A Comparison of Work Domain and Task Analysis for Identifying Information Requirements: A Case Study of Rural Intersection Decision Support Systems

Abstract

Minnesota drivers are over-represented in accidents at rural intersections and many crashes are attributable to drivers accepting unsafe gaps. In this context, intersection decision support (IDS) systems are promising technologies for supporting driver decision-making. A significant activity during IDS development is to determine the information requirements to display to drivers. To be effective, an IDS system must present information that helps drivers successfully negotiate intersections. This paper compares two methods for identifying information requirements: work domain analysis (WDA) and hierarchical task analysis (HTA). Results showed that 58% of the requirements were identified by WDA, 7% by HTA, and 35% by both methods. An analysis of driver errors at intersections during the HTA activity identified that drivers can perceive gaps at intersections in different ways. This important nuance was not captured in the WDA. Therefore, both WDA and HTA are effective methods for identifying information requirements. Discussion focuses on the importance of both WDA and HTA in IDS system development.