An independent Cognitive Demands Analysis (CDA) is a detailed evaluation of the cognitive requirements of a job and is completed in combination with a Physical Demands Analysis (PDA). Such an analysis captures the cognitive requirements of a position. Cognitive demands analysis is designed to provide an assessment of the workplace and identify the essential job duties and cognitive demands of a specific job. Assessors typically test domains that include the amount of concentration needed to perform a job, the demands of the position on an employee’s memory, time pressures associated with tasks related to the role, and other factors such as degree of social interaction required, preferred traits and general stressors that exist in the workplace. A comprehensive CDA can provide an employer with a relatively clear picture of the cognitive needs of a particular position, as well as the pressures that exist that may give rise to mental stress in the workplace.
