An activity analysis is a systematic evaluation of an activity to determine its suitability for a particular client or intervention. The activity analysis identifies the physical and temporal needs for the activity, the required client factor and performance skill needs for the activity, and the therapeutic benefit of the activity. A complete activity analysis can assist in determining whether the activity in question will achieve the intended goals of therapy within the available timeframe and will be appropriate for the specific client.
Sample Activity Analysis
Activity: making a wooden birdfeeder
Description: This craft involves making a wooden bird feeder using a combination of hand tools and power tools.
Overall Time Requirement: 1 hour 20 minutes to 2 hours 35 minutes; time can be easily divided between sessions
Supplies Needed:
Non-Consumable:
Circular saw
Hand saw
Hammer
Pliers
Drill
Drill bits
Safety glasses
Written instructions
Consumable:
Wood board: 1x8x96 inches
Finishing nails
Wood screws
Dowel rod
Sanding block
Space Requirements:
Making a birdhouse requires a large area of space at least 10 feet by 10 feet in order to allow for moving and cutting the board.
Steps with time requirement for each step:
1. Cut the wood into the appropriately sized pieces: 15 minutes (power tools) or 1.5 hours (hand tools)
2. Assemble the base of the birdfeeder: 30 minutes
3. Add the sides and roof of the birdfeeder: 30 minutes
4. Complete the birdfeeder by attaching perches: 5 minutes
Required Client Factors:
Body Functions:
Mental functions:
- Consciousness functions: for awareness and safety throughout the craft.
- Orientation functions: in order to maneuver the large pieces of wood and the hammer and nails without injury to self or others.
- Temperament and personality functions: for emotional stability and regulation when using hand or power tools.
- Energy and drive functions: for active involvement and participation in making the bird feeder and completion of the activity without tiring.
- Attention functions: for attention to task and its safe completion.
- Memory functions: for recalling instructions and safety rules.
- Perceptual functions: for awareness of where the body is in space in order to safely complete the task using hand and power tools.
- Thought functions: for understanding the process and completing it safely.
- Higher level cognitive functions: for making design choices and appropriate safety decisions.
Sensory functions & pain:
- Seeing functions: for using the hand and power tools.
- Hearing functions: for hearing the instructions from the therapist and hearing the sound of a solid connection of hammer and nail.
- Vestibular functions: for maintaining balance when cutting, hammering, or using the drill.
- Touch functions: when testing the wood for smoothness.
- Sensations of pain: to avoid injury from splinters or sharp or heavy tools.
Neuromuscular/motor function:
- Mobility of joint functions: for using the hand and power tools.
- Stability of joint functions: for maintaining proper posture.
- Muscle power functions: for strength when hammering or sawing.
- Muscle endurance functions: for sanding or sawing or hammering for extended periods of time.
- Control of voluntary movements: for hitting the nail and not the fingers when hammering.
Systems function:
- Cardiovascular systems function: for maintaining an appropriate oxygen supply throughout the process.
Body Structures:
Structure of the nervous system: for mental, sensory, and neuromuscular functions
Eyes, ear, and related structures: for sensory functions
Structures of the cardiovascular, immunological, and respiratory systems: for functional endurance
Structures related to movement: for mobility needs to complete activity
Required Performance Skills:
Motor and Praxis Skills:
- Bilateral coordination when holding a nail with one hand and hammering it with the other or holding wood with one hand and cutting with the other.
- Muscle strength in the hands and upper body when using a hammer or saw.
- Muscle strength in the legs and lower body when standing to complete the task from a different angle.
- Endurance when sanding the entire birdhouse.
- Trunk control when stabilizing the body while using a hammer, drill, or saw.
- Fine motor skills when holding a nail between your fingers to hammer.
- Gross motor skills when hammering or using a saw.
Sensory-Perceptual Skills:
- Depth perception when hitting a nail with the hammer.
- Tactile sensation when testing to see if the wood has been sanded sufficiently.
- Normal sensory processing when feeling the various textures of the materials.
Emotional Regulation Skills:
- Frustration tolerance when a mistake is made or the task is difficult.
- Emotional control when hammering a nail head being held by your fingers.
Cognitive Skills:
- Executive functioning when designing the birdhouse and making placement decisions on nails or screws.
- Comprehension when listening to or reading and following the instructions.
- Sequencing when performing the instructions in the proper order.
- Problem solving in the event of a mistake or an unforeseen complication such as a knot where a nail was supposed to go.
Communication and Social Skills:
- Verbal communication when asking for clarification of the instructions or for assistance.
- Written communication when reading the written instruction sheet.
Area of Occupation(s):
Activities of daily living/self-care: For some people, bird feeders and bird houses can serve as interior decorations, and this bird feeder could easily be used as a creative way to store toiletry items in a bathroom.
Instrumental activities of daily living: This bird feeder can be used in caring for the birds in a client’s backyard.
Education: Woodworking is a common skill learned in shop class during high school.
Work: Woodworking is a trade, and clients can use this skill to earn a living.
Leisure: For many clients, woodworking can be a leisure pastime.
Social participation: Working on a bird feeder as a group can help to address social skills and group participation.
Sleep/rest: The physical activity that results from making a bird feeder and from filling it each day in caring for the birds can help clients to remain active during the day and lead to better sleep at night.
Therapeutic Benefit:
Dementia: for clients with dementia, this craft can help to address some of the issues with safety awareness. In addition, this craft can provide a reminiscing aspect for those clients who have done woodworking in the past.
TBI: for clients with a traumatic brain injury, this craft can help to address the executive functioning deficits and issues with safety awareness often present in individuals with a TBI diagnosis.
ADHD: for clients with ADHD, particularly those who are in their teens, this craft can provide a “grown up” way of addressing and encouraging maintained attention for longer periods of time as well as controlled behavior and movements so as to ensure safety.
Depression: for clients with depression, this craft can provide purpose for the client in the form of a “need” that must be filled (providing a safe place for birds to eat) as well as the enjoyment and natural interaction of watching the birds eat from the feeder after it is completed.
Grading:
Sequence, duration, procedures:
- To make the activity easier, the therapist may pre-cut all or most of the materials.
- To make the activity harder, the client may do all of the cutting.
- To make the activity easier, certain design aspects of the bird feeder may be modified to make it simpler to complete.
- To make the activity harder, the finished feeder may be painted or finished for outdoor use.
- To make the activity easier, the process may be broken down into multiple therapy sessions.
- To make the activity harder, the entire project may be completed in only a few therapy sessions.
- To make the activity easier, holes may be pre-drilled by the therapist.
Working position:
- To make the activity easier or harder, the client may complete it from a seated or standing position, depending upon the needs and goals of each client.
Tools
- To make the activity easier, pliers may be used to hold the nails in place instead of fingers.
- To make the activity harder, the client may use only hand tools to complete all of the cutting and screwing.
Materials
- To make the activity harder, a harder wood such as oak may be used.
References and Further Reading:
American Occupational Therapy Association. (2002). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 56, 609-639.
Krajnik, S. (2014). Activity analysis template [Handout].
Thomas, H. (2012). Occupation-based activity analysis. Danvers, Massachusetts: SLACK Incorporated.