepts << http://www.rational.com/uml/resources/quick/index.jtmpl >> are useful when
learning about the idea of use cases. As always, a search on Google.com will
reveal sites dedicated specifically to info about Use Cases (including one w/ a
template I found) that are not connected with any software company.
Nothing was said in the original post about doing a task analysis for a software
app; I'm extrapolating and tossing in my $.02.
HTH,
--Kimber
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
It is never too late to plan the adventure of your life.
Kimber Miller
kimber_miller -at- acs-inc -dot- com
Affiliated Computer Services
Dallas, Texas
214.887.7408
