A task analysis is a written and/or pictorial list of steps that make up a complex skill. The sequence of steps written in a task analysis indicate the order in which steps should be completed. Task analyses are used every day. For example, chefs and cooks create delicious meals based on complex recipes that include specific ingredients and a specific sequence of tasks. Even a basic recipe for chocolate chip cookies can come out wrong unless you have a list of instructions and ingredients.
Task analyses have been used by the healthcare industry and other industries for a long time. For example, the World Health Organization created a “Surgical Safety Checklist” that designates steps to implement before, during, and after surgeries (World Health Organization, 2009).
