Iustina-Cristina COSTEA-MARCU1, Adriana Ana-Maria PĂUN2, Florentina Geanina TACHE3, Răzvan Mihai DOBRESCU4 and Augustin SEMENESCU5
Abstract. Performance assessment in project management has traditionally relied on indicators such as time, cost and quality; however, these provide only a limited perspective on the factors that influence the work of project teams. The purpose of this study is to develop a conceptual model based on the Cognitive Load Index for assessing the cognitive load experienced by team members. The research is based on a review of the literature on project management and cognitive load theory, which identified five relevant cognitive variables: perceived stress, mental fatigue, multitasking, ability to concentrate and task clarity. These variables are integrated into a single index designed to complement traditional indicators used to assess project performance. The proposed model provides a conceptual framework for incorporating cognitive dimensions into team performance assessment and highlights the importance of monitoring cognitive load in complex projects. The results provide a basis for the model’s subsequent validation and development in organisational contexts.
Keywords: project management; team performance; Cognitive Load Index; cognitive load; performance assessment; project teams.
DOI 10.56082/annalsarscieco.2026.3.47
1 National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313, Splaiul Independenței, Sector 6, Bucharest, Romania, ORCID No. 0009-0009-2600-285X, iustina.costea@upb.ro,
2 National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313, Splaiul Independenței, Sector 6, Bucharest, Romania, Corresponding author, ORCID No. 0009-0002-7402-9335, adriana_ana.paun@stud.faima.upb.ro,
3 National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313, Splaiul Independenței, Sector 6, Bucharest, Romania, Corresponding author, ORCID No. 0009-0007-7017-7812, florentina.tache@upb.ro,
4 National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313, Splaiul Independenței, Sector 6, Bucharest, Romania, ORCID No. 0000-0002-6390-5400, razvan.dobrescu@upb.ro,
5 National University of Science and Technology POLITEHNICA Bucharest, 313, Splaiul Independenței, Sector 6, Bucharest, Romania, ORCID No. 0000-0001-6864-3297, augustin.semenescu@upb.ro
PUBLISHED in Annals Academy of Romanian Scientists Series on Economy, Law, Sociology, Volume 9 no 3, 2026