This document outlines an occupational performance model that analyzes occupations in terms of roles, routines, tasks, and components. It describes analyzing occupations to understand their steps, demands, and risks/benefits. The purpose of analysis is to determine what skills are needed to perform occupations and develop mastery for either occupational ends or as a means to other ends.

1. OCCUPATIONALACTIVITYANALYSIS

2. OCCUPATIONAL PERFORMANCE: The ability to
perceive, desire, recall, plan and carry out roles,
routines, tasks and sub-tasks for the purpose of self-
maintenance, productivity, leisure and rest in response
to demands of the internal and/or external
environment.

3. OCCUPATIONAL PERFORMANCE ROLES: are
patterns of occupational behaviour composed of
configurations of self-maintenance, productivity,
leisure and rest occupations. Roles are determined by
individual person-environment-performance
relationships. They are established through need
and/or choice and are modified with age, ability,
experience, circumstance and time.

4. OCCUPATIONAL PERFORMANCE AREAS: are
categories of routines, tasks and sub-tasks performed
by people to fulfil the requirements of occupational
performance roles. These categories include self-
maintenance occupations, productivity/school
occupations, leisure/play occupations and rest
occupations. The classification of occupations into
these categories is an idiosyncratic process..

5. Rest Occupations: refer to the purposeful pursuit of
non-activity. This can include time devoted to sleep
(Meyer, 1922), as well as routines, tasks, sub-tasks and
rituals undertaken in order to relax.

6. Self-Maintenance Occupations: are routines, tasks and
sub-tasks done to preserve a person’s health and well
being in the environment (Reed, 1986, p.499). These
routines, tasks and sub-tasks can be in the form of
habitual routines (dressing, eating) or occasional non-
habitual tasks (taking medication) that are demanded
by circumstance.

7. Productivity/School Occupations: are routines, tasks
and sub-tasks which are done to enable a person to
provide support for self, family or community through
the production of goods or provision of services (Reed,
1986, p.499).

8. Leisure/Play Occupations: are those routines, tasks
and sub-tasks for purposes of entertainment,
creativity and celebration, for example gardening,
sewing, games.

9. OCCUPATIONAL PERFORMANCE
COMPONENTS: are the component attributes of the
performer as well as the components of occupational
tasks. The physical, sensory-motor, cognitive, and
psychosocial dimensions of any task performed
mirrors and prompts a person’s various physical,
sensory-motor, cognitive and psychosocial operations
that are used to engage in task performance. These
components of occupational performance are
classified as biomechanical components, sensory-
motor components, cognitive components,
intrapersonal components and interpersonal
components.

10. Biomechanical Performance Component: From the
perspective of the performer, this component refers to
the operation and interaction of and between physical
structures of the body during task performance. This
can include range of motion, muscle strength, grasp,
muscular and cardiovascular endurance, circulation,
elimination of body waste. From the perspective of the
task or sub-task, this component refers to the
biomechanical attributes of the task; for example, size,
weight, dimension and location of objects.

11. Sensory-Motor Performance Component: From the
perspective of the performer, this component refers to
the operation and interaction of and between sensory
input and motor responses of the body during task
performance. This can include regulation of muscle
tone during activity, generation of appropriate motor
responses, registration of sensory stimuli and
coordination. From the perspective of the task or sub-
task, this component refers to the sensory aspects of
the task; for example, colour, texture, temperature,
movement, sound, smell and taste.

12. Cognitive Performance Component: From the
perspective of the performer, this component refers to
the operation and interaction of and between mental
processes used during task performance. This can
include: thinking, perceiving, recognizing,
remembering, judging, learning, knowing, attending
and problem solving. From the perspective of the task
or sub-task, this component refers to the cognitive
dimensions of the task or sub-task. These are usually
determined by the complexity of the task.

13. Intrapersonal Performance Component: From the
perspective of the performer, this component refers to
the operation and interaction of and between internal
psychological processes used during task performance.
This can include emotions, self-esteem, mood, affect,
rationality and defence mechanisms. From the
perspective of the task or sub-task, this component
refers to the intrapersonal attributes that can be
stimulated by the task or sub-task and are required
for effective task performance, such as, valuing,
satisfaction and motivation.

14. Interpersonal Performance Component: From the
perspective of the performer, this component refers to
the continuing and changing interaction between a
person and others during task performance that
contributes to the development of the individual as a
participant in society. This can include interaction
among individuals in relationships such as marriages,
families, communities and organisations both formal
and informal. Interactive examples include sharing,
cooperation, empathy, verbal and non-verbal
communication. From the perspective of the task or
sub-task, this component refers to the nature and
degree of interpersonal interaction required for
effective task performance.

15. CORE ELEMENTS OF OCCUPATIONAL
PERFORMANCE: are the body, mind and spirit. The
Occupational Performance Model (Australia)
acknowledges that together these core elements of
human existence form the human body, the human
brain, the human mind, the human consciousness of
self and the human awareness of the universe (Popper,
1981)

16. Body Element: is defined as all of the tangible physical
components of human structure.
Mind Element: is defined as the core of our conscious
and unconscious intellect that forms the basis of our
ability to understand and reason.
Spirit Element: is defined loosely as that aspect of
humans which seeks a sense of harmony within self
and between self, nature, others and in some cases an
ultimate other; seeks an existing mystery to life; inner
conviction; hope and meaning.

17. EXTERNAL ENVIRONMENT: is an interactive
sensory-physical-socio-cultural phenomenon within
which occupational performance occurs. The
interaction of these four dimensions creates further
sub-dimensions such as political and economic
environments that profoundly affect occupational
performance. The occupational performance
environment shapes the nature of occupational
performance and is also modified by it.

18. Physical Environment: refers to the natural and
constructed surroundings of a person that form
physical boundaries and contribute to shaping
behaviour.
Sensory Environment: refers to the sensory
surroundings of a person. Sensory aspects of the
environment give a person information about the
physical-socio-cultural aspects of the environment and
its survivability

19. Cultural Environment: refers to an organized
structure composed of systems of values, beliefs, ideals
and customs which contribute to the behavioral
boundaries of a person or group of people.
Social Environment: refers to an organized structure
created by the patterns of relationships between
people who function in a group which in turn
contributes to establishing the boundaries of behavior.

20. SPACE: refers to compositions of physical matter
(Physical Space) and a person’s view of the experience
of space (Felt Space).
TIME: refers to the temporal ordering of physical
events (Physical Time) as well as a person’s
understanding of time based on the meaning that is
attributed to it (Felt Time).

21. Definition: ANALYSIS
“separation of a whole, whether of
material substance or any matter of
thought, into its constituent
elements” “detailed examination of the elements or
structure of something

22. Definition: ACTIVITY
The state of being active; movement, action,
performance, energy, sphere of action; social activities
Activities of Daily Living
Play/School activities
Muscle Activity
Brain Activity
Electrical Activity

23. Definition: TASK
Job, Assignment, Chore, Duty, Role, Occupation
“sequences of subtasks that are ordered from the first
performed to the last performed to accomplish a
specific purpose”

24. Definition: OCCUPATION
Job, profession, activity, task, pursuit, duty or Action,
state, or period of occupying or being occupied
by military force

25. WHAT OCCUPATIONS DO WE ANALYSE?
-Self Care, Homemaking, Work,
-Play, School, Rest
-Culturally determined
-Personally chosen
-Universal, Idiosyncratic
-Politically regulated

26. WHY ANALYZE ?
Occupations as an END
• Enable the person to ‘do’
• Develop competence in ‘doing’
Occupations as a MEANS
• A way to address underlying difficulties
• May/may not be an ‘end’
• Of intrinsic value if interest is captured
• Capacities developed are then applied to the
performance goal

29. OCCUPATIONAL ROLE/S
The important parts one wants or needs to play out in
life
Outward representation of who we are
Personal view of self – ‘being’
Reason for ‘doing’
Acted out through the things we DO, SAY, ARE
Reference point for judgements about
Performance
--------------------------------------------------------------
Competence, Satisfaction, Quality of Life, Well-being

30. OCCUPATIONAL ROLE/S
What roles are critical to health & well-being
What is their current status?
•Stable
•Evolving
•Desired
•Required
•Engaged in
•Satisfied with
•Being discarded
•In conflict
•Rejected
•Ambivalent about

31. OCCUPATIONS
Self Maintenance Rest Leisure/Play Productivity/
Education
•Routines, Tasks, Steps, Interactions, Skill sets
•Things we do, say or have done to/for us
•Fulfil a self- or contextually-determined purpose
•Meet role expectations

32. OCCUPATIONS
Self Maintenance Rest Leisure/Play Productivity/
Education
What occupations are critical to.....?
Health, Competence, Satisfaction, Well-being or may be
of interest
Identify occupations as an ENDS
What might be a ‘MEANS’ to an ‘END’?
What else might capture interest and provide the just
right challenge?
Select occupations as MEANS

33. OCCUPATION ANALYSIS
Analyzing an occupation to identify what is involved
(occupation-focused)
- Steps (+ equip. & supplies)
- Time required
- Demands on capacity
- Contextual requirement
- Potential Risks / Benefits
• To body, mind spirit
• To time & space
• To context

34. PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS
Analyzing performance of an occupation to identify how
well it is done (client-focused).
- Performance of Steps
- Time taken
- Strategies applied
- Influence of context
- Risks/ Benefits incurred
• To body, mind, spirit
• To time & space
• To context

35. PURPOSE: Occupation Analysis: What is it?
• Understand what needs to be done.... for the
‘occupation’ to be completed.
• Know if it is feasible: Equipment, Consumables, Time,
Cost.
• Understand what needs to be done.... for the
‘occupation’ to be completed

36. PURPOSE: Occupation Analysis Steps/Time
• Determine feasibility... END or MEANS.... possible,
realistic, likely to ‘fit’ client
• Develop a teaching plan .... Know what needs to be
taught.
• Foundation for Performance Analysis... observe/
measure how well a person does

37. OCCUPATION ANALYSIS
‘TASK’ = Steps
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
‘ROUTINE’ = Tasks
Task 1
Task 2
Task 3
‘ROLE’ = Routines
Routine 1
Routine 2
Routine 3

38. OCCUPATION ANALYSIS
‘ROLE’ = Routines Time
Routine 1
Routine 2
Routine 3
Routine 4
Routine 5
Routine 6
Routine 7
Routine 8

39. OCCUPATION ANALYSIS
‘ROUTINE’ = Tasks Time
Task 1
Task 2
Task 3
Task 4
Task 5
Task 6
Task 7
Task 8

40. OCCUPATION ANALYSIS
‘TASK’= Steps Time
Step 1
Step 2
Step 3
Step 4
Step 5
Step 6
Step 7
Step 8

41. Time required
Estimating the amount of time needed to complete:
• each step, task, routine
• whole task, routine, role

42. OCCUPATION ANALYSIS
PREPARATION / SET UP TIME REQUIRED
‘STEPS’ TIME REQUIRED
1:
2
3
4
5
6
7
CLEAN UP / PUT AWAY TIME REQUIRED
TOTAL TIME:

43. Analysis of the Risks / Benefits PURPOSE:
• Identify potential risks / wastage to minimize
beforehand
• Ensure the occupation is challenging but safe:

44. PURPOSE: Performance Analysis: Steps/Time
• Determine how skilled a person is.
• Identify difficult points (steps) in performance
• Know where in the task to place your efforts in
developing skill
• Measure outcome of therapy in terms of skill
development

45. Measuring skill in Performance
How skilled does the person need to be?
• Independent, Supervised, Assisted
• Whole task or part only
• Pre-determined criterion
Alternative Concept: Mastery

46. MASTERY
Masterful
Skilled
Proficient
Expert “Really, really good at
• Idiosyncratic
• Shaped by needs / desires
• Influenced by context
• Differs from ‘independence’

47. Measuring Mastery
• What needs to be mastered?
– What are the roles, routines, tasks, subtasks?
• To what level?
– How much of it will be mastered?
– What % will s/he do?

48. Mastery Errors: Mistakes
Omission: Leaves ‘step’ out
Inaccuracy: Does ‘step’ but incorrectly
Repetition: Does ‘step’ too many times
Timing: Takes too long to do ‘step’
OR
Doesn’t spend enough time on the ‘step’

49. Measuring mastery #1 (Total mastery)
‘Steps – Tasks - Routines’ Errors
1. X
2. X
3. X
4. X
5. ✓
6. ✓
7. ✓
8. ✓

50. Measuring mastery #2 (Error types)
‘Steps – Tasks - Routines’ O A R T
1 X
2 X X
3 X
4 X
5 Error free
6 Error free
7 Error free
8 Error free

51. Using findings to establish S.M.A.R.T. goals
Specific: behavior
Measureable: can be measured
Attainable: realistic
Relevant: related to needs
Time bound: by when

52. CLIENT WILL BE ABLE TO.....
Do what?
How well? Mastery?
Attainable?
Realistic?
When?

53. STEP/S
TASK/S
ROUTINE/S
ROLE/S

54. HOW?
Occupations as an END
•Develop competence in ‘doing’
Occupations as a MEANS
• Build capacities needed through the same or another
occupation and then generalize them to the ‘end’ goal

55. THERAPY PLAN:
Adjust the challenge
Grading

56. PURPOSE:
Performance Analysis of the Risks / Benefits
• Identify UNEXPECTED risks and benefits incurred.
• Ensure future performance is challenging but safe

57. Occupation Analysis: Demands
- Biomechanical
- Sensory Motor
- Cognitive
- Intra personal
- Inter personal

58. Biomechanical Component
PERSON: View of the body-mind-spirit as a system of
pulleys, pumps and levers
OCCUPATION: Characteristics of occupations (+
equipment & consumables) that challenge a person’s
range of motion, strength, endurance and coordination

59. Biomechanical Component
DEMANDS PERSON REQUIREMENTS
- Position/Location in space
- Size
- Weight
- Amount of repetition necessary
- Effort necessary
- Manipulation required
- Viscosity

60. Sensory-Motor Component
PERSON: View of the body-mind-spirit as a sensory
seeking organism that uses sensory information to
formulate responses
OCCUPATION: Characteristics of occupations
(+equipment, consumables) that stimulate / challenge a
person’s senses

61. Sensory-Motor Component
Intentional versus automatic/subcortical use of capacities
- VISION HEARING
- TOUCH SMELL
- TASTE GRAVITY DETECTION

62. Sensory-Motor Component
CONCEPT: Idiosyncratic Sensory Thresholds
Detection Threshold--------------Sensory Input

63. Sensory-Motor Component
VISUAL DEMANDS PERSON REQUIREMENTS
- Black / White
- Color
- Contrast
- Intensity
- Pattern

64. Sensory-Motor Component
TACTILE –SOMATOSENSORY PERSON REQUIREMENTS
DEMANDS
- Sharp/Dull points
- Temperature
- Texture (Type)
- Weight

65. Sensory-Motor Component
VESTIBULAR –PROPRIOCEPTIVE PERSON
REQUIREMENTS
Degree of movement demanded
by aspects of the occupation:
• Head movement
• Body movement
• Limb movement
Speed of movement involved

66. AUDITORY DEMANDS PERSON REQUIREMENTS
- Emits sound
- Type & Range
- Intensity
- Timing
- Overlapping

67. OLFACTORY DEMANDS PERSONREQUIREMENTS
- Emits odor
- Type & Range
- Intensity

68. GUSTATORY DEMANDS PERSON REQUIREMENTS
Emits flavor
• sweet
• salty
• sour
• bitter
• umami
Type & Range Intensity

69. Cognitive/Perceptual Component
PERSON: View of the body-mind-spirit as a
thinking, reasoning, rational being (ability to
form perceptions, learn & remember, think &
reason, act on decisions)
OCCUPATIONS: Characteristics of occupations
(+ equipment & consumables) that challenge a person’s
attention, perception, memory, thinking, decision
making, planning, judgment

70. Cognitive/Perceptual Component
DEMANDS PERSON REQUIREMENTS
- Attention-grabbing qualities
- Familiar vs Novel
- Complexity of symbols & instructions
- Complexity of equipment & materials
- Amount of choice available
- Decision-making required
- Immediacy of feedback

71. Intrapersonal component
PERSON: View of the body-mind-spirit as a confident
being with values, beliefs, attitudes, emotions & moods,
sense of self.
OCCUPATION: Characteristics of occupations
(+ equipment, consumables) that challenge a person’s
beliefs, values, attitudes, emotions/mood, self-esteem,
confidence

72. Interpersonal component
PERSON: View of the body-mind-spirit as a
social being that interacts with others
OCCUPATION: Characteristics of occupations
(+equipment, consumables) that that challenge a
person’s social skills

73. Interpersonal component
DEMANDS PERSON REQUIREMENTS
Form & type
of interaction required
FORM TYPE

74. Performance Analysis: Capacity
The underlying abilities of the person who is
performing the occupation
PURPOSE: Performance Analysis: Strategy Application
• Identify how well a person is able to meet the
challenges of an occupation
• Identify difficulties encountered
• Determine what capacity building is needed…..or
what compensation is required

75. FOR: Problematic task or step/s, why are there errors?
Why are mistakes being made?
Comparative Analysis of Strategy Application
Expected Responses Observed Strategies
- -
- -
Excessive/Unwanted Missing/ Desired
- -
- -

76. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Excessive/Unwanted +
AIM:
- Reduce
- Discourage
- Suppress
- Eliminate or Compensate

77. WHAT AM I GOING TO DO ABOUT IT?
Missing/Desired -
AIM:
- Increase
- Encourage
- Develop
- Build
Or
- Compensate

78. HOW?
What can be done to change demands?
Occupation as END:
Choose an occupation that will encourage or discourage
use of these capacities as a means of building capacity
and grade accordingly
Excessive/Unwanted - Reduce/ encourage
Missing/ Desired -Increase/ promote

79. PURPOSE: Occupation Analysis of the
Context: Characteristics
• Understand the multifaceted nature of the context in
which occupations occur.
• Identify contextual requirements for occupations to be
performed.
• Create a context that will provide the just right
challenge to a person’s capacity

80. What comprises the context?
THE PLACE WHERE THE OCCUPATION OCCURS
PHYSICAL DIMENSIONS
Physical features of natural & built context
Natural = Naturally occurring
Physical features of natural & built context
Built = Human made
Analyzis of Context

81. SENSORY DIMENSIONS
Sensory features of the natural or built context
- HOT / COLD
- LIGHT / DARK
- NOISY / QUIET
- HUMID / DRY
- ODIFEROUS / ODOR FREE
- SLIPPERY / STICKY
- SMOOTH / ROUGH
- TASTY / TASTELESS
Analysis of Context

82. COGNITIVE DIMENSIONS
Complexity of the context and the ease with which it can
be interpreted
Analysis of Context

83. PSYCHOLOGICAL DIMENSIONS
Characteristics of the context that challenge, calm or
have no effect
Consideration of features that may, idiosyncratically, be
a threat to one’s psyche or invoke stress, or be calming,
‘inviting - enticing’.
Analysis of Context

84. SOCIAL DIMENSIONS
Social interaction requirements and opportunities that
exist
• Presence of people
• Degree to which interpersonal interaction is supported /
encouraged

85. CULTURAL DIMENSIONS
Dimensions that allow for culturally determined
ways of doing
Cultural specific furniture, furniture placement,
iconography, utensils, objects, dress, food
Analysis of Context

86. SPIRITUAL DIMENSIONS
Dimensions that allow for performance of rituals and
routines that strengthen the spirit and support
spiritual beliefs
Space, Suitable furniture, Objects, Icons, Artefacts
‘Atmosphere’
Analysis of Context

87. POLITICAL DIMENSIONS
Explicit and implicit laws, rules, and regulations that
control performance
- Political systems
- Rules & Regulations
- Inclusion/ Exclusion rules
- Political correctness
- ‘A just society’??
Analysis of Context

88. ECONOMIC DIMENSIONS
Explicit and implicit costs and financial systems that
influence what is done
- Cost of goods/services
- Economic structures
- Exchange rates
- Expectations for payment
Analysis of Context

89. PURPOSE:
Performance Analysis of the Context: Characteristics
• Understand the influence of the context on
performance.
• Adapt the context to suit client needs

90. PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS
INFLUENCE OF CONTEXT ON PERFORMANCE
Contextual requirements of the occupation
Contextual dimensions observed
Physical What contextual dimensions were/are present?
Sensory
Cognitive
Psychological
Social
Cultural
Spiritual
Political
Economic

91. PURPOSE: Performance Analysis: Context
Occupation as END:
What can be done to change context to enable success?
Occupation as MEANS:
Does the context provide the ‘just right’ challenge to one’s
capacities?