Extending cognitive work analysis to manufacturing scheduling

This paper discusses the challenges of applying tools associated with cognitive work analysis to a domain that is quite different from the process control domain in which cognitive work analysis was developed. The context of the paper is the design of a decision support system to aid scheduling of tasks within a manufacturing domain typical of job shops. The constraints in the supervisory control of a discrete manufacturing system are more intentional than physical. The paper explores the problems that arise with an intentional system and discusses how they might be overcome.