Task analysis
Definition
Task analysis is the practice of breaking a skill or routine into its smallest concrete steps, each a single action, so it can be taught and followed one step at a time.
“Brush your teeth” is really about ten separate actions. Task analysis makes those hidden steps explicit, so a child can learn and follow them without having to hold the whole sequence in mind. It’s the backbone of teaching daily living skills, and it pairs naturally with a visual schedule — one picture per step.
Teaching techniques like forward and backward chaining build those steps into a complete skill over time.