Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meeting

This was a demonstration of a set of tools used to: 1) compare and evaluate software applications and prototypes; 2) evaluate documentation and instructional material; and 3) process video tape recordings of human-computer interaction (HCI). These tools include an event capture tool, which records events related to objects in graphical user interfaces, data filtering tools, which translate and aggregate user-generated events into meaningful characterizations of the interaction, and a multimedia data analyzer, which couples event logs and video recordings from HCI testing sessions.

An interactive learning environment was developed with the goal of empirically testing the effectiveness of various teaching strategies in improving problem solving performance. The domain chosen was transfusion medicine since it involves solving complex, multiple solution problems which are typically found to be difficult (Elstein, Shulman, and Sprafka, 1978) and because normal performance of this task calls for marking data sheets with intermediate conclusions, thereby improving the chances of the computer correctly inferring the student's reasoning. The testbed, called TMT (for Transfusion Medicine Tutor), monitors for errors, builds a model of what a student knows and can select teaching strategies based on human tutoring models that were developed from earlier studies. The testbed will be used to collect data of a student's performance in conditions where the degree of teaching and type of feedback are manipulated. A number of broadly applicable issues can be explored in this framework such as the difference between expert and student problem solving strategies, the effectiveness of different teaching strategies, and the importance of modeling student knowledge and providing visual feedback when developing an interactive learning environment. Preliminary results of our experiments, a demonstration of the testbed, and a discussion of how it was implemented will be presented in the demonstration session.

Although many automated tools support the productivity of professionals (engineers, managers, architects, secretaries, etc.), none specifically address the needs of the scientific researcher. The scientist's needs are complex and the primary activities are cognitive rather than physical. The individual scientist collects and manipulates large data sets, integrates, synthesizes, generates, and records information. The means to access and manipulate information are a critical determinant of the performance of the system as a whole. One hindrance in this process is the scientist's computer environment, which has changed little in the last two decades. Extensive time and effort is demanded from the scientist to learn to use the computer system. A common paradigm that meets the critical requirement of facilitating information access and retrieval by the chemist is demonstrated. This paradigm was embodied in EASI, a working prototype that increased the productivity of the individual scientific researcher.

The main purpose of this demonstration is to show the capabilities of the CHIRP Toolkit which is being developed at the Lockheed Rapid Prototyping Laboratory in Sunnyvale, CA. CHIRP is designed to aid the human factors engineer in the development, demonstration and evaluation of advanced forms of computer-human interaction (CHI). The demonstration will show the ease with which high fidelity prototypes of interactive graphical user interfaces (GUIs) can be developed using a form of visual programming. CHIRP contains both primitive GUI objects (e.g., a button and a menu selection bar) and higher-level prefabricated interface modules (e.g., a panel of buttons and a complete pull-down menu structure). Reusable maps, globes, images, graphs, analog displays and other useful graphical objects are stored in application graphics libraries. Special interactive graphics creation utilities are provided to support rapid development of application scenarios involving orbital mechanics, image processing, tracking and signal processing.

Examples resulting from a variety of rapid prototyping activities involving CHIs for graphics-oriented military and commercial applications will be shown. These examples will illustrate the value of CHI prototyping in all phases of the computer system development cycle. CHIRP-based prototypes have been successfully used for marketing activities, for verification of system requirements, for simulating concepts of operation, for risk reduction studies, for usability evaluations, and for training users. Specific examples shown in this demonstration include a data fusion GUI designed for a proof of concept review, an animated 3D graphics orbital mechanics simulation used for requirements analysis and risk reduction studies, and an interactive GUI remote diagnostics prototype used for workload analysis studies and as a part-task trainer. Since the CHIRP Toolkit is a continuously evolving product, the demonstration will include a brief preview of future developments, including a capability to prototype multimedia CHIs which incorporate imagery, sound, and interactive video.

Human error can be reduced and performance enhanced in the practice of anesthesiology by providing a wide range of controlled experience. These demonstrations illustrate the viability of simulation in addressing the issue of human error in the practice of anesthesiology.

This demonstration presents HSYS, a computerized methodology for analyzing human performance in complex operational settings. HSYS was developed in an attempt to better understand the interactional relationship between humans and operational systems (Hill, Harbour, Sullivan, and Hallbert, 1990) and to examine the many factors which influence Human-SYStem interactions. HSYS focuses on system interactions from the human's perspective and is built around a linear model of human performance, termed the Input-Action Model. The HSYS program automates much of the process of investigating human performance using Flowcharts based on the Input-Action Model. So far, HSYS has been designed and used primarily as an incident investigation tool. It is conceived, however, that HSYS might be useful as an analytical development tool where the Flowcharts would be used to examine whether all aspects that may influence human performance have been considered.

After World War II, a system of national laboratories was created to foster a suitable environment for scientific research. Today, human factors activities are in evidence at most of the nine U.S. Department of Energy multi-program national laboratories as well as at a number of “special program” facilities. In this integrated lecture-poster session, the opening and closing lecture presentations–providing historical and future perspectives, respectively–surround a “thematic poster session” conducted by representatives from six multi-program and two special program laboratories.

The goal of this symposium is to demonstrate how the unique expertise of market researchers, human factors engineers, and industrial designers can be integrated to create successful new products and services. Specifically, it will explore the appropriate design roles for each of these three disciplines by answering four major questions: (a) WHERE in the new product design process does each discipline become involved? (b) WHAT design question(s) does each accept primary responsibility for answering? (c) HOW does each apply their current state-of-practice in answering these questions? (d) WHO do they interact with at various steps throughout the design process? Through a combination of tutorials, case studies, and open panel discussions, attendees will appreciate the value added to both the design process and the designs themselves by integrating these 3 disciplines.