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information on dissertation project

information on my dissertation project (11/2007 10/2010)

working title:
Design and Evaluation of a Supervisory Control System for Automation Research - A Multi-level Usability Engineering Approach

scope of the dissertation project ATEO (Arbeitsteilung Entwickler-Operateur/ division of labour between developer and operator)

Nobody is perfect... neither developers of nor operators in human-machine systems:


from Wandke, H. & Nachtwei, J. (2008). The different human factor in automation: the developer behind vs. the operator in action. In: D. de Waard, F.O. Flemisch, B. Lorenz, H. Oberheid, and K.A. Brookhuis (Eds.), Human factors for assistance and automation (pp. 493-502). Maastricht, the Netherlands: Shaker Publishing.

The rapid technological improvements in computer-based control systems make any direct comparison of performance between human operators and machines obsolete. Recent studies of automation do not concentrate on performance oriented comparisons but rather emphasise unwanted side-effects of function allocation, such as loss of competence, deficiencies in situation awareness, complacency, mistrust, etc. We focus on a “forgotten” question of function allocation: How well can future events be prospectively handled by developers compared with the operator’s handling of the same events when they really happen? Developers of automation systems are able to program suitable algorithms for predictable problems. Human operators are needed for unpredictable situations. But analyses of accidents reveal that developers of automation are unable to consider all possible combinations of disturbances, while human operators are unable to act as quickly and accurately as needed. This represents a serious problem. A Socially Augmented Microworld (“SAM”) was developed for the experimental comparison of developers’ anticipation and operators’ actions.

figure: basic SAM setup - two participants (= microworld inhabitants) perform cooperative tracking

Classical (microworld) approaches have a problem: “Either the functions are deterministic and events can be foreseen in principle - even if they are extremely complex and interdependent, or they contain stochastic parts, which makes prediction impossible.” (Gross & Nachtwei, 2007, p. 345). An examination of mere determinism vs. chance would give predictable (dis-)advantages to developer and operator and thus would make an investigation obsolete. We therefore augment the classic microworld (see Brehmer & Dörner, 1993) by including microworld inhabitants as a social factor. Two participants perform a pursuit tracking task presented as a road environment either alone or cooperatively using a standard PC. Joysticks are used as input devices and 50% input (vertically and horizontally) are each assigned to them. The participants are part of the microworld (just as e.g. microprocessors are part of a real technical system). Especially their cooperation adds measurable complexity to this environment, because they are selected (by a questionnaire) and instructed differently concerning their tracking style. One has the tendency to track fast but makes more mistakes whereas the other microworld inhabitant shows the opposite tendency. As a result the process seems stochastic at first glance but is explainable afterwards. We can observe their behaviour and interview them, comparable to a supervisor in an aircraft cockpit. This cooperative tracking task is the challenge for the developer and operator, who have to cope with it with their very own means. They have to deal, either directly or by means of automatic functions, with the conflicts and errors of these microworld inhabitants, which can be defined as system disturbances.

figure: ATEO setup
( click to enlarge )

my role in the dissertation project

I am dealing with the operators' resources and their influence on safety and efficiency of human machine systems. The main strength of an operator supervising and controlling a complex and dynamic sytem could be the ability to improvise (based on expertise and creative handling of standard operation procedures). The main weakness could be the limitations in information processing, especially in abnormal situations when many - sometimes contradicting - information must be elaborated.

In short: I am currently working on the design of a master display for our Socially Augmented Microworld (SAM, see above). This user interface should enable the operator to monitor and control cooperative tracking in order to ensure fast and accurate steering. The operators' abilities to support tracking using this interface will be compared to the abilities of an automation, which will be doing just the same: monitor and control tracking. My colleague Saskia Kain is responsible for automation concept and design.

figure: multi-level design approach of the ATEO master display (AMD)
( click to enlarge )

I am deeply grateful for the great work of Tobias Hampel, Christian Leonhard, Nicolas Niestroj & Hermann Schwarz (all computer scientists) who implemented a new architecture of SAM, the AMD and a logfile analysis tool.

figure: prototype of ATEO Master Display (AMD) version 2.8

( click to enlarge )


video: prototype of ATEO Master Display (AMD) version 2.7

figure: overview dependent/moderator variables
( click to enlarge )