Vol. 10 No. 1, October 2004   From information behaviour
research to the design of information systems: the Cognitive
Work Analysis framework  Raya Fidel The Information School,
University of Washington Seattle, Washington, USA   Annelise
Mark Pejtersen Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde  Cognitive
Work Analysis is a conceptual framework that makes it possible
to analyse the forces that shape human-information interaction.
This analysis can then be directly transformed to design
requirements for information systems. Its approach is work-
centred, rather than user-centred, as it analyses the
constraints and goals that shape information behaviour in the
work place, regardless of the specific individuals who are
involved. Being a holistic approach, it examines simultaneously
several dimensions: the environmental, organizational, social,
activity, and individual. As a result, applying the framework
requires a multi-disciplinary approach. It provides concepts and
templates to facilitate an analysis of complex pheno