bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extending the User Action Notation for Research in Individual Differences
Authors: Brock Derek , Hix Deborah , Dievendorf Lynn , Trafton J. Gregory
Published: January 2012

Software user interfaces that provide users with more than one device, such as a mouse and keyboard, for interactively performing tasks, are now commonplace. Concerns about how to represent individual differences in patterns of use and acquisition of skill in such interfaces led the authors to develop modifications to the standard format of the User Action Notation (UAN) that substantially augment the notation's expressive power. These extensions allow the reader of an interface specification to make meaningful comparisons between functionally equivalent interaction techniques and task performance strategies in interfaces supporting multiple input devices. Furthermore, they offer researchers a new methodology for analyzing the behavioral aspects of user interfaces. These modifications are documented and their benefits discussed.
A Comparison of Five User Interface Devices Designed for Point-of-Sale in the Retail Industry
Authors: Wilson Karen S. , Liu Michael Inderrieden Steven
Published: January 2012

Although human performance on keyboards, pointing devices, and touch screens in the desktop environment has been studied and reported to the extent that the results can be used to determine productivity rates from those devices, little research has been conducted on devices used in controlled environments, like that of point-of-sale in the retail industry. While previous devices available for user interaction in this environment have been 2×20 displays and industry specific keyboards, current technology has moved the industry to implement CRTs, LCDs, full keyboards, touch screens and uniquely designed devices like the NCR DynaKey, an integrated LCD, keypad and dynamically assignable function keys. A full understanding of human performance on these devices was required to aid retailers in cost justifying their investment in them. Laboratory research was conducted to compare performance of basic point-of-sale tasks on a CRT with 56-key keyboard, 3 versions of an LCD touch screen, and the NCR DynaKey. Participants performed keying tasks, item modification tasks, a combination of item modification and scanning, and the same combination of item modification and scanning with a secondary monitoring task imposed. Time and error rates showed significant differences among the user interface devices for each of the task requirements in this research. Overall, mechanically keyed numeric entry was superior to touch screen numeric entry, mechanical keys were more advantageous with increased skill levels, and the integration of input mechanism and display as well as direct mapping between input and display enhanced performance.
Issues in the Design of Personal Office Support Systems
Authors: Thomas Peter J. , Jones Steven R. , Lees David Y. , Meech John F.
Published: January 2012

The work undertaken by office-based professionals who work closely together on information management tasks has been the object of various studies which seek to categorise and provide guidelines for the smooth performance of those tasks. However, current technology support to be found in many offices provides little in the way of integration between different information media and processes, usually relying on the workers themselves to ‘adapt and survive’ both in terms of ‘personal work’ and ‘collaborative work’. This paper describes the complexities in the design of computer-based technologies to support through a detailed study of the design of a ‘personal office support system’ (POS) currently being undertaken.
A Comparison of Graphical User Interface Widgets for Various Tasks
Authors: Johnsgard Todd J. , Page Stanley R. , Wilson Robert D. , Zeno Ronald J.
Published: January 2012

The purpose of the present study was to compare user performance, accuracy and preference while using standard user interface controls or “widgets” to complete specific types of tasks. Radio buttons were significantly faster, accurate, and preferred than any outer widget for the mutually exclusive selection tasks. For the non-mutually exclusive selection tasks, check boxes were significantly faster and preferred. These widgets were superior due to the fact that all possible options were initially visible. As the number of options increased, the time to complete each task also increased. A practitioner's table for selecting effective widgets for specific types of tasks is provided. Further implications for user interface design and research are discussed.
Adding and Subtracting Percentiles — How bad can it be?
Authors: Kreifeldt John G. , Nah Keoun
Published: January 2012

When performing anthropometric analysis or design, it frequently happens that some particular anthropometric value is not tabulated although it would appear to be derivable by adding or subtracting two relevant and tabulated dimensions. Because percentile values are usually required, there is the temptation to add or subtract the relevant percentile values of the two tabulated dimensions. In some cases, this will produce minimal or no error between the actual percentile value and the result of adding/subtracting the tabulated values, while in other cases, the resulting percentile will be very seriously in error. The magnitude of the errors depends on the percentiles, correlation coefficient and ratio of the standard deviations of the two variates.

This paper details the combinations of these three factors for which adding/subtracting two identical percentile values produces acceptable as well as grossly misleading results. Several tables, charts and equations are provided to aid in this common problem. The results may be particularly useful when only the ratio of standard deviations may be known or approximated rather than their individual values. In general, subtracting percentiles leads to greater errors than adding them.
Living Room Culture—An Anthropological Study of Television Usage Behaviors
Authors: Logan Robert J. , Augaitis Sheila , Miller Robert H. , Wehmeyer Keith
Published: January 2012

Traditionally, research at Thomson has been conducted in the laboratory. This study, however, took place in users' homes. This work investigated the television (TV) viewing behaviors of nine households over an 10-week period and was designed to provide a better understanding of how and why people watch TV within the home. Applying a combination of methods from the fields of human factors and anthropology, viewing behaviors were observed via computer-logged TV commands, interviews, questionnaires, photographs, and other methods. Analysis of the resulting data will cover three major areas: 1) tabulation of computer-logged TV usage behaviors, 2) tabulation and interpretation of personal observations, and 3) comparison of the computer-logged data with the personal observations. This analysis will result in a more complete list of user requirements that includes both behavioral and emotional usability issues. Such requirements will be applied to the design of future consumer electronics.
Wrist Postures While Typing on a Standard and Split Keyboard
Authors: Honan M , Serina E , Tal R , Rempel D
Published: January 2012

Fifty experienced typists participated in a laboratory based repeated measures study with two factors: keyboard height (three) and keyboard configuration (three). The work surface heights tested were 63, 67 and 71 cm. The three keyboard configurations tested were: standard (Apple Extended™), alternative keyboard A (Microsoft Natural Keyboard) and alternative keyboard B (equivalent to Natural Keyboard with Leveler™ extended). Wrist and forearm posture data was acquired using electronic goniometers during 10 minutes of typing at each keyboard/height level. Across all heights tested, wrist extension, wrist ulnar deviation, and forearm pronation were statistically significantly closer to neutral when using alternative keyboard B than when using the standard keyboard.
Manipulation of Pushbuttons and round Rotary Controls
Authors: Kanis H. , van Hees L.W.
Published: January 2012

This study focuses on the manipulation of pushbuttons and round rotary controls on consumer products in practice. It shows that these controls are operated in many different ways. The majority of the observed manipulations is applied both by physically impaired and non-impaired users. Variation occurs in both groups. However, variation which occurs in one group only, almost always occurs in the impaired group. People experiencing operational difficulties used hardly any new types of manipulation compared to smooth operation - that is when no difficulty is experienced in reaching a control, gripping it and exerting the required force. These findings suggest that operational difficulties function as incentives urging users concerned to resort to abilities which otherwise they would not have to draw on, rather than as constraints. From a design point of view the findings indicate that people facing difficulties in the use of everyday products would benefit from multi-operable controls, that is with a great degree of freedom for manipulation.
An Undergraduate Human Factors Workbook
Authors: Mozrall Jacqueline Reynolds , Shealy Jasper E.
Published: January 2012

The Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering (IME) Department at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) requires undergraduate students to take two courses in human factors, with both courses possessing a laboratory requirement. In an effort to consolidate support materials for the undergraduate human factors courses, a supplemental workbook was developed. The workbook provides both the students and instructors with a varied selection of laboratory exercises and homework problems which are directly relevant to the material being covered in the lectures and laboratories. The workbook includes specific guidelines for the required laboratory format, a selection of laboratory exercises and homework problems, and appendices which include supplemental material related to the laboratory exercises and a large set of human factors references. The workbook has been very beneficial for instructors, for it provides an organized set of information which directly supports both the lecture and laboratory material. Questionnaire data obtained from students identified good features of the workbook, as well as areas which needed improvement.
Undergraduate Human Factors Education: Could it be Utilized and Marketed Better?
Authors: Stone Nancy J. , Smolensky Mark W. , Moroney William F. , Gardner-Bonneau Daryle Jean , Stein Earl S.
Published: January 2012

This panel session addresses the concern that undergraduate education in human factors has not been utilized or marketed effectively. Specifically, the panelists propose that an undergraduate course or program is a means by which to inform people about the human factors area, to prepare undergraduate students for employment with a bachelors degree, and to enhance the working student's skills needed in the workplace. Additionally, the use of undergraduate education as a proactive means to introduce and attract individuals to the field of human factors is presented.
Enhancing User Control of VDT Work Environments: Training as the Vehicle
Authors: Robertson Michelle M. , Robinson Marie
Published: January 2012

An intervention strategy to minimize negative health effects from VDT operations is to incorporate a systems perspective and apply systems analysis methodologies. Two systems components, user control and training programs, and their relationship within the VDT environment, are examined in this paper. Two exemplary case studies of organizations that have systematically designed, implemented, evaluated and incorporated VDT ergonomic training programs in conjunction with user control are presented.
Patterns of Errors Shown by Experienced Navy Combat Information Center Teams
Authors: Hutchins Susan G. , Westra Daniel P.
Published: January 2012

The Tactical Decision Making Under Stress program is being conducted to apply recent developments in decision theory and human-system interaction technology to the design of a decision support system for enhancing tactical decision making under highly complex conditions. Topics to be discussed include: (1) a description of the difficult tasks identified for analysis; (2) the general methodological approach; (3) development of the performance measures and issues related to their development; (4) discussion of the modification and extension of the TapRoot® Incident Investigation System; and (5) discussion of the types of errors made by decision makers and interpretations for the cause of these errors based in the cognitive psychology literature.
Diagnosis of Multiple Faults in Systems: Effects of Fault Difficulty, Expectancy, and Prior Exposure
Authors: Sanderson Penelope M. , Reising Dal Vernon C. , Augustiniak Marc J.
Published: January 2012

It has often been noted that today's human operators of complex industrial systems must occasionally deal with multiple component failures, but that they are trained instead to think in terms of single faults. This can lead to the minor inconvenience of simply taking longer to troubleshoot, or to the major hazards of a fundamental misunderstanding of system state. In two studies we examined these influences on subjects' ability to diagnose a multiple fault in a simulated electronic circuit: (1) objective multiple fault difficulty, (2) prior practice with multiple faults, and (3) expectancy or mental set for multiple faults. Previous research had confounded the latter two variables. Experiment 1 showed that the difficulty of multiple faults varied as our model predicted, but that the difficulty of certain faults interacted with verbalization. Experiment 2 showed that both prior practice and expectancy influence how effectively subjects deal with a difficult multiple fault, but not quite as expected. We conclude that the ability to diagnose multiple faults is multiply determined, depending on degree of practice, mental set, and the difficulty of the multiple fault itself. These results will help us define the requirements for decision support tools and they have also led us to perform investigations in the field, as reported in Reising and Sanderson (1995).
Practical Application of a Biaxial Goniometer to the Wrist Joint
Authors: Buchholz Bryan , Wellman Helen
Published: January 2012

The objectives of this study were: 1) to determine errors in wrist angle measurements from a commercially-available biaxial electrogoniometer and 2) to develop a calibration routine in order to correct for these errors. Goniometric measurements were simultaneously collected with true angular data using a fixture that allowed wrist movement in one plane while restricting motion in the orthogonal plane. These data were collected in two sets of trials: 1) flexion/extension with radial/ulnar deviation restricted and 2) radial/ulnar deviation with flexion/extension restricted. During these trials, discrete 30 degree increments of forearm rotation were studied. The results showed the expected cross talk and zero drift errors during forearm rotation. The application of mathematical equations that describe the effect of goniometer twist during forearm rotation resulted in significant error reduction for most trials. The calibration technique employs both a slope and a displacement transformation to improve the accuracy of angular data. The calibration technique may be used on data collected in the field if forearm rotation is measured simultaneously with the goniometer data.
An Ergonomic Approach to Modifying Microscope Design for Increased Comfort: A Case Study
Authors: James Tamara M.
Published: January 2012

This paper describes the approach used and the results of selected measures obtained from an ergonomic analysis of microscopes and associated workstations in a medical laboratory. The configuration of current microscopes and workstations in this lab caused a great deal of neck, back, forearm, and wrist discomfort or pain for workers who use microscopes to screen microslides for cancer and infectious conditions an average of 6 − 8 hours per day. Modifications to workstations and microscopes were developed and are being introduced within the Cytopathology Screening Laboratory at Duke University Medical Center. Prior to developing modifications to the microscopes and workstations, surveys of body part discomfort and anthropometric data were used to identify areas of concern. It is believed that users will be more comfortable and injury and error rates will decrease as a result of making modifications that allow users to utilize neutral body postures while using microscopes.
Reporting of Cumulative Trauma Disorders of the Upper Extremities may be Leveling off in the U.S.
Authors: Brogmus George Erich
Published: January 2012

Since the early 1980's reporting of cumulative trauma disorders of the upper extremities (CTDUEs) has been increasing. The past few years have seen increasing attention given to these disorders. More recently, the premise that CTDUEs should be a top priority based on the magnitude of workers' compensation insurance claims and OSHA cases has been challenged. This paper provides data indicating that the reporting of CTDUEs in the U.S. may soon level off and the rate of increase of the number of CTDUEs as a percent of all cases reported in the U.S. has already significantly declined. Data from both the Bureau of Labor Statistics and Liberty Mutual Group workers' compensation claims indicate that even though the number of CTDUEs as a percent of all cases reported has been increasing over the past ten years, the rate of increase has declined steadily since 1991. If this trend continues, CTDUE reporting will level off in 1995. Possible reasons for these trends are briefly discussed.
A Biomechanical-Psychophysical Model of the Lifting Task
Authors: Garrison Lisa J. , Chen Jen-Gwo
Published: January 2012

A biomechanical-psychophysical model of the lifting task was developed. The purpose was to incorporate psychophysical attributes, such as concentration, into the lifting model. To verify the model, an experiment was performed to evaluate the biomechanical and psychophysical effects during lifting. The biomechanical model consisted of a five segment, 2-D, dynamic., model in the saggital plane. The experiment consisted of two parts; 1) subjective determination of the psychophysical maximum acceptable lifting weight and 2) gathering motion profile data as the subjects concentrated on utilizing a specified body segment while performing the lift. Computer simulated modeling of the biomechanical - psychophysical approach indicated that adding the psychophysical factor can change the resulting motion profile to lower the total body torque. The experimental data showed similar results. Total torque was reduced by concentrating on using single and multiple body segments. The significance of the results is that the lifting performance can be improved by integrating psychophysical and biomechanical properties.
Simulation of the 1991 Revised NIOSH Manual Lifting Equation
Authors: Karwowski Waldemar , Gaddie Paul
Published: January 2012

Digital computer simulation of the 1991 Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation was performed using SLAM II in order to examine the behavior of this equation under a variety of realistic industrial lifting tasks. The results showed that over all conditions studied (represented by 100,000 randomly generated lifting task scenarios), the recommended weight limit (RWL) values for the 99.5% of all tasks were equal to or lower than 12.5 kg or 27.5 lbs. With respect to lifting time exposure, the RWL values for the 99.5% of cases were equal to or lower than 13 kg (or 28.6 lbs) for up to one hour of lifting, 12.5 kg (or 26.4 lbs) for less than 2 hours of exposure, and 10.5 kg (or 23.1 lbs) for lifting over an 8-hour shift. From a practical point of view, the results of this study define the threshold RWL values (TRWL), that can be used by practitioners for the purpose of immediate risk assessment of manual lifting tasks performed in industry.
Comparison of the Prediction Models for the L5/S1 Compressive Forces under Varying Asymmetric Lifting Conditions
Authors: Chung Min K. , Kee Dohyung , Kim Sang H.
Published: January 2012

In this study, comparisons were made among three representative methods for predicting compressive forces on the lumbosacral disc: LP-based model, double LP-based model and EMG-assisted model. Two subjects simulated lifting tasks that were frequently performed in the refractories industry in Korea, in which vertical distance, frontal plane horizontal distance, and weight of load were varied. To calculate the L5/S1 compressive forces, EMG signals from six trunk muscles were measured and postural data were recorded using the Motion Analysis System. The EMG-assisted model was shown to reflect well all three factors considered here. On the other hand, the compressive forces of the two LP-based models were significantly affected only by weight of load. Furthermore, relatively low correlation was observed between the compressive force of the EMG-assisted model and the 1991 NIOSH lifting index(LI), while highly positive correlation was observed between that of the two LP-based models and LI.
A Biomechanical Investigation of the Asymmetric Multiplier in the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation
Authors: Nussbaum Maury A. , Chaffin Don B. , Page George B.
Published: January 2012

There is growing evidence, from epidemiological and biomechanical sources, that lifting performed in asymmetric postures is a risk factor for the development of a musculoskeletal injury. In the recent update of the NIOSH Lifting Guide, a linear Asymmetric Multiplier was added to account for this type of risk. The present study addresses the form of this Multiplier through analysis of several asymmetric lifting tasks. Both spinal loading and a derived metric of muscle injury risk were calculated as a function of asymmetry angle. The results suggest that there is a non-linear increase in injury risk with respect to asymmetry. Only moderate increases in risk were predicted for asymmetry of 0°–30°, and sharply increasing risk as asymmetry reaches 90°, implying that ergonomic intervention should be concentrated on tasks with the highest asymmetries.
Applying Airline Crew Resource Management in Emergency Medicine
Authors: Bringelson Liwana S. , Pettitt Maureen A.
Published: January 2012

The airline industry realizes that team performance is critical to safe and efficient operations; therefore, it has been developing and using Crew Resource Management (CRM) to improve team performance and communication within multi-person crews. The medical field is another domain that relies heavily on team performance. Although teams have been acknowledged in the medical literature, the focus has been primarily their existence, rather than improving team performance. This paper discusses the background of CRM and its application to the medical domain.
Analysis, Redesign, and Evaluation of a Patient-Controlled Analgesia Machine Interface
Authors: Lin Laura , Isla Racquel , Doniz Karine , Harkness Heather , Vicente Kim J. , Harper Ben D.
Published: January 2012

The hypothesis explored in this paper is that, by adopting human factors design principles, the use of medical equipment can be made safer and more efficient We have selected a commercially available patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) machine as a vehicle to test this hypothesis. A cognitive task analysis of PCA usage, combined with a set of human factors design principles, led to a redesigned PCA interface. An experimental evaluation was conducted, comparing this new interface with the existing interface. The results show that the new interface leads to significantly faster, less effortful, and more reliable performance. These findings have implications for improving the design of other medical equipment.
Automatic Detection, Identification, and Registration of Anatomical Landmarks
Authors: Geisen Glen R. , Mason Carl P. , Houston Vern L. , Whitestone Jennifer J. , McQuiston Barbara K. , Beattie Aaron C.
Published: January 2012

This paper describes a signal processing method for automated detection, identification, and registration (ALDIR) of optically marked anatomical fiduciary landmarks from 3-D laser digitized body segment measurements. The method described is a multistage process. In the first stage, body surface reflectivity and topography information is used to detect optical markers in digitized measurement data. In the second stage, a maximum likelihood identification is used to identify each of the detected landmarks. Finally, the method identified landmarks and their relative spatial coordinates are registered and output. This can be used in a prosthetics-orthotics (or other) computer-aided design and computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) system to compute a quantitative diagnostic measure of the patient's physiological state; as a measure of efficacy of a given medical treatment regimen; or an addition to an anthropometric/medical data base.
Humanizing Re-Engineering for True Organizational Effectiveness: A Macroergonomic Approach
Authors: Hendrick Hal W.
Published: January 2012

The reported widespread failure of re-engineering projects is noted. Based on assessments of over 200 organizational units, a technology centered approach to work system design and two related factors are proposed as some of the root causes of these failures. Based on these assessments, three criteria for effective re-engineering approaches to work system design are identified. Macroergonomics is proposed as a design strategy that meets all three criteria and avoids the pitfalls of traditional re-engineering efforts. Recent macroergonomic interventions which have resulted in improved employee satisfaction and dramatic reductions in lost time accidents and injuries are cited as partial support for this proposal.
Evaluation of Two Self-Managed Rest Break Systems for VDT Users
Authors: Henning Robert A. , Callaghan Eric A. , Guttman Jason I. , Braun Heather A.
Published: January 2012

Two self-managed rest break systems for video display terminal (VDT) users were evaluated using measures of heart rate and heart rate variability, breathing, and work-physiological synchronization in addition to conventional measures of performance, mood, user acceptance, and musculoskeletal discomfort. Undergraduate typists (N=30) entered lines of randomized words during a 55-min work period. Cognitive demand was increased by having typists reverse-type a specified word in each line. In the feedback condition, typists were continuously informed of the discrepancy between a target rest break standard of 30 s every 8 min and their discretionary rest breaks. This feedback information was absent in the control condition. Management of discretionary rest breaks was better in the feedback condition and VDT users reported less task disruption and lower back discomfort. Time-related trends in performance and physiological response reflected behavioral changes associated with fatigue, but did not differentiate between experimental conditions. The lack of adverse psychophysiological responses in the feedback condition supports the conclusion that continuous feedback about rest break behavior can help VDT users self-manage discretionary rest breaks, with no untoward effects on performance or well-being.
Camera Surveillance: The Effect of Policy Characteristics on Perceived Fairness and Organizational Commitment
Authors: Spunar Marilyn E. , Racicot Bernadette M. , Kalsher Michael J.
Published: January 2012

The use of camera surveillance in the workplace is increasing. Many corporations have found that cameras are an appropriate tool for reducing employee theft and monitoring employee performance. However, little research has been done on camera surveillance to determine its effects on perceptions of fairness and organizational commitment. Prior research in both electronic performance monitoring and drug testing has shown that measures of fairness and commitment are affected by the purpose of the policy, degree of control allowed to workers, and the severity of outcomes resulting from such policies. The current study examined the effects of purpose (theft reduction versus cheating), type of surveillance (overt versus covert), and consequences of detection (probation versus dismissal) on perceptions of fairness and organizational commitment. Results indicated that participants rated camera surveillance policies intended to reduce theft as more fair than those intended to reduce cheating. Overt policies were perceived as more fair than covert policies. No significant effect of consequence was obtained. Results of a two-stage regression analysis indicated that perceived fairness mediated the relationship between purpose and type of surveillance and organizational commitment. Implications for the development and implementation of camera surveillance policies are discussed.
Job Type, Workstation Design and Effective Work
Authors: O'Neill Michael J.
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between job type, workstation design features, and the self-reported individual performance, team participation and group effectiveness of office workers. A total of 62 workers in four job types located in four field sales offices of a US computer manufacturer provided data. Regression analyses tested three indexes of workstation design as independent variables, including: environmental control through adjustability of workstation features, layout of workstation interior to match job requirements, and quality of workstation storage. For professional sales staff, workstation layout predicted 22 percent of the variance in individual performance. Environmental control and quality of storage predicted 45 percent of the variance in group effectiveness. For computer technical professionals, the three dependent variables predicted 7 percent of the variance in individual performance and 9 percent for group effectiveness. Workstation layout predicted 18 percent of the variance in level of group participation. The findings suggest that it may be possible to develop workstation design criteria that leverage specific design features to enhance performance for particular job types.
Job Design and Job Stress among Female and Male Experts: Comparisons of Journalists and Judges
Authors: Immonen Stina , Järvenpää Eila
Published: January 2012

This paper deals job design factors and stress outcomes in two expert jobs. The study concerned 14 journalists and 28 judges in Finland. Data was collected by interviews and questionnaires. Connections between job design factors and stress outcomes were studied. Possible differences between male and female experts in their perceptions of job design factors and stress outcomes were of special interest.

The results showed that both the judges and the journalists reported high levels of skill variety, task identity, autonomy and dealing with others and workload. However, both groups reported a rather low level of anxiety. Slight differences between men and women were found in stress outcomes, which indicate that in the same job women might experience job stress differently from men. These findings indicate that gender might be important in job design, and that the effects of gender should be further studied.
Situation and User Experience Influences on Voice Mail System Performance Evaluations
Authors: Paradkar Piyusha V. , Caldwell Barrett S.
Published: January 2012

This paper presents results of a large evaluation of user perspectives on voice mail system performance as measured by message transmission delay. Over 1000 state employee respondents completed survey questions rating system speed (as presented in a standardized user interface questionnaire) and tolerance for message transmission delay in a variety of situational task contexts. Results of the study indicate that situation variables (message urgency, message context, and sender-receiver distance) affected user ratings of maximum acceptable transmission delay. In addition, user experience as measured by frequency of system use, but not length of exposure to the system, was a significant predictor of evaluations of what constituted acceptable voice mail message delivery performance. Users dynamically change their expectations and tolerances for “adequate” system performance based on system use and task demands. These results provide implications for future studies of diffusion of innovations and organizational implementation of new information technology systems.
Global Goes GUI: A Case Study of the Introduction of User-Centered Design
Authors: Dray Susan M.
Published: January 2012

Major changes in the design process are required for Information Systems departments to make the shift from a traditional development life cycle to the user-centered methods required for the development of Client/Server systems. This type of change can be very difficult to accomplish. “Global Enterprises,” a large commodities company, headquartered in the US, is in the early phases of this shift. Their strategy has been to form a cross-functional User Interface team. The efforts underway at Global are presented to illustrate many of the typical technical and organizational issues companies face early in the process of introducing new design methods. The paper concludes by summarizing on key lessons learned.
Organizational Change, Stress and Job Satisfaction: Three Empirically Derived Models
Authors: Saifer Alandria G. , VanderWielen Jeffery J. , Nebeker Delbert M.
Published: January 2012

Organizational change is a widespread phenomenon; whether it be downsizing, restructuring, or a change in geographical location, changes affect the people involved in many ways. This research is aimed at assessing how such changes affect the members of organizations in both the private and the public sector. This information was collected from those at the top level who may have had a hand in the decision-making process and the planning of the change, as well as from those who work in the changing environment. A model of organizational change and stress is proposed and empirically investigated. Role conflict, role ambiguity, job satisfaction, expected value of change and their impact on stress was explored in five organizations undergoing different degrees of organizational change. Multiple regression and path analyses identified three alternative models.
The Relationship between Cognitive Performance and Stress Perceptions in Military Operations
Authors: Mullins Linda L. , Fatkin Linda T. , Modrow Harold E. , Rice Debra J.
Published: January 2012

The study reported here is part of a continuing research program investigating the links between psychological stress responses and performance in a variety of settings. A battery of psychological and cognitive measures designed to assess stress perceptions, coping resources, and cognitive performance was administered at selected times in association with the daily test activities of smoke and decontamination platoon operations. During testing soldiers wore the full chemical protective ensemble including mask (MOPP IV). Canonical correlation analyses were computed to examine the relationship between the stress perception measures (predictor variables) and cognitive performance measures (outcome variables). The direction of the results indicates that as subjects experience an increase in their perception of the situation as stressful their corresponding performance declines. These results are consistent with the literature and indicate that the stress perception measures and performance measures used in this study are sensitive indicators of stress.
Sources of Stress-Resistant Performance in Aeronautical Decision Making: The Role of Knowledge Representation and Trait Anxiety
Authors: Stokes Alan F.
Published: January 2012

It is not clear what elements best “protect” performance from the degrading influences of stress, or how they interact. The experiment reported here examined the effects of trait anxiety and expertise on stressed aeronautical decision making (ADM) performance in a flight simulation task. Novice and expert pilots were administered a battery of cognitive tests, personality tests, and a flight simulation task under stressed and nonstressed conditions. Both groups showed a significant decrement in performance under stress in the non-domain-specific tasks. However, this was not reflected in any performance decrement in ADM under stress by experienced pilots. Only novice pilots made poorer decisions under stress. Measures of knowledge representation were very predictive of proficient ADM under stress. In contrast, trait anxiety scores (equal for both groups) were associated with poorer ADM only in the novice group. Highly trait-anxious experts showed no performance decrements in ADM under stress.
A Visual Test Battery: Tale of Two Computers
Authors: Kennedy Robert S. , Silver Ned C. , Ritter Alysia D.
Published: January 2012

Concerted efforts are made to make performance tests comparable across media. When comparing computerized test batteries, however, there may be differences in hardware and software that can produce less than optimum psychometric properties. The present study examined a battery of seven tests implemented on two computers, a Gateway 2000 P4D-33 and a 286 Zenith PC. Results showed that there were differences in performance levels as a function of trials which may be attributed to individual differences. The means and standard deviations were more stable for the Zenith than for the Gateway 2000 P4D-33. It was equivocal whether this was a function of computer or methodology. Additionally, there were no differences in cross-correlations across computerized test batteries. This finding implied that the constructs were consistent across both batteries although mean differences will need to be reckoned with. Implications and limitations for computerized testing are discussed.
Individual Differences in the Activity of Dominant Forearm Muscles during VDT Work
Authors: Paul Rajendra D , Menon Krishna , Nair Chandra
Published: January 2012

In two studies on VDT work, activity of dominant forearm muscles was measured using surface electromyography. In the first study (n = 12), subjects used only a keyboard; whereas in the second study (n = 8), subjects used both keyboard and mouse. In both studies, analysis of results indicated that inter-subject differences in forearm muscle effort were significantly different (p < 0.05). In the first study, the minimum-to-maximum ratio for average extensor muscle activity was 1:3.7. In the second study, the minimum-to-maximum ratio was 1:2.2 for the flexor muscle activity and 1:3.7 for the extensor muscle activity. These results support the notion of differences in individual workstyles proposed by Feuerstein (1995). Individual typing styles play an important role play an important role in the stress on forearm muscles during VDT work and should be included in employee training protocols.
Relative Order and Space Allocation of Message Components in Hazard Warning Signs
Authors: Young Stephen L. , Wogalter Michael S. , Laughery Kenneth R. , Magurno Amy , Lovvoll David
Published: January 2012

Standards, guidelines, and research findings suggest that safety signs should generally contain four components: signal word, hazard, consequence and instruction statements. The purpose of this research is to determine the relative importance of different safety sign components. Two experiments examined this issue by having subjects construct a set of warning signs from component sections. In Experiment 1, participants manipulated component sections and assembled them onto a metal plate (of limited size). In Experiment 2, subjects worked with a technician to produce the signs on a computer. The relative importance of the individual components was determined by examining (1) use vs. omission rates, (2) size, and (3) order. The results show that few subjects used all the components in their warnings. Participants enlarged certain statements (Experiment 1) or added pictorials (Experiment 2) which necessitated the omission of other, presumably less-important, elements. The order of sign components was consistent only for signal words, which were placed generally at the top. The results suggest that, for certain hazards, the overall quality of information conveyed by a sign might be improved by eliminating or making smaller less important information, while simultaneously increasing the size of more relevant verbal information (or adding pictorials).
Auditory Icons as Warning and Advisory Signals in the U.S. Army Battlefield Combat Identification System (BCIS)
Authors: Haas Ellen , Schmidt Jeffrey
Published: January 2012

The U.S. Army proposed the Battlefield Combat Identification System (BCIS) to diminish fratricide by providing five critical auditory and visual warning signals. The purpose of this experiment was to determine whether the auditory warning signals designed by the U.S. Army Human Research and Engineering Directorate (HRED) provided greater user association with the BCIS signal functions than did signals designed by a contractor. The contractor signals consisted of pure tones, while the HRED signals were auditory icons designed with intent to provide a high level of user association. The dependent variable was the subject's free-modulus magnitude estimation rating of the degree of association of the signal with the signal function. Subjects were 20 male U.S. Army Infantrymen. Data were analyzed using t-tests for paired samples. Results indicated that the mean perceived association was significantly greater for the HRED auditory icons in one of five cases, and greater (but not significantly so) in two additional cases. There were no other significant differences. Implications for auditory display design are discussed.
The Effectiveness of Emergency Vehicle Audio Warning Systems
Authors: Robbins Malcolm C.
Published: January 2012

This paper explores the effectiveness of audio emergency warning devices (sirens) fitted to public safety vehicles. The paper demonstrates why, under certain conditions, (sirens) are not effective in warning other vehicles. This lack of effectiveness is shown by both technical explanation and by an actual reconstruction of an automobile accident in which the driver failed to recognize the siren from the on-coming emergency vehicle.
Development of a Behaviorally Based Human Reliability Analysis Method
Authors: Blackman Harold S. , Byers James C.
Published: January 2012

Human reliability analysis (HRA) assesses the safety and risk significance of human tasks. This paper describes the development and testing of a behaviorally based human reliability analysis method. A general criticism of HRA methods is the inability to tie HRA methods back to first principles in human behavior. The method described here, developed for the accident sequence precursor (ASP) program of the U. S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC), begins by first describing an information processing model of human behavior, and then using it to define a comprehensive list of factors that influence human performance. These psychological factors are then distilled into the practical and operational factors more commonly identified in nuclear power plant operation. Appropriate adjustments for level of detail are then made to the factors and a further model developed to evaluate the effect of dependency between human actions. The application of the method to the ASP models for two nuclear power plants is discussed.
Lessons Learned from Occurrences Involving Procedures at Los Alamos National Laboratory in 1994
Authors: Frostenson Candace K.
Published: January 2012

This study used the Department of Energy (DOE) Occurrence Reporting and Processing System (ORPS) data to investigate occurrences reported during one year at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). ORPS provides a centralized database and computerized support for the collection, distribution, updating, analysis, and validation of information in occurrence reports about abnormal events related to facility operation. Human factors causes for occurrences are not always defined in ORPS. Content analysis of narrative data revealed that 33% of all LANL 1994 adverse operational events have human factors causes related to procedures. Procedure-caused occurrences that resulted in injury to workers, damage to facilities or equipment, or a near-miss are analyzed.
Examining the Value of Expert Testimony regarding Warnings
Authors: Rhoades Timothy P. , Frantz J. Paul , Horst Donald P. , Frantz J. Paul , Laughery Kenneth R. , Purswell Jerry L.
Published: January 2012

This alternative format session is designed to examine the value of expert testimony related to warnings. Specific objectives of the session include informing HFES members of the views of some members of the legal community who question the value and appropriateness of expert testimony regarding warnings; identifying appropriate responses to such positions; discussing the basic role that experts play in assisting the litigation process; and describing and discussing the perceptions and experiences of HFES members regarding the value of their activities in forensic matters.

This session begins with a brief description of articles authored by an attorney, William Hardie, whose position is summarized by the following statement:

The defendant should try to exclude all opinion evidence on warnings, leaving the evaluation of the warnings to the jury and lawyer's arguments…. The legal principles applicable to liability for failure to warn were developed by courts without the benefit of communication theorists. These legal principles are based on common sense, fairness, and the knowledge of ordinary people. In this spirit, juries are not well served by witnesses who are nothing more than professional advocates. (Hardie, 1991) Session participants will respond to the above general proposition as well as other specific questions underlying Hardie's position and their own experiences as testifying experts. After participants answer directed questions, the format will allow for directed discussion between participants. Finally, the chair will attempt to articulate the common ground and differences between positions and solicit comments from the audience.

For those unable to attend the session but interested in the issue, below are articles authored by Hardie and referenced in this session:
The Eye-Computer Ergonomic Evaluation (EYE-CEE) System for VDT Users
Authors: Anshel Jeffrey
Published: January 2012

The introduction of Video Display Terminals into the workplace has been accompanied by complaints of visual problems associated with their use. Research has indicated that the source of the problem may be the set-up of the workstation and/or inappropriate work practices rather than any visual or ocular defect. The Eye-CEE System for VDT Users is a software program that actually tests the vision of users in their normal working environment in order to more accurately detect vision difficulties.
Consumer Acceptance of Adaptive Cruise Control following Experience with a Prototype System
Authors: Sayer James R. , Mefford Mary Lynn , Fancher Paul S.
Published: January 2012

Reactions to adaptive cruise control (ACC) were solicited from drivers following use of an ACC equipped vehicle for one hour in an actual highway environment. Participant's impressions were obtained through questionnaires, administered immediately following the exposure, and later in focus groups. Individuals of varying age and conventional cruise control usage took part in the study. The issues of comfort, safety, ease-of-use, and estimated worth were addressed. While participants offered favorable responses towards ACC, despite having limited safety concerns, they were willing to pay surprisingly little for the added convenience provided. The issues of driver over-dependency on technology, system reliability, and customized features appear to warrant additional investigation to overcome consumer's hesitation towards purchasing and using ACC and similar forms of advanced vehicle control systems.