The need to create a bridge between the study of human information behaviour
and the design of information systems has been voiced in Information Science as
well as in other areas, such as Information Systems (e.g., Johnstone et al.2004).
Cognitive Work Analysis provides one approach to make studies in human-information interaction relevant to systems design.
While addressing the more general area of human-information interaction,
Cognitive Work Analysis contributes to the study of information seeking in
context in various ways. While it does not identify the specific context-related
variables that affect human-information interaction for all actors, it delineates the
dimensions that together shape and contribute to this interaction. Moreover, these
dimensions have been developed through many empirical studies of human
interaction with systems in the work place, and can be used to analyse this
interaction and aid in the design of information systems. Through its dimensions,
templates, and formative approach, Cognitive Work Analysis has proved highly
effective in investigating the complex and dynamic nature of the context and the
phenomena that human information behaviour research addresses.
On the spectrum of research approaches, ranging from the reductionist and
generalizable approaches, to the holistic and individual ones, Cognitive Work
Analysis is placed somewhere in the middle, adapting a holistic approach
focusing on the task or function actors perform. While, to date, only a few
information systems have been designed based on this approach, they have
proved highly effective and had impact on design. Because the development of
Cognitive Work Analysis is based on empirical research, future research in
human-information interaction will not only result in improving the requirements for the design of additional information systems, it will also further refine the
general application of Cognitive Work Analysis to the design of information
systems.