"Task analysis for instructional design is a process of analysing and articulating the kind of learning that you expect the learners to know how to perform Instructional designers perform a task analysis in order to:
The process of task analysis emerged from the behaviourist era in an effort to describe the elemental behaviours involved in performing a task or job. Nevertheless, different task analysis methods have followed the paradigm shifts to cognitive psychology and onto constructivism. Ultimately, each methodology of instruction commands its own method of analysis. Yet, regardless of methodology, a task analysis is needed for an in-depth understanding of the learning that’s to take place (Jonassen, et al., 1999).
According to Jonassen, the answer is no. Too often instructional designers try to force-fit all learning situations into one or two methods with which they are most familiar. However, as different audiences require different instructional strategies, different contexts demand different task analysis methods. To determine the best method for your instruction, you must decide what kind of analysis to perform. In general, there are five kinds of task analyses:
Each of the five methods involves a different procedure for conducting a task analysis and also makes different assumptions about the process of learning.
According to Jonassen, the task analysis process consists of five distinct functions: