Craig M. Harvey

A theoretical framework and quantitative architecture to assess team task complexity in dynamic environments

The predominance of team decision-making and performance assessment literature has defined team measures as highly abstract concepts (e.g., team leadership, competence, innovation, empowerment). Likewise, a clear taxonomy for defining team tasks has remained elusive. Thus, this paper presents a framework by which to classify team tasks based on two basic premises: (1) a team task can be broken down into quantifiable components; and, (2) team performance can be used to evaluate a tasks complexity relative to another task. This framework relies on the ability to objectively measure individual team member subtasks relative to a team objective that is composed of several windows of opportunity that must be achieved by individual members to achieve good team performance. This proposed theoretical framework takes a simulation-based approach by which to evaluate team tasks and performance. The approach is driven by the need to understand team tasks and their relative performance in military, government, and commercial applications.

Distributed Collaborative Design Teams: Media Effects on Design Processes

Collaborative manufacturing, a growing competitive structure for manufacturing companies and government agencies, is based on flexible design and production processes, with multiple companies pooling strengths on a product-by-product basis to create distributed collaborative corporations. This experimental research uses a sociotechnical theory as a framework to explore differences in engineering design team decision making as a function of various media of communication. Results indicate that design teams communicating via an electronic medium perceive an increase in mental workload and interact less frequently, but for a greater total amount of time. No evidence was found to suggest that face-to-face teams spend a greater proportion of their time discussing design issues or alternatives than do their dispersed counterparts. Realizing that critical decisions throughout design have a tremendous effect on cost, time to production, and overall quality, the studys results lead to broad implications and suggestions for the management of distributed design teams.

Comparison of Current U.S. and Canadian Cigarette Pack Warnings

Cigarette smoking is the single most preventable cause of death in the United States. From 1985 to date, one of four mandatory cigarette warnings proposed by the Comprehensive Smoking Education Act of 1984 has been displayed on cigarette packages. In addition to cigarette warnings, states like California, Massachusetts, Arizona, Oregon and Maine have implemented “Tobacco Control Programs” (TCP) to reduce the overall number of smokers. However, the decline in the rate of smoking is not occurring fast enough to meet the national health objective by 2010. The present U.S. cigarette warnings are verbal in form and provide information, which is inadequate but appropriate to make it legally adequate. On the other hand, warnings in other countries such as Canada and Brazil are more descriptive and specific and are accompanied by vivid and sometimes gruesome pictures. In the present study, six pictorial Canadian labels and four U.S. verbal labels were analyzed for potential effectiveness among eighty subjects using a survey questionnaire. The survey findings are compared with recent Canadian smoking data. It is concluded that placing pictorial labels on cigarette packages in the U.S. will allow the product to carry warnings that potentially provide better results than current verbal messages and less TCP funds will need to be used.

The cooperative shift change: an illustration using air traffic control

We define the cooperative shift change and consider it from the perspective of four phases identified in Grusenmeyer (International Journal of Human Factors in Manufacturing, 5, 163–176, 1995): end-of-shift, arrival, meeting, and taking post. We describe the differences expected for the phases for both outgoing and incoming operators, discuss various domains that differ in their shift-change profile, and consider why those profile differences obtain. With this framework as a backdrop, we explore in detail the shift change, or position relief briefing (PRB), of air traffic control. This theoretical framework has the potential to aid in the classification and comparison of the transfer of responsibility in a variety of industrial tasks. This study could aid in the implementation of changes for air traffic control PRBs.

The development of a theoretical framework and design tool for process usability assessment.

The purpose of usability engineering is to facilitate the deployment of new products by decreasing development costs and improving the quality of systems. This paper will discuss the development and delivery of a unique, theoretically based software tool that provides engineers and designers with easy access to the most recent advances in human-machine interface design. This research combines several theoretical views of the interaction process into a hybrid model. Based on this model, a software tool was produced that allows engineers to model the human interaction process within their design. The system then provides feedback on the interaction process through items such as: the amount of mental effort required by a user, the degree to which the system conforms to human capabilities, the expected time to complete the interaction, where potential human error may occur, as well as potential misunderstandings or points of confusion to the users. The designer may then use this information to improve the design of the system. Validation of this technique indicates that the hybrid model produces accurate predictions of usability attributes and that the technique transfers from the laboratory to the real world.

The effects of three statistical control charts on task performance

This study investigated the effects of graphical characteristics on three common statistical process control (SPC) charts, Shewhart , exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) and cumulative sum (CUSUM) charts, with a near-equivalent statistical performance. Three main tasks, identification of out-of-control (OOC) points, estimation of process mean and identification of process pattern, were designed to evaluate the effectiveness of these charts. Participant response time and accuracy were collected. Results showed that each SPC chart performed equally well in perception and identification of OOC. For the mean shift task, charts yielded the fastest response times, and both and EWMA charts produced similar accuracy. However, all SPC charts led to consistently poor performance in the pattern tasks. For subjective preferences, participants reported a preference for charts in all experimental tasks, and the only difference noted between the EWMA and CUSUM charts was for the pattern task. These findings suggest the advantages of charts, which may account for their widespread use in industries, over EWMA and CUSUM charts. Computationally, charts were easier to understand and, graphically, they provided more direct information. Thus, statistical performance as well as human performance using these tools are important elements to consider in the selection of the appropriate SPC technique.

5S impact on safety climate of manufacturing workers

Purpose – 5S is a commonly used Lean tool that focusses on creating an organized work environment, but the effects of 5S on safety climate are not as well studied. The purpose of this paper is to determine the impact of a 5S event on safety climate. Design/methodology/approach – This pre-test post-test study examines the effect of implementing 5S on safety climate of the packaging area of a manufacturing plant. Two groups of employees (case and control groups) completed a safety climate questionnaire (Safety Climate Assessment Toolkit) prior to the 5S event, one month after, and two months after. Findings – Total safety climate significantly improved for the case group but remained unchanged for the control group over the study period. Specifically, management commitment and involvement dimensions of safety climate improved for the case group. Practical implications – These results show that two important aspects of safety climate (management commitment and involvement) can be significantly, positively in...

Effects of the Controller-to-Pilot Data Link (Datalink) on Crew Communication:

This paper discusses a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) manned simulation study that investigated the effects of Controller-to-Pilot Data Link (datalink) on crew communications. Professional pilots participated in high fidelity simulation tests where crews received Air Traffic Controller (ATC) messages through the datalink. The results were compared to a similar study conducted where crews only communicated by radio to controllers. Results demonstrate that the nature of crew communications within the flight deck do change because of datalink. Unlike in the past where crews became aware of ATC communications at the same time through their headsets, new communication types are now needed due to the shift from ATC radio communications to ATC datalink messages. Thus flight crews must keep each other aware of information passed through the datalink. The frequency of communication was found to be significantly different depending on the location of the datalink on the flight deck. In addition, datalink crews experienced significantly less ATC radio transmissions as expected; however, the within crew communication related to datalink increased. When within crew datalink communication and the ATC radio communication are combined, one finds that ATC related communication is significantly higher in datalink crews as compared to traditional radio crews. This study illustrates the need to fully evaluate the impact new technology has on flight crews and their communication process.

Usability Evaluation of a Blood Glucose Monitoring System With a Spill-Resistant Vial, Easier Strip Handling, and Connectivity to a Mobile App Improvement of Patient Convenience and Satisfaction

Background: Proper management of diabetes mellitus requires regular self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG). This research evaluated the usability of the Accu-Chek® Guide Meter that includes a spill-resistant vial, easier strip handling, and wireless connectivity to a mobile app. Methods: A total of 197 participants were allowed to experience typical blood glucose testing tasks on the Accu-Chek Guide Meter, review data such as last result, patterns, and target percentage on the meter and on the mobile app, and then evaluate their experience through a human factors usability survey. Participants used a 6-point agree/disagree scale to rate 34 market statement questions. Results: The results of a Pearson chi-square proportions test for each of the 34 market statement questions showed a significant difference (P < .0001) between the disagree responses (1-3) and agree responses (4-6). An overwhelming majority of participants found all aspects of the system, including the test strips, strip vial, and data analysis on the meter and the mobile app, to be a good fit for their lifestyle and to provide a better testing experience. Conclusions: This study found superior usability of the new meter system over the participants’ current meters in both the United States and France.

A Human Factors-Based Assessment Framework for Evaluating Performance in Control Room Interface Design

OCCUPATIONAL APPLICATIONS Evaluating the effects of control room interface design on operator performance is crucial to maintaining productivity and safety. Current regulations in the petrochemical industry encourage the inclusion of human factors principles in designing displays and the environment but provide little guidance on evaluation. The framework presented in this article can be used to evaluate petrochemical control room interface designs under a variety of conditions, including workload and experience levels. Applications of this framework include the evaluation of novel interface designs to determine which alternatives result in the highest performance and reasonable perceived workload levels. This framework could also be used to evaluate the effects of other performance-shaping factors, such as fatigue. TECHNICAL ABSTRACT Background: The petrochemical industry has a need to improve the design of control room interfaces, but regulations on how to evaluate designs are sparse. Purpose: This study describes the development and initial evaluation of a human factors-based framework for evaluating performance using control room interfaces under varying user experience levels, display designs, and workload levels. The framework considers three steps of human behavior in systems: sensing/perception, information processing, and physical/verbal responses. Direct performance measures of speed and accuracy and measures of perceived workload (NASA task load index and subjective workload assessment technique) assess these three steps, and situation awareness (situation awareness global assessment technique) assesses sensing/perception and information processing. Methods: To provide initial validation of the framework, students and professional operators (two experience levels) used current standard interface designs and poor interface designs at three workload levels. The participants completed three 30-minute scenarios and responded to various alarms that signaled failures during each scenario, which were created using a commercially available refinery simulator. Results: In general, the framework was sensitive to differences in interface design, workload level, and experience. Future research can determine sensitivity to other control room parameters and may include additional metrics, such as secondary task workload measures and eye tracking, depending on the goals of the evaluation. Conclusion: This research demonstrates the feasibility of applying human factors tools to performance evaluation of commercially available petrochemical control room interface designs.