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Table of Contents
Introduction
Sponsored by Schmidt Futures, CTA in E/Affect is an initiative of the NDMA that aims to strengthen the case for investment in Cognitive Task Analysis.
The initiative has two focused objectives:
Stage 1 (In Effect) – Documenting the return on investment (ROI) of past applications of CTA.
Stage 2 (In Affect) – Identifying high-value CTAs that could be supported by governments and/or through public-private partnerships.
In Stage One of CTA in E/Affect, the NDMA solicited case studies demonstrating significant ROI from applications of CTA across the globe.
This report summarizes the key findings in the submissions received.
Key Takeaways
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CTA is enabling a spectrum of applications.
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CTA is at work globally.
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The returns on investment in CTA are significant.
- Decreased Training Time
- Reduced Backorders
- Heightened Recognition Skills
- Reduced Errors
- Olympic & Paralympic Medals
- World Records
- Increased Valuation
- Enhanced Analytic Abilities
- Rapidized Onboarding
- New Tool Designs
- Reductions in Cost
- Decrease in False Alarms
- Policy & Culture Change
- New Corporate Functions
- Hastened Hiring Decisions
- Increased Preparedness
What is CTA?
“CTA Practitioners get ‘Inside the heads’ of experts to reveal the nature of their expertise.”
Cognitive Task Analysis is a toolkit used by NDM researchers and practitioners to understand proficient performance and how people achieve expertise.
Studies by NDMA members have found that traditional training programs often cover only a fraction of the skills that workers actually need to succeed in a given role.
CTA practitioners “get inside the heads” of performers to reveal the nature of their expertise, such as how experts:
- Make accurate decisions.
- Make sense of data.
- Avoid or recover from mistakes.
- Create efficiencies.
- Manage risk.
- Adapt to changing conditions.
- Use trade-off resources.
Such findings can be translated into learning experiences and tools that accelerate the achievement of expertise in others – acceleration that has been demonstrated empirically.
“Studies by NDMA members have found that traditional training programs often cover only a fraction of the skills that workers actually need to succeed in a given role.”
CTA offers many use cases for improving performance through application of findings, including:
Capturing the knowledge of workers with key knowledge and skills so that novices can accelerate their own expertise.
Ensuring that training programs are based on what workers actually need to know and be able to do.
Designing tools to support proficient performance and augment human capabilities.
With CTA, improvements come rapidly, reducing the gap in performance between experts and novices.
It can change the trajectory of entire organizations.
Submissions Overview
The NDMA received 14 submissions a diverse set of domains.
They reinforce the benefits and applicability of CTA for any working environment across the global economy.
Key Findings
Knowledge Management
Capturing the knowledge of workers with key knowledge and skills so that novices can accelerate their own expertise.
Instructional System Design
Ensuring that training programs are based on what workers actually need to know and be able to do.
Cognitive Systems Engineering
Designing tools to support proficient performance and augment human capabilities.
Client Testimonials
Conclusion & Next Steps
As organizations navigate challenging workforce trends—such as losing expertise to retirement and widespread education system decline—CTA methods offer an effective and efficient approach for closing workforce performance gaps.
The case studies from Stage One of the CTA in E/Affect Initiative demonstrate the diversity of domains, methods, applications, and outcomes already realized by CTA practitioners. By investing in CTA, these sponsoring organizations uncovered insights that have directly strengthened their workforce.
The potential for CTA remains mostly untapped. Many sectors have yet to realize its benefits.
Building on Stage One of this initiative, in Stage Two the NDMA will work to identify diverse and promising industry-level targets where CTA applications offer the potential of high-value returns.
Do you think CTA can add value to your organization?
CTA in Effect Case Studies
As you read these success stories, consider what CTA can do for you and your workforce.
Want to learn more about CTA?
The CTA Institute offers training in Cognitive Task Analysis for professionals of all disciplines.
NDMA members receive a discount on enrollment.