Michael Hildebrandt

Time design

The goal of this workshop is to explore and support the design of temporal aspects of interactive systems. Time design is an emerging research and development domain that emphasizes the functional, causal role of time in human-device interaction. It draws on a diverse literature on time in cognitive psychology, psychophysics, sociology, computer science, engineering, Human Factors and HCI. Contributions from each of these disciplines are invited so that preliminary design recommendations can be distilled and an interdisciplinary research agenda can be defined. The discussion will be centered around several scenarios that highlight the temporal characteristics and requirements of different application domains.

Putting Time (Back) Into Dynamic Function Allocation

This position paper discusses extensions to concepts of Dynamic Function Allocation (DFA) that could improve our understanding of the trade-offs involved in designing and operating human-automation systems. We suggest that current DFA paradigms, focusing predominantly on allocation along the human-automation resource dimension, may provide an insufficient basis for design decisions as they fail to take account of alternative function management strategies. Of these strategies, Dynamic Function Scheduling (DFS), the allocation of functions along the temporal dimension, is of particular interest, not least because scheduling is both a mature engineering discipline and a ubiquitous aspect of human behavior. Understanding these scheduling decisions requires consideration of the temporal properties of functions (e.g. continuous, periodic, sporadic, pre-emptable, interleavable), temporal requirements (e.g. deadlines), and the temporal properties of the agents, human or automatic (e.g. service rates, interruption handling, task switch costs, temporal reasoning abilities, control modes). The paper reviews engineering and human factors approaches that could support the representation, analysis and design of DFS.

Towards time design: pacing of hypertext navigation by system response times

Two experiments investigated the effects of system response time (SRT) on hypertext navigation. Dependent variables were residence time, emotional strain and memory performance. A synchronization between human and computer response time was observed.

Analysing Dynamic Function Scheduling Decisions

Function allocation, as a process used in the construction of dependable complex systems, is a significant aspect of the design and implementation of interactive systems. It involves a documented and rational process for deciding what aspects of the system should be controlled by which human roles in the system and how the system should be automated to support these roles effectively. As computer systems have become more advanced, and the control of systems more complex, the notion of dynamic function allocation becomes increasingly desirable where in certain situations the automation may take over or give back function to the human user. In this paper we explore a further variant of dynamic function allocation that reflects typical work activity where the dynamic scheduling of activities takes place on the time dimension. The paper discusses this approach to dynamic function allocation called dynamic function scheduling and discusses the role that timed model checking may play in helping identify dependable dynamic function scheduling solutions.

Paintshop: A Microworld Experiment Investigating Temporal Decisions in a Supervisory Control Task

This paper explores temporal aspects of control behavior in order to support the design of systems where functions can be allocated flexibly in time. Dynamic Function Scheduling, an extension of Dynamic Function Allocation approaches, highlights the role of temporal information and temporal reasoning in supervisory control decisions. The microworld experiment presented 30 participants with a supervisory control task where they had to monitor production in a simulated paint station, make strategic decisions about automatic or manual production, and handle faults. Independent variables were event rate, the knowledge of event rate information, the availability of an online progress indicator, and the cost of fault servicing. Results showed that knowledge of event rate information improved performance, but availability of an online progress indicator had no additional effect. Implications for the investigation of temporal control behavior are discussed.

Time design: analysing human temporal control behaviour in dynamic real-time systems

This paper presents work aimed at supporting the design of temporal aspects of socio-technical systems. Time design is a framework for (a) analysing and representing temporal properties of the work domain, (b) generating design options that support timely, flexible and dependable function servicing, and (c) providing knowledge about the characteristics and biases of human temporal control behaviour. In support of the latter end, two microworld experiments that investigated temporal control decisions in a supervisory control task are presented. These experiments manipulated event rate, the duration of event rate blocks, the availability of online and offline event rate information, and the accuracy of this information. The studies identified conditions where attention to temporal information decreased and the use of conservative temporal control strategies increased

From decisions in time to temporal decisions: two studies investigating temporal control behaviour

This paper summarises two studies highlighting different aspects of temporal decision-making. In the first study, participants had to manage a trade-off between decision accuracy and timeliness. Experimental results were compared to a normative model combining signal detection theory and Bayesian updating. Contrary to previous studies, evidence for an action-oriented strategy (over-emphasising timeliness over accuracy) was found in one experimental condition. The second study investigated information use and updating in a supervisory control and fault-servicing task. Results suggest that increasing workload, changes in the expected event rate distribution, and longer durations of constant event rate may lead to a decrease in monitoring of temporal information and an increase in the use of more conservative temporal control strategies.

Conex — A Web-Based Community System for Constructing and Conducting Experiments

This paper introduces conex, a comprehensive web-based experiment management system, and discusses the requirements that motivated its development. Its strengths are the flexible, modular control flow editor, its powerful capabilities for importing and re-using a wide range of experiment templates, its data storage and retrieval features, and its groupware support. The system is targeted at behavioral researchers conducting empirical studies with web-compatible material and will realize its full potential when used by a community of researchers and for long-term experimental projects. The system is non-commercial and can be installed on any web server with Perl and MySQL access. An online demo is available at www.microworld.org.

Time Design Organizers and Panel Co-Chairs

The goal of this panel is to discuss theoretical and methodological approaches that may inform and support the design of temporal aspects of interactive systems. Time Design is an emerging research and development domain that emphasizes the functional, causal role of time in human control behavior. It draws on a diverse literature on time in cognitive psychology, psychophysics, sociology, computer science, engineering, Human Factors and HCI. Relevant research domains include heuristics and biases in temporal decisions, temporal aspects of human-automation interaction, planning and scheduling, visualisation of temporal information, and the timing of alarms and interruptions.

Zeiterfassungen in Online-Fragebögen

Methoden der Online-Forschung sind wie alle Untersuchungs- und Forschungsmethoden gekennzeichnet durch die Besonderheiten ihrer technischen und handwerklichen Durchfuhrung, die Bedingungen ihrer Anwendungen und ein Bundel an Vor- und Nachteilen, die sich im Vergleich mit alternativen Methoden ergeben. Zumeist sind es gerade die jeweiligen Vor- und Nachteile gegenuber alternativen Vorgehensweisen, die vorentscheiden, ob der Einsatz einer Methode uberhaupt erwogen wird.