The ADA-method is an attempt to integrate work environment issues into a usability evaluation method. The intention is to provide a method that can be used for the analysis of computer systems that are used by skilled professionals as a major part of their work. An ADA-analysis is performed as a semi-structured observation interview. The objectives of the ADA-method are (1) to identify usability and cognitive work environment problems in a computer supported work situation, and (2) to be a basis for further analysis and discussions concerning improvements of the system. The method was designed to suit the needs of occupational health specialists as a complement to their traditional methods for investigating physical and psychosocial work environments. However, the method has a more general applicability as it can be taught to any usability expert to facilitate work environment considerations in their analysis and evaluation work. Furthermore, the paper reports on the use of the method in several different settings and the results thereof.

Analysis of information utilization (AIU) is a method for describing and analyzing how information entities identified in information analysis are being used in the work situation. AIU aims at complementing existing methods for user interface design by identifying additional requirements for human-computer interaction. The method focuses on aspects, of computer-supported work, related to cognitive load, aspects of which end users often not are explicitly aware. For skilled workers in a professional work environment, the efficiency of the user interface is extremely important. We earlier stressed that important criteria for design of user interfaces deals with making the interface "obvious" to the users, by minimizing the cognitive load associated with the handling of it. AIU is performed through observation interviews in which human-computer experts interview representative users about their work situation and observe physical information-handling routines. The analysis identifies work tasks in terms of judgments and decision-making situations, requirements concerning the tasks that may have to be performed simultaneously, important features and priorities of the information, actions the user can initiate and so on. The method supports the interface designer with human-computer interaction requirements structured for a workspace-oriented design. It is integrated in user-centered development model and supports the simultaneous development of competence, organization, work activity, and information technology. This article describes the background and contents of the method and how the results of the analysis are documented and used in the design process. A number of application projects have shown that AIU makes it possible to capture aspects of human work and information processing that are important to the design of better interfaces. AIU is not a new method for system development but complements today methods for task and information analysis with more...