User:Jacopete/What is Hierarchical Task Analysis

What is a Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA)?
Annett and Stanton refer to HTA as "exploring tasks through a hierarchy of goals indicating what a person is expected to do, and plans indicating the conditions when subordinate goals should be carried out" (Task Analysis, p. 9).

This sounds quite simple. Right? It actually is simple, but there is a systematic approach to completing an HTA. However, let's first look at the advantages:


 * It allows for easy comparison among multiple task anaylses of the same goal


 * A completed task anaylsis will provide a springboard for a needs assessment


 * Since HTA is conducted through observation, the observer will minimally interfere with the activity and worker.

In the name of fairness, we should also consider a disadvantage:


 * While interference may be minimal during observation, before and after the observation takes time the worker could be using to complete other responsibilities.