A self-analysis of the NASA-TLX workload measure

• Published in: Ergonomics Vol. 50; no. 4; pp. 514 - 519
• Main Authors: Noyes, Jan M., Bruneau, Daniel P. J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London Taylor & Francis 01.04.2007; Washington, DC Taylor & Francis LLC
• Subjects: Absolute vs. relative workload measures; Adolescent; Adult; Applied physiology; Biological and medical sciences; Comparative analysis; Comprehension; Computer based modeling; Computer vs. paper administration; Ergonomics; Ergonomics. Work place. Occupational physiology; Female; Human factors research; Human physiology applied to population studies and life conditions. Human ecophysiology; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Microcomputers - economics; NASA-TLX workload measure; Psychometrics - instrumentation; Reading; Research Design; Self-Assessment; Space life sciences; Subjective workload; Surveys and Questionnaires; Task Performance and Analysis; United Kingdom; United States; United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration; Universities; Workload - psychology; Workloads; Human; Computer vs. paper administration; NASA-TLX workload measure; Subjective workload; Ergonomics; Absolute vs. relative workload measures; Computer; Workload
• ISSN: 0014-0139; 1366-5847
• DOI: 10.1080/00140130701235232

Computer use and, more specifically, the administration of tests and materials online continue to proliferate. A number of subjective, self-report workload measures exist, but the National Aeronautics and Space Administration-Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) is probably the most well known and used. The aim of this paper is to consider the workload costs associated with the computer-based and paper versions of the NASA-TLX measure. It was found that there is a significant difference between the workload scores for the two media, with the computer version of the NASA-TLX incurring more workload. This has implications for the practical use of the NASA-TLX as well as for other computer-based workload measures.