bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Training Effectiveness: How Does Driving Simulator Fidelity Influence Driver Performance?
Authors: Park George D. , Allen R. Wade , Rosenthal Theodore J. , Fiorentino Dary
Published: January 2012

Driver performance effects were compared between two configuration types: 1) a low-cost, three-monitor, 135 degree field-of-view (FOV), PC desktop with PC gaming steering wheel controls and 2) a medium-cost, fixed-based, projected image, 135 degree FOV, instrumented vehicle cab. The experiment was part of a larger novice driver training experiment with teenage drivers who had yet to receive their license to drive (Allen, Park, et al. 2003). Participants drove a minimum of six training trial runs on either the three-monitor configuration (N = 180) or the vehicle cab configuration (N = 143). A 2 times 6 (configuration type x training trial runs) analysis of variance was performed for a variety of performance measures as well as a one-way analysis of variance to assess the graduation rates between the two configurations. Significant differences were found for certain performance measures suggesting that handling behaviors (i.e. braking and steering) were largely affected by the difference in controls while lane position, vehicle speed, time-to-collision, and simulator sickness ratings were largely affected by the difference in graphical display. However, non-significant differences in certain performance measures (e.g. total accidents and graduation rates) suggested that the three-monitor configuration may be as useful of a tool for driver training, assessment, and research as a higher fidelity vehicle cab.
Training Keyboarding Skills on a Simulator: Student Trainees in Grades Three to Six
Authors: Lancey Theresa J.
Published: January 2012

A training program was designed and developed for students in an elementary school. Accepted design criteria were used and organizational, task, trainee, document and device analysis, system specifications, design concept development and prototyping and user testing were addressed. The program is three-fold: training students to operate a keyboarding simulator, educating students about the importance of neutral wrist and finger placement and transfer of this keyboarding ability to a standard computer system with a Qwerty keyboard configuration. Four job aids were developed to illustrate examples and nonexamples of correct seated posture, correct finger placement on the home row keys, an enlargement of the trainee scorecard, and an instructor checklist. The trainees performed the tasks specified in the original system specifications. The final training and evaluation took place at the beginning of the subsequent academic year
Latency Discrimination Mechanisms in Virtual Environments: Velocity and Displacement Error Factors
Authors: Adelstein B.D. , Burns E.M. , Ellis S.R. , Hill M.I.
Published: January 2012

Latency (time delay) in head-tracked virtual environments (VEs) is well known to disturb users' sense of presence as well as hinder performance in manipulation tasks. We have determined in previous studies that observers cannot rely solely on direct temporal detection of time delay. They, at least in part, perceive the consequent visual “slip” of the VE scene from its expected spatially stable location. By employing an occlusion technique, the present experiment enabled comparison of the influence of visual image displacement and velocity errors on observer discrimination of VE system latency when using head-mounted displays. The results show better latency sensitivity (i.e., lower Just Noticeable Differences, or JNDs) in situations where velocity error magnitude predominates over displacement error cues, even though the velocity errors were visible for shorter durations. Correlation analyses indicate that latency-induced velocity errors are most closely related to latency JND than displacement errors.
Assessing and Enhancing Team Training Technologies: From the Lab to the Field
Authors: Cohn Joseph V. , Stripling Roy , Schmorrow Dylan , Stanney Kay , Milham Laura , Kingdon-Hale Kelly , Schaffer Richard , Muth Eric , Switzer Fred , Freeman Jared
Published: January 2012

The primary goal of any training system is to enhance performance on the real world tasks it simulates (Lathan et al., 2002). The principal benefit that Virtual Environment (VE) systems have over field exercises and similar real world training is that VEs present training situations that would be too hazardous or too costly to reproduce in the real world (Rose, Attree, Brooks, Parslow, Penn & Ambihaipahan, 2000). As compared with Legacy type systems or physical mockups VEs also afford a smaller footprint and greater reconfigurability to support a variety of training tasks (Cohn, Helmick, Meyers & Burns, 2000). An additional, relatively unexplored benefit of VE, is the potential ease with which they can be implemented to train team tasks. This panel will investigate the utility of using VE for team training, addressing both theoretical and practical concerns.
Adding Modalities to VE Training Systems Enhances Spatial Knowledge Acquisition
Authors: Hale Kelly S. , Jones David , Stanney Kay , Milham Laura
Published: January 2012

An empirical study was completed to investigate the effects of audition on spatial knowledge acquisition and workload within a virtual training environment. Four levels of audio were investigated including no audio, non-spatialized audio, and two forms of spatialized audio. While all training conditions led to significant decreases in workload, mental demand associated with knowledge of relative locations of dangerous areas was significantly less when trained with sound cues. The results also indicated that training with generalized spatial audio enhanced concentration. Results from this study outline the benefits of training with metaphoric audio cues to enhance spatial awareness. Future research will empirically examine effects of metaphoric haptic cues.
Route-Oriented Tasks Help Initial Survey-Based Learning
Authors: Piller Michael J. , Sebrechts Marc M.
Published: January 2012

The role of route and survey information on the gradual acquisition of spatial knowledge was examined in a virtual environment (VE). Navigational focus was induced by having participants learn the environment using either an opaque (route) or transparent (survey) VE. Goal focus was induced by requiring participants to train to a sequential listing (route) or map-based (survey) criterion. During initial training, the presence of a route focus, based on the environment or the stated goal, led to better performance on a survey task than an exclusively survey focus. With increased training, performance with a survey-based focus matched that with a route-based focus. Early stage navigational learning in a survey-based environment benefited from the presence of a route goal. Later stage learning resulted in similar performance between route and survey goals and navigational learning environments.
How Do Automation False Alarms and Misses Affect Operator Compliance and Reliance?
Authors: Dixon Stephen R. , Wickens Christopher D. , McCarley Jason S.
Published: January 2012

Participants performed a tracking task along with a system and flight parameter monitoring task while aided by diagnostic automation. The goal of the study was to examine operator compliance and reliance as affected by automation failures, and to clarify claims regarding independence of these two constructs. Background data revealed a trend towards non-independence of the compliance-reliance constructs. Thirty-two undergraduate students performed a simulation that presented the visual display and collected dependent measures. False-alarm prone automation hurt overall performance more than did miss-prone automation, while also clearly affecting both operator compliance and reliance. Miss-prone automation only appeared to affect operator reliance.
Impact of the use of Techniques and Situation Awareness on Pilots' Procedure Compliance
Authors: Landry Steven J. , Jacko Julie A. , Coulter Wallace H.
Published: January 2012

In two empirical studies using desktop flight simulators, pilots were monitored while following procedures. In both experiments, pilots demonstrated a high degree of reliance on rule-based heuristics for following procedures (techniques), rather than on the procedures themselves. This was true regardless of the resulting compliance with the procedure. Changes to the procedure and changes to the content of displayed information had no effect on the use of techniques. In addition, frequent instances of noncompliance to procedure were recorded. The most common types of noncompliance, technical failures in implementing the procedure, were found to be nearly all innocuous, while failures related to a lack of situation awareness comprised the bulk of unsafe instances of noncompliance. Also found were a number of instances of noncompliance which actually enhanced the safety of the procedure. The results have implications for the design of procedures and for automated aids for procedure following.
An Analysis of Preflight Weather Briefings
Authors: Prinzo O. Veronika
Published: January 2012

Weather plays a factor in general aviation (GA) accidents and mishaps. This study documented the types of weather information that GA pilots requested and received from automated flight service stations (AFSS), and how this information might influence flight planning and weather–based decisions. An analysis was performed on 306 GA pilot telephone conversations with AFSS preflight specialists. Approximately 78% of the pilots requested a preflight briefing and specialists relayed these items: Weather synopsis, sky conditions, visibility, weather at the departure, en route, and destination point. In 15.4% of the calls, pilots declined reflight weather briefings but AFSS still relayed weather synopsis and sky conditions in addition to weather conditions that might be significant during flight. Whether by requesting additional information or receiving weather information, 31 pilots decided to change their flight plans. Surprisingly, 27% of the pilots when told “VFR Flight Not Recommended” filed a VFR flight plan anyway.
Integrated Hazard Displays: Individual Differences in Visual Scanning and Pilot Performance
Authors: Alexander Amy L. , Wickens Christopher D.
Published: January 2012

Synthetic vision systems, of which integrated hazard displays may be an integral component, are being developed to allow for safe and efficient navigation through terrain-challenging or low-visibility conditions. In this study, 24 pilots flew a series of approaches while maintaining their position within a highway in the sky and responding to periodic queries regarding traffic location as represented within the integrated hazard display. Eye-movement data were examined to determine the effects of visual scanning behaviors on pilot performance (flight control, traffic awareness, and off-normal event detection). Overall, all pilots treated the flight task of aviating as primary, giving it the attentional resources required to maintain adequate performance. While scanning patterns were relatively equivalent between the offnormal event detection groups, the detectors did not appear to be as attentionally tunneled to the compelling SVS suite as the non-detectors, given that they were able to notice and respond to the non-database tower visible only in the outside world. In fact, pilots who failed to detect the off-normal event spent less time scanning the outside world on the relevant trial, where the ground truth information was represented. The results are interpreted within a task management framework mediated by performance resource functions.
Aeronautical Emergency and Abnormal Checklists: Expectations and Realities
Authors: Burian Barbara K.
Published: January 2012

Developers of emergency, abnormal, and non-normal checklists hold a number of beliefs about how, when, and under what types of conditions flight crews will access and use these checklists. These beliefs or expectations strongly influence the decisions developers make about checklist content, design, and presentation. Interviews with pilots involved in incidents and accidents, simulator observations, and analyses of paper and electronic checklists, reveal that many of the expectations developers hold, which are implicit in checklist designs, do not match the realities of emergency and abnormal situations and flight crew checklist use. Several of these expectations are presented along with contrasting realities and some suggested design solutions.
Optimizing the Presentation of Uav Images in an Attack Helicopter Cockpit
Authors: Jansen Chris , de Vries Sjoerd , Duistermaat Maaike
Published: January 2012

Future Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAV) will collaborate more directly with military manned aircraft. TNO Defence, Security and Safety investigated how to present UAV sensor images in a fighter aircraft cockpit in order to maximize target identification and flying performance. Ten military pilots performed several Close Air Support missions in a helicopter simulator using four different display configurations. The orientation of the electronic map was either North-Up or Heading-Up. The UAV sensor image was either non-aligned (unadjusted image orientation: the image is presented as seen from the UAV viewpoint), or aligned with the orientation of the electronic map (adjusted image orientation, either resulting in a North-Up orientation or a Heading-Up orientation with respect to the helicopter, depending on the orientation of the electronic map). The pilots reported that they generally preferred the aligned UAV sensor image in combination with a Heading-Up map. This preference was reflected in their performance: targets were identified twice as fast, and the waypoint trajectory was flown more efficiently.
Evaluation of the Usefulnes and Usability of Cockpit Situation Display Perspectives for Rov Operations in Approach Civil Air Space
Authors: Dao Arik-Quang V. , Battiste Vernol , Granada-Vigil Stacie , Johnson Walt W.
Published: January 2012

A distributed simulation of ROV operations was conducted by NASA Ames Flight Deck Display Research Laboratory (FDDRL) and the Center for Aeronautic Technologies (CSAAT) at California State University, Long Beach. The goals of this simulation were 1) to examine ROV operators' ability to maintain standard terminal separation from other aircraft and ROVs, 2) to examine the possibility of operating ROVs in terminal airspace without major disruptions in the inbound traffic flows, and 3) to evaluate proposed ROV operator tools. The current paper focuses on this third goal. Specifically the paper describes the motivation behind the development of the manipulatable 2D/3D Cockpit Situation Display (CSD), and examines its usefulness and usability. Data from questionnaires, and from observations of how the CSD was used, suggest that both the CSD format, and the ability to manipulate the CSD viewing angle, were useful and usable. However, workload appeared to play an important role in the perceived usefulness and usability of the CSD.
Medication Adherence Strategies in Older Adults
Authors: Boron Julie B. , Rogers Wendy A. , Fisk Arthur D.
Published: January 2012

Medical advancements, including medications to manage disease, have contributed to increased longevity. Because medical products contribute to increased longevity, medication adherence is important for the older adult population. Proper adherence not only contributes to quality of life physically, but also to decreased health care costs. Effective support systems to facilitate maintenance of medication regimens are necessary. Knowledge of the popularity of strategies employed by older adults can inform the design of support systems. In a survey of 366 adults aged 60 to 80 we found that older adults use multiple strategies, and these strategies are most effective when in their normal routine. Thus support systems should incorporate and facilitate the use of multiple strategies. Moreover, support systems are needed for adherence to medication regimens when people are outside of their routines.
Videoconferencing Technology as Environmental Support for Older Adults
Authors: Jastrzembski Tiffany S. , Roring Roy W. , Charness Neil H.
Published: January 2012

Age-related declines in cognitive abilities can sometimes be remedied for working memory intensive tasks by providing what Craik (1986) termed “environmental support,” for instance, using external memory cues to alleviate normal memory retrieval demands. We investigated a way-finding task that requires serial recall, a particularly challenging memory task for older adults. We compared videoconference versus voice-only guided presentation of routes to younger and older adults. Participants viewed or did not view maps containing the to-be-learned routes. Additionally, participants were allowed to take notes to simulate real-world situations more closely for half of the trials. Analyses indicate an interaction of age, notes, and map presentation at recall, suggesting environmental support from videoconferencing reduces the advantage of note taking for older adults. Videoconferencing can be a particularly effective presentation medium for older adults with respect to memory-intensive everyday tasks.
Queuing Network Modeling of Age Differences in Driver Mental Workload and Performance
Authors: Wu Changxu , Liu Yili
Published: January 2012

Modeling and predicting age differences in driver mental workload and performance may help the in-vehicle system design to reduce or prevent information overloading on older drivers. However, few computational models exist that account for age differences in mental workload. We propose a new computational modeling approach to model workload and performance–a queuing network approach based on queuing network theory of human performance (Liu, 1996, 1997) and neuroscience discoveries. This modeling approach is composed of a simulation model of a queuing network architecture and a set of mathematical equations implemented in the simulation model to quantify the age differences. The model successfully accounts for the age differences in mental workload and performance between young and older drivers in an experimental study in driving. Further usage and implementation of this model in designing adaptive in-vehicle systems to assist older drivers are discussed.
What Factors other than Age Predict Performance on An Information Search Task?
Authors: Czaja Sara J. , Sharit Joseph , Nair Sankaran N.
Published: January 2012

The number of workers aged 55+ will increase significantly in the next few decades. This paper examines factors such as cognitive abilities and prior computer experience that influence performance and job satisfaction on a simulated email-based customer service task among a sample of older adults. Fifty-two persons ranging in age from 50–80 performed the task for four days post-training. The participants also completed a cognitive battery, computer experience questionnaire, and measures of workload, intrinsic job satisfaction and intrinsic job motivation. The data indicated performance was influenced by prior computer experience, cognitive abilities and age such that those with less experience, lower abilities and who were older performed the task at lower levels. Job satisfaction was influenced by perceptions of workload, interest in computers and intrinsic job motivation. Generally people who rated workload higher and who had higher intrinsic motivation and greater interest in computers were more satisfied performing the task.
Effect of Shared Information on Trust and Reliance in a Demand Forecasting Task
Authors: Gao Ji , Lee John D.
Published: January 2012

People have difficulty relying on forecasting systems appropriately, which can lead to huge business losses. Sharing information regarding the performance of forecasting systems may lead to more appropriate trust and reliance. This study considered imperfect forecasting systems and investigated how sharing such information influences people's trust and reliance. A simulated demand forecasting task required participants to provide an initial forecast, select and view a model forecast, and then determine their final forecast. Results showed that participants' reliance on a forecasting model strongly depended on their trust in the model, which was often inappropriate. With shared information, participants' reliance was more sensitive to changes of their trust in the model. However, when the shared information exposed instances of poor performance of the model, it diminished compliance with the selected model forecast, which undermined the accuracy of the final forecasts. These results suggest that sharing information may promote more appropriate reliance in situations in which people over trust automation, but not in situations in which people tend to under trust automation.
Generating Requirements for Futuristic Hetrogenous Unmanned Systems
Authors: Nehme Carl E. , Scott Stacey D. , Cummings M. L. , Furusho Carina Yumi
Published: January 2012

A cognitive task analysis (CTA) is an effective analysis technique for deriving design requirements for many task domains. However, traditional CTA approaches have limited applicability to futuristic systems because CTA approaches generally require access to subject matter experts, documentation, and previous implementations from which to draw assumptions and expertise. In this paper, we introduce a hybrid CTA framework that allows the generation of information and display requirements for futuristic systems for which no current implementations exist. This analysis technique involves a four-step process including: 1) generating a scenario task overview, 2) generating an event flow diagram, 3) generating situation awareness requirements, and 4) creating decision ladders for critical decisions. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this process through a case study in which functional and interface requirements are generated for the supervisory control of multiple, heterogeneous unmanned vehicles.
Distributed Situation Awareness in Command and Control: A Case Study in the Energy Distribution Domain
Authors: Salmon Paul M. , Stanton Neville A. , Walker Guy H. , Baber Chris , McMaster Richard , Jenkins Dan , Beond Ajay , Sharif Omar , Rafferty Laura , Ladva Darshna
Published: January 2012

Distributed Situation Awareness (DSA), in terms of structure and knowledge content, distribution, sharing and usage, has important implications for command and control infrastructure design, network configuration, performance and efficiency. Despite this, theory and methods for evaluating DSA in complex sociotechnical systems are currently lacking. This article presents a novel methodology for assessing DSA, along with a case study of DSA in the energy distribution domain. The Event Analysis of Systemic Teamwork (EAST) methodology was used to analyse three scenarios undertaken on a major UK electricity distribution network. In conclusion, an analysis of propositional knowledge networks indicated that DSA effectively ‘coupled’ the command and control networks observed. DSA comprised ‘activated’ knowledge objects that were held by, and shared between, the agents involved. Further, analysis of knowledge usage indicated that each agent involved possessed disparate but complementary levels of situation awareness during task performance.
Collaborative Decision Making in Network-Centric Military Operations
Authors: Bolia Robert S. , Nelson W. Todd , Summers Scott H. , Arnold Richard D. , Atkinson Jennifer L. , Taylor Robert M. , Cottrell Robert , Crooks Courtney L.
Published: January 2012

Proponents of network-centric warfare have espoused the notion that the continuing expansion of military networks will engender concomitant increases in the efficiency of collaborative military decision making. They suggest that network-centric information architectures will increase the ease with which decision quality information can be explicitly shared, and will also lead to self-synchronized action based on the shared situational model supported by the network. The paper takes a multidisciplinary look at the problem of collaborative decision making in military operations. The authors come primarily from research laboratory research and engineering backgrounds, but among them also number a professional air battle manager with significant experience in collaborative decision making in tactical and operational environments and a military psychologist required to deal with the training and selection issues posed by network-centric operations.
Assessment of Display Attributes for Displaying Metainformation on Maps
Authors: Bisantz Ann M. , Pfautz Jonathan , Stone Richard , Roth Emilie M. , Thomas-Meyers Gina , Fouse Adam
Published: January 2012

In many domains, operators need to understand and act on large volumes of information from a variety of sources. Operators are particularly challenged by the need to reason about the qualifiers of that information. These qualifiers, or “meta-information”, include characteristics such as the uncertainty associated with data, the age of the data, and the source of the data. Often, these critical data qualifiers are not presented, or are not incorporated into the primary information displays used by operators. In this research, we conducted a controlled experiment to investigate the utility of four common color display attributes (hue, saturation, brightness, and transparency) for displaying meta-information under different map background, task, and meta-information-type conditions. Results indicated that participants could rank and rate display elements which varied based on saturation, transparency and brightness similarly to expected ranks and ratings. Background effects were limited; but task type and framing effects indicated that the “natural” direction for ranking may be context-dependent.
Impact of Sensor Noise Magnitude on Emergent Features of Ecological Interface Design
Authors: St-Cyr Olivier
Published: January 2012

This paper describes a study on the impact of sensor noise magnitude on the emergent features of an Ecological Interface Design (EID) interface using a representative thermal-hydraulic process simulation. Previous studies conducted by St-Cyr and Vicente (2004, 2005) showed no difference between EID and Single-Sensor Single-Indicator (SSSI) interfaces when the magnitude of sensor noise was globally increased to all sensors. However, to date, no study investigated the impact of gradually increasing sensor noise magnitude to selected sensors that are used to derive emergent features portrayed on EID interfaces. The current study filled part of this gap by locally increasing the magnitude of sensor noise. Results show that performance of EID group decreased, while performance of the SSSI group did not. However, the performance of EID participants was not inferior to that of SSSI participants. This is explained by the fact that participants in the EID condition had to deal with distorted emergent features.
Helpful or Harmful? Examining the Effects of Interruptions on Task Performance
Authors: Ratwani Raj M. , Trafton J. Gregory , Myers Christopher
Published: January 2012

Most research on interruptions has shown that they can be disruptive by causing a longer time to complete the primary task and by causing more errors on the primary task. However, a limited amount of research has shown that interruptions can actually be beneficial to simple primary tasks, a benefit that has been explained by arousal. We sought to replicate the finding that simple tasks can benefit from interruptions and to examine the specific processes that are actually improving as a result of the interruptions. More specifically, reaction time data and eye movement data were collected to account for motor actions and perceptual processes. Results indicate that participants' immediate action following the interruption was disrupted. However, participants' other actions during the interruption trials were actually performed faster and with fewer errors as compared to the control. This speed-up is not attributed to faster motor responses, but actually to faster perceptual processing.
Emergency Management Decision-Making during Severe Weather
Authors: Baumgart Leigh A. , Bass Ellen J. , Philips Brenda , Kloesel Kevin
Published: January 2012

The Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) project will provide its end users with new weather radar data with finer spatial and temporal resolution than existing WSR-88D data. It is not clear what impact this new information will have on emergency managers. This work introduces a descriptive decision-making model of emergency management during the four severe weather phases: Pre-Storm, Severe Weather Watch, Severe Weather Warning, and Severe Weather Event. The initial model describes EMs' use of information and their decisions made. Eleven emergency managers participated in three questionnaires and two part-task simulated weather scenarios based on archived weather data. This work then refines the Severe Weather Warning phase of the model by validating the entries and adding data concerning the role of the information and precursors to decisions made and actions taken. The scenarios also highlight problems that EMs have with interpreting velocity data and with integrating data from multiple radar sources. These results will impact CASA system visualization design and training.
Control Task Analysis for Applied Settings
Authors: Lamoureux Tab , Rehak Lisa , Bos Jeff , Chalmers Bruce
Published: January 2012

As part of ongoing research at DRDC Atlantic, Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA) is being used to design enhanced capabilities for naval command and control systems. Typically, the first two steps (work domain analysis (WDA) and control task analysis (CTA)) are conducted, followed by the identification of design seeds for the development of new system concepts. To date, there has been little guidance in the literature regarding how to perform both WDA and CTA, although many practitioners have performed WDA. Fewer have performed CTA, so the interested analyst has few examples to draw from, in particular for studies in industry. The work discussed in this paper involved the use of CTA to analyse scenario-based data in order to characterize expert performance in control tasks. By understanding expert performance according to a decision ladder (DL) model, it is possible to accurately support the required level of performance in complex, dynamic, open domains. This paper presents an overview of the work and includes some examples of the analyses.
Effects of Expertise and Situation Complexity on Visual Attention and Action Planning for Air Traffic Control
Authors: Hyun Seok Hoon , Kim Kyeong Tae , Song Sun Mi , Yoon Jong Sung , Lee Jae In , Cho Sun Min , Sohn Young Woo
Published: January 2012

Analyses of eye tracking and think-aloud protocol data were performed to examine novice-expert differences in perceptual and cognitive aspects of air traffic controllers' situation awareness. In Experiment 1, three groups of field air traffic controllers (experts, intermediates, novices) were asked to perceive situations that were manipulated by complexity. In Experiment 2, protocol analysis of controllers' situation awareness was performed to extract cognitive strategies as a function of expertise. Then delayed-recall task and interviews on air traffic control plans for the recalled situations were also executed. Results showed that expert controllers concentrate only on several critical features and have their own strategies to reduce mental workloads.
Sentry Duty Performance is Robust Under High Cognitive Load
Authors: Adam G.E. , Merullo D.
Published: January 2012

Cognitive demands are increasing in military tasks. A good deal of research has been conducted regarding vigilance performance of the dismounted Soldier. However, changing task demands and increased technological equipment are altering Soldiers' duties. It has become imperative to study performance under higher workload conditions, especially to understand Soldier responses in a multi-task situation. In this study, military volunteers responded to targets on a marksmanship simulator while also performing a secondary auditory task. Cognitive load on both tasks was varied. Sentry duty performance was more robust when the number of targets was high as compared to low. Secondary task latency, but not task completion was affected by workload on the primary task. Overall, performance was best when volunteers had the highest task demands. Explanations for these performance patterns will be explored.
Foundational Issues for Work Domain Analysis
Authors: Lintern Gavan
Published: January 2012

Lind (2003) has offered a critical analysis of Work Domain Analysis as executed in Cognitive Work Analysis. I review his critique and conclude that relatively few of his arguments have merit. Work Domain Analysis has a unique role to play within Cognitive Engineering. Although only some of the issues raised by Lind require resolution, consideration of those selected issues would be useful for the development of Cognitive Work Analysis.
Using Work Domain Analysis to Analyse Perfusionists' Conceptualisation Processes during Routine and Failure Cardio-Pulmonary Bypass Scenarios: Preliminary Outcomes Using Markov Chain Analysis
Authors: Miller Anne , Power Joe
Published: January 2012

Cardio-pulmonary bypass (CPB) involves the maintenance of whole body perfusion during cardiac surgery. While CPB is safe, emergencies do occur and perfusionists are expected to respond appropriately. However, perfusionists' training programs appear to be underdeveloped. In addition, there appears to be little understanding about how perfusionists conceptualise their work domain. This paper presents a work domain analysis-based (WDA) protocol for analysing perfusionists conceptualisations. A WDA of the CPB is presented. A hi-fidelity simulation environment with a video-cued recall interview data collection protocol is described and a Markov Chain analysis of verbal protocols is outlined using two participant data sets. We conclude that with further participant data analysis this novel approach offers promising insights into conceptualisation processes and exposes addition procedural, organisational and engineering issues that may need to be included in curriculum development.
Contextual Control Modes during an Airline Rescheduling Task
Authors: Feigh Karen , Pritchett Amy , Denq Tina , Jacko Julie
Published: January 2012

Tasks in complex, dynamic environments typically require many activities including information seeking, communicating, coordinating, judging, decision making, and implementing decisions. This paper examines how humans organize their actions, viewed as a form of control, by analyzing the selection of contextual control modes during an airline schedule adherence task. The experiment varied time limits and introduced a sudden change in the task during the last run. After each run, participants recorded their solution, NASA TLX workload ratings, and self-assessment of contextual control mode. Participants reported operating in, and transitioning between, different contextual control modes in response to time limits. Contextual control modes did not correlate with performance or TLX ratings of demand and effort but did correlate with time limit, TLX-frustration and TLX-performance ratings. The results suggest that high performance may be achieved through different contextual control modes and imply that decision aids should support multiple modes.
Enhancing Situational Awareness and Team Performance Using Network Centric Technologies
Authors: Entin Elliot E. , Hiniker Paul , Grier Rebecca , Jefferson Tyrone , Vecchio Gary , Harkins Jacquiline
Published: January 2012

A network-centric oriented technology that fused the User Defined Operational Picture (UDOP) and the Lightweight Collaborative Whiteboard (LCW) was compared to the baseline Global Command and Control System (GCCS). The UDOP environment allows the user to personally tailor the dynamic map and collaborate on the map via drawing, marking, and annotation that instantly appears on all other team member's maps. The GCCS map provides none of these capabilities. It was hypothesized that the UDOP environment will foster higher situational awareness and more adequate shared mental models than GCCS. Given that quality shared mental models and situational awareness have been associated with higher performance it was hypothesized that the UDOP environment would produce higher situational awareness and performance than the GCCS environment. Findings supported these hypotheses; higher situational awareness and performance were associated with the UDOP environment.
Shared Perception of Risks in Emergency Situations between Pilots and Air Traffic Controllers
Authors: Park Su Ae , Sohn Young Woo , Kim Kyeongtae
Published: January 2012

Most of the aviation research on shared understanding have focused on coordination between cockpit crew. But coordination between pilots and air traffic controllers (ATCs) is critical for flight safety as well. This research determined whether pilots' perception of risk differs from ACTs' when they face the same flight situation. To assess the differences, we had pilots and ATCs evaluate the risk associated with emergency situations. Our risk rating data showed that there were differences in risk perception between pilots and ATCs. Factor analysis further suggested that pilots' risk perception was based on the immediacy of risk whereas ATCs' perception was based on the responsibility for controlling the emergency situation. This research has a practical implication for effective crew resource management (CRM) training.
Applied Comparison between Hierarchical Goal Analysis and Mission, Function and Task Analysis
Authors: Chow Renee , Kobierski Bob , Coates Curtis , Crebolder Jacquelyn
Published: January 2012

This paper uses a case study approach to compare applications of Mission, Function and Task Analysis (MFTA) and Hierarchical Goal Analysis (HGA) to identify requirements for systems design in a military context. The two approaches were used to analyze three tactical positions in the Operations Room of a Halifax Class naval frigate. MFTA produced a four-level hierarchy; the bottom level of which specified tasks to be performed by the three naval operators. HGA produced a hierarchy that ranged from four to eight levels; every level specified goals, each assigned to an operator and each associated with a controlled variable. MFTA was found easier to apply, as job positions and time were used as frames of reference to identify tasks. HGA was found harder to apply, as goals were not defined by position, organizational structure, or time. MFTA successfully identified operator tasks, while HGA successfully identified both operator tasks and interactions that could benefit from technological support.
Effects of Robot Control Mode on Situation Awareness and Performance in a Navigation Task
Authors: Riley Jennifer M. , Strater Laura D.
Published: January 2012

Our ability to complete tasks in remote environments has improved with increased sophistication of robotic systems. The quality of remote task performance is driven by the quality of human interaction with robots which can be dependent upon the operator's ability to acquire situation awareness (SA) for task completion. There are, however, often critical limitations in development of SA, which are projected to have a magnified effect when operators must task and control multiple unmanned systems. In this study, we investigated the effects the mode of robot control on operator performance and ability to develop SA while navigating two robots through two mazes. Participants were randomly assigned to groups to control the robots in serial (one after another) or in parallel (at the same time) either manually or using two types of automation. The participants also viewed a systems interface to monitor the status of the robots. Results indicate that participants under serial control produced higher SA scores, though not significantly different from SA scores observed under parallel control modes. The best navigation performance was observed under parallel control with a high level of autonomy that followed a prescribed set of navigation rules. This control mode also resulted in the lowest workload scores. Participants were better able to correctly respond to SA queries for lower level, perceptual items in the robotics task as compared to higher level comprehension and projection items. Performance in the monitoring task was found to be significantly, positively correlated to participant SA.
Managing Multiple Uavs: Are we Asking the Right Questions?
Authors: Galster Scott M. , Knott Benjamin A. , Brown Rebecca D.
Published: January 2012

The limiting factor in how many unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) a single operator may be able to simultaneously control successfully may be constrained by the workload experienced by that operator. Recently, the focus on the cause of the workload and performance variation primarily stemmed from the number of concurrent UAVs controlled by a single operator. The present experiment systematically investigated the number of UAVs controlled and the number of targets each UAV had to provide information on during its flight. Additionally, an automation aid was evaluated to determine if cueing facilitated performance. The results suggest that the tasks of each UAV are just as much or perhaps even more important to consider when evaluating the source of increased operator workload and performance differences. Further, the automation, as employed in this experiment was limited in providing a practical benefit to the operator.
Leveraging Work Domain Analysis for a Wi-Fi Enabled Mobile Device
Authors: Smith Carl F.
Published: January 2012

The proliferation of wireless networks and wireless-enabled handheld devices has spurred the design of Wi-Fi enabled mobile devices that automatically detect and identify wireless signals. Recent designs have proposed the use of an “intelligent” interface that changes modes based on some variable specific to the user or the environment. Specifying a method of identification given the unpredictable nature of human work presents a design challenge that is not easily addressed by conventional scenario or task based methods. A Work Domain Analysis was used to inform the design constraints of a mobile device interface used to support the transition between wireless networks with different constraints, as well as unanticipated tasks.
Personification of Voice User Interfaces: Impacts on User Performance
Authors: Knott Benjamin A. , Kortum Philip
Published: January 2012

This paper describes the results of an experiment in which the behaviors of callers to two different natural language prompts in a simple voice user interface were measured. Callers into a call center heard one of two natural language prompts. In one of the prompts, the interface identified itself to the caller by name (“Hi, I'm Bill”) while the other prompt did not. Results show that this simple personification led to significantly better user performance in several areas. First, more callers interacted with the system if the interface identified itself by name. Second, callers provided more complete statements of what they needed to the system. Third, callers generated fewer vague statements that would have required the system to re-prompt them for more information. Finally, callers who heard the named-prompt uttered more words on average than those who heard the un-named prompt. Implications for voice user interface design are discussed.
Benefits Analysis of the National Traffic Management Log
Authors: Yuditsky Tanya , Brickman Bart
Published: January 2012

Traffic Management Specialists within the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system strategically manage the flow of air traffic to minimize delays and congestion due to system stressors such as heavy volume, weather, and equipment outages. ATC facilities are required to log all traffic management initiatives (TMIs), coordinate the implementation of some initiatives with the Air Traffic Control System Command Center, and communicate TMIs to Traffic Management Specialists at all affected facilities and to the controllers within their facility. The Federal Aviation Administration developed the National Traffic Management Log (NTML) to provide a single system for automated coordination, logging, and communication of TMIs. This paper describes the results of an empirical comparison of TMI processing with and without NTML in terms of time, potential for user error, and workload.
Communication and Coordination Problems in the Hydocarbon Processing Industry
Authors: Laberge Jason C. , Goknur Sinem C.
Published: January 2012

Effective communication and coordination is important in the hydrocarbon processing industry. This paper represents the first step in a larger study with the goal of improving communication and designing solutions (technology, training, work processes) to support effective coordination. We administered a survey to 11 sites to understand and characterize communication and coordination issues. Results showed that communication and coordination could be improved between planning and operations (console, field, head operators), communication between units, between maintenance (technicians, coordinators, supervisors) and operations and during shift handover. Specific constraints that hinder communication and coordination included weak leadership, poor control room design, closed communication culture, deficient work processes, and varied situation and work environment constraints. Potential solution areas include procedures, electronic logs, group displays, CRM and leadership training, and the use of video-mediated communication.
Using Composite Scene Authentication (Csa) as a Graphical Alternative to Alphanumeric Password Systems
Authors: Johnson Korey , Werner Steffen
Published: January 2012

Current authentication strategies seek to increase security by requiring users to create more secure alphanumeric passwords, but the inverse relationship between alphanumeric password security and memorability prevents users from being able to create a password that is both secure and memorable. Graphical user authentication mechanisms have been explored as a means to maintain security while enhancing memorability of passcodes. Current approaches often use unrelated picture sets from which participants have to remember a subset, with mixed results. Proposed in this paper is an alternative approach of using a Composite Scene Authentication (CSA) mechanism to maximize memorability of graphical passcodes. In the current study, a composite image consisting of nine elements was compared to a nine character hexadecimal password. Participants were able to correctly recognize the CSA mechanism 80% of the time, but only able to recall the hexadecimal password 20% of the time.
Usability in Battle Management System Human-Machine Interface Design: Assessing Compliance with Design Guide Heuristics
Authors: Summers Scott H.
Published: January 2012

In 2005, the United States Air Force Air Combat Command and Air Force Research Laboratory released a Battle Management and Command & Control system human-machine interface Design Guide. A study was conducted at a North American Aerospace Defense Command air defense sector to assess a new command and control system for level of compliance with this new guide. Sixty-seven qualified command and control personnel participated in the pilot study, consisting of 15 qualitative survey items. Results indicate that the use of such a qualitative measurement instrument may prove effective in determining relative levels of compliance with usability guidelines.