Using cognitive modeling for requirements engineering in anesthesiology

Cognitive modeling is a complexity reducing method to describe significant cognitive processes under a specified research focus. Here, a cognitive process model for decision making in anesthesiology is presented and applied in requirements engineering. Three decision making situations of anesthetists are distinguished, which depend on the state of the patient. For every decision making situation, different requirements of information supply to support decision making of anesthetists can be defined without additional input of the anesthetist. We developed a prototype of a decision support system for familiar situations and define the specifications of a system to support urgent situations. More research about presenting relevant information is needed to support the third decision making situation, diagnosing.