bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Ergonomics Analyses of the AT&T Operator Services Position System
Authors: Ghahramani Bahador 
Published: January 2012

The Operator Services position System (OSPS) is an advanced Ergonomically sound workstation designed to furnish AT&T operators with enhanced call processing facilities. The predecessor for the OSPS system originated as the Traffic Service Position System (TSPS) about 40 years ago and replaced the manual corded operator positions. At that time, the TSPS represented a significant improvement for the operator working environment. Ergonomics advancements in the past 40 years since the TSPS design, have been applied to the replacement OSPS. Additional features were provided to the TSPS system in 1986. The Computerized Position Information System (COMPIS) is an auxiliary system designed to enhance operator work efficiency and productivity. The COMPIS system is the old TSPS system augmented by a Video Display Terminal (VDT) and a movable keyboard with a long cord. This COMPIS “add-on” was acceptable when COMPIS use required only 10% of the operators' 8-hour working day. The COMPIS was so successful that usage quickly climbed to 50%. COMPIS equipment was an interim system intended to enhance operator capabilities until the new Operator Services Position System (OSPS) is installed in late 1990. The primary objective of this paper is to discuss the significant Ergonomics considerations of this system and describe their applications within the communications industry. The Ergonomic goals of AT&T are: development of procedures to be utilized for system feedback and keying of calls: and, provision of a console and screen display layout that can support the maximum use of Human Factors principles as they apply to the operators' duties.
Effects of Mental Models of a Computer-Aided Instruction System on the Acquisition of Cognitive Skills
Authors: Hsu Shang H. , Chen John C. 
Published: January 2012

The human-computer interface of a computer-aided instruction (CAI) system can affect the learning of knowledge and skills. This study investigated the relative effectiveness of various mental models (i.e., metaphor, surrogate, and network) of a CAI system on the acquisition of intellectual skills and verbal information. Before the learning session started, subjects from each mental model group were given instructions about a representation of the system. Immediately after completion of the learning session, subjects were tested for their problem-solving performance. Time spent to solve each problem along with its accuracy was recorded. Results showed that there was an effect of mental models on the acquisition of intellectual skills. In terms of response speed and accuracy in problems requiring high complexity reasoning tasks, the Network model was most effective among the three. The Metaphor model, however, was best for problems requiring low complexity reasoning tasks. Mental models showed no effect on speed of the recall in verbal information. The metaphor model, however, was the best in terms of recall accuracy. These results suggested that CAI systems would require different human-computer interfaces depending on types of content knowledge and task requirements.
How the Look Affects the Feel: Visual Design and the Creation of an Information Kiosk
Authors: Salomon Gitta B 
Published: January 2012

This paper describes a visually-oriented, iterative methodology for the design of human-computer interfaces. It focuses on the implementation of an interactive electronic information kiosk, the “CHI ′89 InfoBooth.” Throughout the system's design, the interdisciplinary project team concentrated on using visual materials to simulate the user's experience, rather than on writing text specifications. The paper discusses the role played by visual design in three phases of the system's development. It first describes how the use of “visual placeholders” — sketchy drawings conveying interface ideas — facilitated early design explorations. Next, it shows how “storytelling prototypes” were used to refine ideas before rigorous programming was undertaken. Finally, it describes how problems uncovered during informal user testing of functional prototypes were corrected by seemingly small changes to the interface's appearance. Specific visual examples are provided throughout.
Judgments of Hazard, Risk, and Danger: Do They Differ?
Authors: Young Stephen L. , Brelsford John W. , Wogalter Michael S. 
Published: January 2012

There were three purposes of the present research. The first was to test whether some of the discrepancies found in the hazard and risk perception literature were due to differences between the connotations of the terms hazard and risk. The second purpose was to examine the relationship between willingness to read warnings and generalized cautious intent, as well as other relevant variables suggested by past literature. The third purpose was to examine the relation between objective measures of injury (e.g., frequencies of hospital emergency room admissions) and people's subjective perceptions. The results showed that the expressions of hazardous, risky, dangerous and hazardous-to-use connote the same meaning to lay participants. Strong intercorrelations were found between overall unsafeness (a composite of the four hazard-risk expressions), injury severity, cautious intent, and willingness to read warnings. While injury likelihood played a small part in the prediction of willingness to read warnings, the results indicated that overall unsafeness (and severity of injury) play the foremost role in people's judgements of whether to read warnings and to act cautiously. No relationship was observed between objective measures of injury frequency and people's subjective perceptions of injury likelihood which is taken as a further indication that people do not readily use injury likelihood in their judgements of product safety. The implications are two-fold. First, the results suggest that lay persons do not interpret the term risk in the same way as do experts. These results suggest that other terminology and language may be needed to express probability to lay persons. Second, the results suggest that designers of warnings and educational materials should focus their attention to ways that appropriately communicate how badly a person can get hurt, rather than (or to a lesser extent) the likelihood of getting hurt.
A Model Describing the Time Course of Isometric Muscle Fatigue
Authors: Deeb Joseph M. , Drury Colin G. 
Published: January 2012

Despite the recommendations that an important design criterion is not to exceed 15% of an operator's maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) with any muscle that must be used for a long period of time, many tasks involve the exertion of much higher forces coupled with long-term contractions. Many studies have investigated the force-time relationship of isometric muscle contractions to determine the endurance time of a given relative force. To date, however, direct studies of muscle performance throughout fatiguing tasks have not been conducted to the same degree. This research was concerned with studying the effects of different muscle groups (biceps, vs quadriceps) of subjects with different age groups (20–29 vs. 50–59 years of age) on long-term muscular isometric contractions at different levels of %MVC (20%, 40%, 60%, 80%, and 100% MVC), and modelling the functional data to describe the time course of strength decrement. The data revealed that the time course of strength decrement was best modelled by the function: [Formula: see text] An experiment test using 2 0 subjects with each subject performing 10 conditions (two muscle groups * five level of %MVC) showed that this function accounted for over 95% of the variance of strength decrement. All parameter estimates were statistically significant.
Acquisition of Skills for New Plant Start-Up in Singapore along with a Plan to Retain Employees
Authors: Birnbrauer Herman 
Published: January 2012

There is always a problem in a new plant start-up acquiring a workforce that is competent. This is aggravated when the skills required are not available in the prevailing labor market. Couple this with a tight labor market with competition for workers. A further complication is doing all of this internationally (Singapore). The traditional on-the-job training was not considered capable of creating and developing a competent workforce. The solution of the problem that was adapted was a competency -based technical program using subject-matter experts. These SME's were selected from within the culture of the plant, brought to the United States and trained, coached and counselled so that they could develop and conduct the training back home in Singapore. Competency-based training that uses certification was taken a step further by the integration of human factors and social interaction consideration and skills. The SME's to be effective must be accepted as experts, coaches, counsellors and mentors. The feeling of caring and consideration needed to come across as credible and honest for success. When this did, the trainers were receptive and enthusiastic and they took pride in their accomplishment.
Smart Vehicles: New Directions for Human Factors Safety Research
Authors: Perel Michael , Brewer H. Keith , Allen Wade , Farber Eugene I. , Rockwell Thomas H. , Repa Brian 
Published: January 2012

Advances in technology are being incorporated in motor vehicles at an increasing pace. These technologies have applications that may improve driver safety, comfort, and convenience. Among the “Smart Vehicle” applications that have been proposed are navigation systems, near obstacle detection systems, drive-by-wire, and active suspensions. In order for these systems to be effective, they need to be designed in consonance with driver needs, capabilities, and limitations. One concern is that unless human factors issues are addressed, new technologies not only may fall short of their potential for improving safety, but also may confuse or overload the driver and reduce safety. Because of this concern, a major focus of the crash avoidance research program at the National Highway Safety Administration (NHTSA) is on human factors issues associated with new vehicle technologies. The panel will feature presentations of NHTSA perspectives and research programs followed by discussants from the private sector describing their views on human factors research needs for improving vehicle safety in the 90′s. The introductory paper will present background on current and near future research directions at NHTSA. The next presentation will describe the status of the NHTSA program to develop an advanced research simulator. The final presentation will discuss potential applications of the simulator to human factors research. The discussants will provide reactions to the research envisioned by NHTSA as well as their own perspectives on research from the private sector point of view. Two of the discussants are from the motor vehicle manufacturing industry and one has an academic/private consulting background. It is hoped that this panel will provide a broad perspective on the challenges of vehicle safety research and will stimulate new interest by human factors researchers to become involved in this important field.
Designing Antecedent Strategies for Increasing Safe Driving: A Pledgecard for Encouraging Belts and Discouraging Booze
Authors: Gamble Katrin A. , Kalsher Michael J. 
Published: January 2012

A pledgecard designed to increase safety belt use and decrease driving under the influence of alcohol was distributed to faculty, staff, and students at a university campus. The pledgecard actually contained two separate pledges - one to use a safety belt (Buckle Up) and one to use safe transportation (Drive Sober). Each portion was designed such that it would be present whenever a decision regarding these behaviors was to be made. The Buckle Up pledge was designed to be hung from the inside rearview mirror of a vehicle, whereas the Drive Sober pledge was designed to fit inside one's purse or wallet. The “Take the Pledge” program encouraged participants to pledge to Buckle Up and Drive Sober for four weeks. Observations of safety belt use were conducted beginning two weeks prior to the beginning of the pledge program and ending ten weeks later. Additionally, surveys were distributed before and after the program to obtain self-report measures of safety belt use and driving under the influence (DUI). Results indicated that there was a significant increase in both self-reported and actual safety belt use for both drivers and passengers during the “Take the Pledge” program. There was no significant change in the reported incidence of DUI. Program Agents demonstrated a greater commitment to both their Buckle Up and Drive Sober pledges than did Program Recipients.
Relative vs. Absolute Rating
Authors: Liu T. S. , Narayanan S. , Subramanian V. , Konz S. 
Published: January 2012

Making relative and absolute judgments of alternatives is compared. Relative judgments, following Saaty's procedure, require that each possible pair of conditions be compared. The subject indicates which member of the pair is preferred, then gives the magnitude of the preference on a 1–9 scale. The scores then are entered into a matrix and eigenvectors calculated for each subject in each condition. These eigenvectors then are evaluated in a conventional subjects × conditions analysis of variance. Two experiments are reported which show relative rating using eigenvectors is a more sensitive rating instrument than absolute rating. Experiment 1 compared discomfort glare for three simulated streetlight luminances. Experiment 2 evaluated the likability of various fonts when used on transparencies with two sizes of fonts (subtending.57 or.72°), two styles (bold and regular) and three types (executive, roman and sans serif). The relative rating method is a “more sensitive instrument.” It has two disadvantages. One, it requires evaluation of all possible pairs of conditions by the same subject so the experiment itself may take longer. Second, the program to calculate the eigenvectors is not presently available in a standard statistical package such as SAS or SPSS.
Variations in Troubleshooting Skill as a Function of Psychological Arousal
Authors: Morrison David L. , Meng Yap Lai , Farley Caroline 
Published: January 2012

The acute effects of exposure to extreme stress are often hypothesised to be at least partly responsible for errors of judgement and action in humans. Most research in this area has concentrated on simple laboratory tasks. This paper reports the results of research that examined the effects on troubleshooting performance of three variables known to influence psychological arousal: noise, memory load and time of day. All three independent variables were found to affect troubleshooting performance. Noise facilitated performance of subjects with low initial ability and all subjects at night in a low memory load condition. However, the performance of high ability subjects was impaired in the morning when exposed to bursts of noise. The theoretical and practical implications of these results for future research and systems design are discussed.
Development of an Aegis Combatant Integrated Survivability Management System (ISMS) Modeling Tool
Authors: Perse Randy M. , Callahan Kathryn P. , Malone Thomas B. 
Published: January 2012

This paper presents the results of a study to develop an automated analytical tool for establishing the role of man vs. machine in the operation and design of the AEGIS combatant Integrated Survivability Management System (ISMS). ISMS enables a ship to control damage and continue to defend itself when damaged–“fight while hurt”– by integrating damage control (DC) and combat systems (CS) functions. The initial activity in the human engineering process was to develop a model of information-processing and decision-making tasks for ISMS damage control activities aboard an Aegis-class ship. A task flow model developed in a previous effort was expanded and refined to include detailed damage control activities in Damage Control Central (DCC), and activities for repair of Vital Systems and Fume and Airtight Integrity. Task flow sequences were created based on Navy doctrine and subject matter expert (SME) interviews, validated at NAVSEA, and modeled in a fire and flooding demonstration scenario. The ISMS task sequence model was exercised using an analytical tool, designated Simulation Workload and Assessment Modeling (SIMWAM). Use of this tool identifies operator workloads and interruptions, information-processing and decision-making task bottlenecks, over- and under-utilized operators, and task delays in multiple complex damage control scenarios. By taking advantage of SIMWAM's capabilities to model complex multiple-operator man-machine systems, this ISMS damage control model will be particularly useful for front-end analysis of ISMS design options, and for modeling changes to damage control doctrine, procedures, personnel allocations, and organization under a variety of damage control scenarios.
Crewcut: A New Tool for Predicting Human Performance in Conceptual Systems
Authors: Plocher Tom , Lockett John F. , Kovach Peter , Powers Jeffrey 
Published: January 2012

CREWCUT was developed in response to the need for a tool that can predict the effects of automation on operator workload and system performance. Previous analytical tools have considered either operator workload alone or system performance alone, neglecting the important interaction. In contrast, CREWCUT integrates workload estimation algorithms into a dynamic human performance simulation framework, such that the performance consequences of excessive workload can be observed and quantified. CREWCUT also provides a mechanism for simulating operator coping or workload management strategies and their effects on system performance. Workload algorithms in CREWCUT are based on a multiple resource theoretical model that includes three workload components: 1) single task demands, 2) cognitive interference, and 3) structural interference. Workload is computed as the demand placed on each mental resource at any given moment in the simulation, given the degree of conflict or interference in resource demands at that moment. When demands exceed threshold, workload management strategies are called into play by CREWCUT and attempt to reduce workload. Various performance penalties are assessed, depending upon the particular strategy selected and its degree of success in normalizing workload. The effects of automation on technology insertion can be simulated in CREWCUT in terms of its effects on operator tasks (sequencing, allocation, time, and error parameters), workload demands, and crewstation displays and controls. The workload and system performance effects of display and control media, as well as the physical layout of the crewstation are considered. Both graphic and tabular simulation outputs are provided, supporting a variety of system performance measures.
The Dynamics of Trust in a Supervisory Control Simulation
Authors: Lee John D. 
Published: January 2012

As automated controllers supplant human intervention in controlling complex systems, the operator's role changes from that of an active controller to that of a supervisory controller, interacting with the system by engaging different degrees of automatic and manual control. Because manual and automatic control have different capabilities and limitations, improperly allocating function between automatic and manual control can have negative consequences for system performance. The operator's decision to perform a task manually or automatically depends, in part, upon the trust the operators invest in the automatic controllers (Muir, 1989). Consequently, the factors influencing trust, as well as the dynamics of trust need to be identified. This research examines changes in operators' trust during an interaction with a simulated semi-automatic pasteurization plant. The results of this research show how trust develops as the operators interact with the system, as well as how trust changes in response to faults in the system. An ARMAV time series model of trust is proposed as a first step in developing a quantitative understanding of the dynamics of trust. The ARMAV analysis supports a quantitative understanding of the “inertia” observed in the both the gradual development of trust and the decline and recovery with the occurrence of faults. The findings in this paper form a foundation on which future research might build, eventually leading to a more complete understanding of the factors mediating an operator's allocation of function in a supervisory control situation.
Participatory Ergonomics as a Means of Preventing Wmsds
Authors: Brown Ogden 
Published: January 2012

Participatory ergonomics is a flexible means for the achievement of many diverse goals in turbulent technological environments. It is a macroergonomic approach to the implementation of technology in organizational systems which requires that end-users be highly involved in developing and implementing the technology. The notion of participation offers the promise of tremendous potential gains for the organization, the worker, and even the economic well-being of the greater society. Such pervasive and important technological innovations as the use of computers and their concomitant video display terminals can, in spite of their usefulness, lead to many occupational health and safety problems. Cumulative trauma disorders appear to be an associated dysfunction in modern industry, and effective health and safety solutions to many of these problems are highly important, both to the organization and especially to the people in it. It is proposed that the use of participation and worker involvement in the solution of such problems is a powerful and promising tool. There is no one best way to employ worker participation. It is contingent upon the nature of the problem itself, the work system, the job design presently in place, the environment in which the work is done, the training of the worker, and a myriad of other variables. From the available empirical evidence, a participation typology is postulated. The successful implementation of participatory ergonomics and other participatory arrangements requires the empowerment and enablement of people to make decisions concerning their work and to implement and evaluate them. Several participatory approaches to worker involvement are presented which address work system and job design factors, design of the work environment, and training of VDT operators. These approaches are discussed in the context of a systems approach to the prevention of WMSDs. The reduction and/or prevention of cumulative trauma disorders such as work-related musculoskeletal disorders is a matter of great concern in modern organizational life, both from the point of view of productivity concerns and also from that of the humanization of work. The solution of occupational health and safety problems will not only lead to increased organizational effectiveness, but should help provide for a far better realization of human potential.