Usability in Battle Management System Human-Machine Interface Design: Assessing Compliance with Design Guide Heuristics

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.