Date: 202004
Local time of day: 1801-2400
Location: ZZZ.Airport, US
Flight conditions: VMC
Aircraft: Commercial Fixed Wing
Operator: Air Carrier
Operating under: Part 121
Flight plan: IFR
Flight phase: Taxi
Airspace: Class D ZZZ
ATC / advisory: Tower ZZZ
Reporter organization: Air Carrier
Reporter function: Captain; Pilot Flying
Reporter qualification: Flight Crew Air Transport Pilot (ATP); Flight Crew Instrument; Flight Crew Multiengine
Human factors: Distraction; Situational Awareness; Other / Unknown
Anomaly: Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Clearance; Deviation / Discrepancy - Procedural Published Material / Policy; Ground Incursion Taxiway
Detector: Person Air Traffic Control
When detected: Taxi
Result: Air Traffic Control Provided Assistance; Flight Crew Returned To Clearance
Contributing factors: Company Policy; Procedure; Human Factors; Environment - Non Weather Related
Primary problem: Human Factors

Narrative: Missed direction on company page to contact Ground for pushback. Due to similar ramp appearance to many other company-owned; uncontrolled; small; remote ramps; pushed back onto the adjacent taxiway without asking Ground. When taxi clearance was requested; Ground Control mentioned that what we thought was an uncontrolled part of the ramp; was actually a taxiway. They said there was no conflict; but to note it in the future. Apologized and continued.I believe that several factors added to the cause: Similarity to many other small ramps; my unfamiliarity with this particular airport; and; truthfully; the disruption in my normal flows and habit patterns due to the change in operations during the Coronavirus pandemic. I normally don't use my iPad for things like checking in or reading and signing the flight planning requirements. I previously exclusively relied on printed paper flight planning requirements because of the ease; accuracy; and speed of access and unmatched ability to understand the entire plan when referencing them. I also have found it faster to exclusively use the touchpad in the airplane for all in-flight info; and consider taking out and attaching the iPad to be superfluous; time-consuming; and limits visibility. During COVID Operations; I have been trying to find the best way to alter my flows and vary from proven habit patterns to comply with changing sanitation requirements and necessary technological operational changes. I believe the combination of dealing with cleaning the flight deck; reduced communication while wearing a mask and distracting tactile limitations of gloves; changes in where and how quickly pertinent information is obtained (iPad vs paper; iPad vs. Touchpad); and changes as simple as where your eyes look to get info; lead to this mistake. Simply put; I looked at the ramp depiction on the company page on the iPad; had it sized incorrectly to see the parking space only as opposed to looking at the depiction on the airplane's touchpad where I would normally look and see the requirement to call Ground for pushback; and missed it based on experience-based expectation bias.  I think the FO did pretty much the exact same thing; causing him to miss it too.As always; slow down; communicate; and don't fall to the limitations of previous experience before confirming an action from more than one source.




Synopsis: Air carrier Captain reported pushing without contacting ground; citing COVID-19 operations as the reason for disrupting flows and habits.