Morten Grandt

A simulation approach for evaluation and improvement of organisational planning in collaborative product development projects

Human behaviour and organisational structure impact collaborative product development outcome on a large scale. Therefore, companies are continuously seeking new opportunities to increase the efficiency, effectiveness and predictability of their collaborative product development projects, and to develop innovative principles for organisational design and management such as multi-functional teams. However, there are many factors which have to be considered and assessed to systematically optimise organisational planning in respect of team configuration, structure organisation, and human behaviour. This paper proposes an agent-based simulation methodology to evaluate and improve the organisational planning in complex product development projects. An agent-based integrated simulation model is formulated which can explicitly represent human behaviour, organisational interactions, and tasks networks. Based on the model, the design agent structure and behaviour protocols are studied in detail, and a simulation platform is developed. Finally, the methodology is evaluated in a collaborative roadway design project, and several management insights are established, which are proven to be effective for the organisational optimisation. The results of the case study also show that the methodology can effectively support the evaluation and improvement of organisational planning.

Investigation of Input Devices for the Age-differentiated Design of Human-Computer Interaction:

Demographic change demands new concepts for the support of computer work by aging employees. In particular, computer interaction presents a barrier due to a lack of experience and age-specific changes in performance. This article presents a study in which different input devices (mouse, touch screen and eye-gaze input) were analyzed regarding their usability and according to age diversity. Furthermore, different Hybrid Interfaces that combine eye-gaze input with additional input devices were investigated.

Complexity assessment of human–computer interaction

A quantitative complexity theory of human–computer interaction is presented and validated by means of laboratory experiments. Based on the seminal work of Grassberger in theoretical physics, a complexity measure is introduced. The measure is termed the Effective Measure Complexity and has three main advantages. First, it relies solely on information-theoretic quantities, which are intimately connected with the concept of complexity and not randomness. Second, it is model independent and can be estimated efficiently from data. Third, the estimates can be derived from behavioural patterns in terms of observable interaction events alone. Subjective ratings or psychophysiological measurements can be included but are not mandatory. In order to explain the theory, a simple and easy to generalise example in mobile human–computer interaction is presented. Furthermore, the external validity of the complexity measure is studied in laboratory experiments. The experimental task was to search for multiple targets on an electronic chart display and information system (ECDIS). ECDIS is an integral component of modern ship bridge concepts and therefore the experiments were carried out in a marine simulator. Thirty users participated. The platform motion (with or without motion) and the workplace illumination (800 lux or 30 lux) were varied systematically and the complexity effects were studied. The results show that the complexity of the visual search processes is significantly lower when the simulator is put in sea state characteristics and the users are facing straining motion forces. In addition, interaction complexity is significantly lowered when illuminance is reduced from the daylight level of 800 lux to the twilight level of 30 lux. Therefore, the complexity measure seems to be a valid for the quantitative assessment of human–computer interaction.

Investigation of adaptation dimensions for age-differentiated human-computer interfaces

An important issue of the demographic change in the German population is the maintenance and promotion of the employability of aging workforces. However, there are hardly any suitable concepts or usable tools available to realize this goal. Possible approaches should push the individual strengths of the aging workers to the foreground and intercept the possible physical and cognitive losses in ability that occur with an increase in age. A model of age-differentiated adaptation of the human-computer interface, in which automatic adaptations are conducted based on individual user characteristics, is presented in this article. First connections between user characteristics and adaptation dimensions were analyzed in a study with 90 subjects ranging from 20 to 73 years of age. Results indicate a significant influence of graphical layout on memorization as well as interpretation performance.

Foundations of an age-differentiated adaptation of the human-computer interface

An important issue of the demographic change in the German population is the maintenance and promotion of the employability of aging workforces. However, there are hardly any suitable concepts or usable tools available to realize this goal. Possible approaches should push the individual strengths of the aging workers to the foreground and intercept the possible physical and cognitive losses in ability that occur with an increase in age. The computer thus plays an important role due to a continuous increase in mechanization. An age-based, individual adaptive user interface shall be developed to support the elderly in working with the computer. Basics for such an interface will be presented in this paper. First connections between user characteristics and adaptation dimensions were analyzed in a study with 90 subjects ranging from 20 to 73 years of age and will be presented in this article. Results indicate a significant influence of graphical layout on memorization as well as interpretation performance.

Unterstützung von Entscheidungsprozessen durch benutzerzentrierte Gestaltung von Führungssystemen

Vor dem Hintergrund veranderter Einsatzszenarien und einer fortschreitenden Technisierung der Fuhrungsprozesse und -systeme haben sich die Aufgaben der Operateure in Operationszentralen auf schwimmenden Plattformen der Deutschen Marine erheblich verandert. Wahrend in der Vergangenheit ein massiver Schlag feindlicher Krafte abgefangen werden sollte, steht heute das rechtzeitige Identifizieren einer moglicherweise asymmetrischen Bedrohung oder die Uberwachung vorwiegend zivil genutzter Raume im Mittelpunkt der Aufgaben. Der zusatzlich in Verbindung mit der durch technische Verbesserungen stark angestiegenen Menge verfugbarer Lageinformationen muss durch eine adaquate ergonomische Gestaltung der Mensch-Maschine-Schnittstellen begegnet werden. Eine konventionelle Automation der bisher vom Operateur durchgefuhrten Aufgaben erscheint wegen der bisher in anderen Bereichen gemachten Erfahrungen und aufgetretenen Probleme nicht Ziel fuhrend. Statt dessen wird eine benutzerzentrierte Gestaltung von Fuhrungssystemen angestrebt, die durch eine situationsangepasste Entscheidungsunterstutzung in Verbindung mit ergonomischen Gestaltungsprinzipien und -konzepten eine schnelle und zuverlassige Aufgabenbearbeitung unter effizienter Nutzung der fur die Informationsverarbeitung zur Verfugung stehenden kognitiven Ressourcen gewahrleistet. Dies wird am Beispiel eines mittels der Experimental- und Testumgebung fur Fuhrungs- und Waffeneinsatz-Systeme (ETU) des FKIE prototypisch realisierten Mensch- Maschine-Schnittstellen-Konzepts gezeigt.

Modellbasierte Gestaltung von Benutzungsschnittstellen zur Prozessführung und -überwachung

In diesem Beitrag wird ein Entscheidungsleiter-Modell fur die menschliche Informationsverarbeitung vorgestellt und exemplarisch fur die Gestaltung von Benutzungsschnittstellen verwendet. Das hierarchisch geordnete Modell bildet Wissenszustande und Informationsverarbeitungsschritte bei der Situationsanalyse und Handlungsplanung ab und wird als Grundlage fur eine kognitiv-kompatible Systemgestaltung genutzt. Durch die Unterteilung des gesamten Verarbeitungsprozesses in verschiedene kognitive Teilaufgaben lassen sich die jeweils dazu benotigten Informationen identifizieren und formulieren. Jede der im Modell reprasentierten Analyseaktivitaten verlangt nach einer speziellen Art der Darstellung der zugrundeliegenden Informationen, damit sie optimal in den erforderlichen Entscheidungsschritt eingebunden werden konnen. Im Einzelnen werden dazu Aspekte der Aktivierung, der Beobachtung und Identifizierung von kritischen Zustanden, der regelbasierten Ableitung von Handlungsbedarf, der Bildung von Zustandsgrosen und der wissensbasierten Analyse und Handlungsplanung aufgegriffen und anhand eines Anwendungsbeispiels konkretisiert. Dazu wurde exemplarisch eine Mensch-Maschine-Schnittstelle konzipiert und prototypisch in einer Experimental- und Testumgebung realisiert, mit deren Hilfe Prozesse der Luftraumuberwachung und Lagebewertung durch einen Operateur auf verschiedenen kognitiven Ebenen unterstutzt werden sollen.

Modellbildung und Simulation kooperativer Aufklärungsprozesse zur Optimierung der Teameffizienz

Mit der Auslieferung der ersten Spahwagen FENNEK an das deutsche Heer wurde durch die mit modernster Technik ausgestatteten, gepanzerten Radfahrzeuge eine Aufklarungsausstattung in die Panzeraufklarungstruppe eingefuhrt, welche fur die neuen Einsatzszenarien und Aufgaben der heutigen Spahaufklarung entwickelt wurde. Damit diese bei Nutzung der neuen Ausstattung und vergleichsweise reduzierter Besatzungsstarke effektiv und vor allem effizient bewaltigt werden konnen, bedarf es einer sinnvollen Aufteilung der Aufgaben im Spahtrupprahmen wie auch der Kommunikations- und Koordinationsprozesse.

An Integrative Simulation Model for Project Management in Chemical Process Engineering

The planning of development projects significantly influences the costs created by the projects as well as the success of the development projects. However much potentials are actually wasted because of the inherent complexity unmanageable for project managers. Various methods and tools, from project modeling to the workflow management system, are used to handle this complexity and to develop these potentials, but the development of software solutions alone, however, is not sufficient. Instead, an extensive instrument consisting of methods, specification techniques and software tools for the integrated transformation and simulation of a graphical process model is needed. The presented approach shows a method for the modeling and simulation of development projects in process engineering based on Petri net simulation. The simulation of an example process displays the connections between different influencing parameters such as team configuration, the availability of needed tools, the variance in processing times, and the qualification of the persons involved. Selected mathematical relationships illustrate the interaction of these influencing parameters. It could hereby be determined which parameter combination is the best to achieve setted goals like with which amount of employed staff the shortest development time can be attained. In the outlook several additional parameters are named that will be added in order to make further detailed analyses possible in a future research project.