An online tool to identify clerical worker profiles in relation to their skills and cognitive stressors

RODRIGUEZ, ROBERTO; PATTINI, ANDREA

Cognition, Technology & Work

Springer London

Lugar: London ; Año: 2009

1435-5566

Information Society has produced a change of paradigm for clerical job analysis: from the visual VDT paradigm to the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) paradigm.  Nowadays, visual and cognitive stressors coexist in ITC work, hence, mental strain analysis is a key for achieving efficiency, wellbeing, satisfaction and safety. This methodology, a snowball sampled online survey, characterizes ICT user profiles. Dimensions based on e-skills and user attitudes are proposed: Empathy, resources, and dependency. Internal consistency of the tool  was tested in a pilot study (n=29). A new sample (n=96) was reached in which the new dimensions and cognitive stressors where analyzed and correlated with the user skills by means of paired T- tests. Main results: Changes in the tool allowed alpha -Crombach values of around 0,7 for the second sample. At least a single cognitive stressor was present on every subject, evidence of the proposed change of paradigm. No differences where found in dependency towards the new IT technologies, and task overload and memory overload showed differences among the profiles. Bigger sample sizes might confirm some observed tendencies.