Erik T. Nelson

Evaluation of Information Quality and Automation Visibility in Information Automation on the Flight Deck

An empirical study was conducted to evaluate human factors issues related to the automation visibility and information quality of an information automation system. Information automation is responsible for the collection, processing, analysis, and presentation of information to the flightcrew. Previous analysis had identified a set of characteristics particularly applicable to aircraft flight deck information automation and associated human factors issues. Air transport pilots interacted with an example information automation system in ways that allowed investigation of the information automation characteristics of automation visibility and information quality. The evaluation found that poor information quality appeared to be difficult for participants to detect, even when they were presented with the highest automation visibility level. In the times that they did not successfully compensate, participants tended to over-trust the automation, so when information was missing and they were under high workload, they chose the top plan suggested by the automation even though it was not the truly best plan. Trust in automation was reduced by low information quality, but compensated for by increased automation visibility.

Characterization of Information Automation on the Flight Deck

This paper summarizes the results of analyses to identify characteristics of flight deck information automation systems which can lead to potential human factors issues. Information automation systems are responsible for the collection, processing, analysis, and presentation of information to the flightcrew. Information automation systems can pose human factors issues and challenges particular to this type of automation. This paper presents a formal definition of information automation and identifies characteristics and associated human factors issues in the domain of aircraft flight deck systems. A method was developed to identify a set of consistent and independent characteristics of information automation. Characteristics, a set of properties or attributes which describe its operation or behavior, can be used to identify and assess potential human factors issues. This effort lays the groundwork for providing data to support the development of recommendations specific to different characteristics of information automation.

Interaction of Automation Visibility and Information Quality in Flight Deck Information Automation

An empirical study evaluated key human factors issues related to automation visibility and information quality, based on a refined definition of information automation. Next-generation air transportation system operational concepts will dramatically affect the types and amount of information available on flight decks. Information automation systems collect, process, and present information to support pilot tasks and awareness. The definition of flight deck information automation was refined to differentiate it from other types of automation. Pilots interacted with an example information automation system to investigate the premise that automation visibility will have an impact on the ability of pilots to detect problems resulting from poor information quality. Poor information quality appeared to be difficult for pilots to detect, even when presented with high automation visibility. Pilots tended to over-trust automation, so when reporting high workload and information was missing, they chose the top plan suggested by the automation even though it was not the best. Trust in automation was reduced by low information quality, but compensated for by increased automation visibility. Added information to help pilots understand information automation state and outputs, given a level of information quality, should be balanced against potential increases in pilot workload due to the time and attention needed to process the extra information.

Flight deck information automation: A human-in-the loop in-trail procedure simulation study

Information automation systems are generally intended to support pilot tasks and improve flightcrew awareness and decision making, but not to directly control the aircraft or its systems. As a result these systems do not include cases where automation decisions and actions directly affect the aircraft performance, flight path or systems. Next Generation Air Transportation System (NextGen) operational concepts and technologies will dramatically affect both the types and amount of information available on flight decks. Much of that information will be produced by flight deck information automation systems that collect, process, and present that information to the flightcrew. It is therefore important to understand the human factors characteristics of information automation systems and identify human factors issues specifically related to information automation. This paper presents an investigation of two information automation characteristics (functional complexity and automation visibility) using prototype oceanic In-Trail Procedures (ITP) display systems. The outcome will be used to develop and iterate recommendations for design and evaluation of information automation systems that will mitigate the identified human factors issues.