Guy A. Boy

Indexing hypertext documents in context

To generate intelligent indexing that allows context-sensitive information retrieval, a system must be able to acquire knowledge directly through interaction with users. In this paper, we present the architecture for CID (Computer Integrated Documentation), a system that enables integration of various technical documents in a hypertext framework and includes an intelligent browsing system that incorporates indexing in context. CIDs knowledge-based indexing mechanism allows case-based knowledge acquisition by experimentation. It utilizes on-line user information requirements and suggestions either to reinforce current indexing in case of success or to generate new knowledge in case of failure. This allows CIDs intelligent interface system to provide helpful responses, even when no a priori user model is available. Our system in fact learns how to exploit a user model based on experience (from user feedback). We describe CIDs current capabilities and provide an overview of our plans for extending the system.

Operator assistant systems

Abstract This paper presents a knowledge-based system (KBS) methodology to study human-machine interactions and levels of autonomy in allocation of process control tasks, with a view to designing operational systems. In practice, operators are provided with operation manuals (paper KBS) to assist them in normal and abnormal situations. Unfortunately, operation manuals usually try to represent only the designers understanding of the system to be controlled. The logic of the operator is often totally different. Operator logic integration is difficult, long, incomplete, and sometimes impossible. This paper focuses on a situational/analytical representation and a method for eliciting operator logic to refine a KBS shell called an operator assistant (OA). For the OA to be an efficient on-line aid, it is necessary to know what level of autonomy gives the optimal performance of the overall man-machine system. The optimal level of autonomy can be determined experimentally following an iterative process: testing a specific level of autonomy/building the corresponding level of explanation in the OA/experimental evaluation. OA structure has been used to design a working KBS called HORSES (Human-Orbital Refueling System-Expert System). Protocol analysis of pilots interacting with this system has revealed that the a priori analytical knowledge becomes more structured with training and the situation patterns more complex and dynamic. This approach can improve our understanding of human and automatic reasoning, and their most efficient interactions.

Cognitive function analysis for human-centered automation of safety-critical systems

The Cognitive Function Analysis is a methodology supported by a mediating tool for the human-centered automation of safety-critical systems [4]. It is based on a socio-cognitive model linking the artifact being designed, the user’s activity, the task to be performed, and the organizational environment. Cognitive functions can be allocated to humans or machines. They are characterized by their role, context definition and associated resources. The methodology is supported by active design documents as mediating representations of the amfact, the interaction description and cognitive function descriptors being designed, redesigned and used as usability criteria to evahrate the distribution of cognitive functions among humans and machines. This methodolo,y enhances usercentered and participatory design, and traceability of design decisions. It was successfully tested on three main applications in the aeronautics domain. One of them is presented.

Active design documents

Technical documents are created, modified and used during the life cycle of an artifact. They can be more or less formal, ranging from normative knowledge-based representations to natural language. They are also tools that support dialogue between designers, manufacture, trainers, legislators and users. Active design documents (ADDs) are a new generation of support for cooperative work of design teams. ADDs include interaction descriptions (Us) that provide the way the artifact should be usetL interface objects (10s) that provide an interactive prototype of the artifacg and contextual links (CLS) that enable the storage of evaluations and explanations of the distance between IDs and 10s. Incremental ADD design and evaluation contribute to instantiate a participatory design process and a formal trace of the design rationale as a function of usability criteria. An application in the aeronautics domain is presented.

From automation to tangible interactive objects

Abstract Automation led to many innovations for a long time, most of them were developed during the twentieth century. It was commonly thought as a layer on top of a mechanical system. It promoted system management over low-level control. The more information technology evolves, the more it takes a fundamental part in our lives. This article describes a paradigm shift where automation will no longer be an add-on, and where software supports the definition, implementation and operationalization of functions and structures of products from the beginning of the design process. Any design today starts by using computer-aided design tools that enable us to easily draw, modify and fine-tune any kind of system. We can fully develop an airplane and literally fly it as a complex piece of software. Usability and usefulness can be tested before anything physical is built. Consequently, human-centered design (HCD) is now not only feasible but also can drive the overall engineering of products. We have started to design products from outside in, i.e., from usages and purposes to means. We even can 3D print mechanical parts from the software-designed parts with ease. In human–computer interaction, specific research efforts are carried out on tangible objects, which define this inverted view of automation. We now design and develop by using information technology to do mechanical things, and therefore redefine the essence of a new kind of cognitive mechanical engineering. This article is about the revolution that is currently happening in engineering and industrial design due to the immersive influence of computers in our everyday life, and the expansion of HCD.

COCKPIT ANALYSIS AND ASSESSMENT BY THE MESSAGE METHODOLOGY

This paper presents the MESSAGE system which helps to analyze and assess crew-cockpit interactions in normal and abnormal situations. It is mainly concerned with the man-vehicle interface for information acquisition, and the coordination and management of the emitting and receiving channels. MESSAGE is a multi-tasks/multi-channels model which involves a synchronization problem. Two extreme types of processing are modelled and implemented here: an automatic one that requires a certain parallelism and a controlled one that requires a single-task/single-channel operation (possibly with time sharing). At each moment of the simulation of the model a perception function is evaluated for each message exchanged in the crew-cockpit system. Such a function is based on the characteristics of the emission and reception of the message, and the tolerance assigned to this message by the receiver. Model inputs (ergonomic characteristics of the cockpit and tolerances) are determined by subjective ratings of various experts (e.g. pilots). A set of mathematical operators (conjunction, disjunction, average) can guide the expert to combine such variables for building relevant load indices. The knowledge base (rules) is progressively fed into MESSAGE with the use of the system. Presently MESSAGE appears as an analysis tool, and it will be a predictive tool for a lot of tasks in a near future.

Knowledge management for product maturity

When a new product is delivered, it seldom meets all customer needs. The mature phase of a product is driven by customer needs. It requires a human-centered development cycle. As a result, the company should be able to listen the voice of its customers. Most industrial companies are driven by engineers and by technology itself. If current technology is to serve all actors of the life cycle of a product, related companies need to change their ways of dealing with maturity. They have to stop being so driven by features and start examining what customers actually do. The concept of customer itself has to be revisited to the point that any person or group who deals with a product (coming from a process) is a customer of those who developed the product. Product maturity and process maturity are usually distinguished. Product maturity is related to end-user satisfaction, i.e., customers. Product maturity deals with user experience. Process maturity is related to designers, developers, maintainers and other actors who have an impact on the making and evolution of the product. Process maturity deals with organizations, communities and teams involved in the production of a product. This paper proposes an integrated approach to product and process maturity that involves the use of active design documents to support the description of what the product is, how it is or should be used, why it is designed the way it is and how much it will cost to customers in terms of performance, safety, comfort and other criteria that may be relevant to the product purpose of use.

Human-machine cooperation: a solution for life-critical Systems?

Decision-making plays an important role in life-critical systems. It entails cognitive functions such as monitoring, as well as fault prevention and recovery. Three kinds of objectives are typically considered: safety, efficiency and comfort. People involved in the control and management of such systems provide two kinds of contributions: positive with their unique involvement and capacity to deal with the unexpected; and negative with their ability to make errors. In the negative view, people are the problem and need to be supervised by regulatory systems in the form of operational constraints or by design. In the positive view, people are the solution and lead the game; they are decision-makers. The former view also deals with error resistance, and the latter with error tolerance, which, for example, enables cooperation between people and decision support systems (DSS). In the real life, both views should be considered with respect to appropriate situational factors, such as time constraints and very dangerous environments. This is known as function allocation between people and systems. This paper presents a possibility to reconcile both approaches into a joint human-machine organization, where the main dimensioning factors are safety and complexity. A framework for cooperative and fault tolerant systems is proposed, and illustrated by an example in Air Traffic Control.

Orchestrating Situation Awareness and Authority in Complex Socio-technical Systems

Systems engineering is developing everywhere in industry, but human issues incrementally emerge. In particular, this systemic technology-centered approach to engineering rigidifies organizations and lead to surprises. People involved are not fully aware of what is going on. This paper identifies situation awareness and authority issues in complex systems design and management, and discusses possible solutions. It more specifically focuses on an Orchestra model of socio-technical systems.

Supportability-Based Design Rationale

Abstract How can we benefit from support people’s experience in the design process, and how can we represent design rationale (DR) in order for it to be useful to a variety of end-users? This paper proposes a knowledge representation suitable for the rationalization of operational cognitive artifacts at design time. It enables the construction of cognitive functions that lead to the concept of software agents and active documents.