The human factors profession is currently attempting to take a more proactive role in the design of man-machine systems than has been character istic of its past. Realizing that human engineering contributions are needed well before the experimental evaluation of prototypes or operational systems, there is a concerted effort to develop tools that predict how humans will interact with proposed designs. This volume provides an over view of one category of such tools: mathematical models of human performance. It represents a collection of invited papers from a 1988 NATO Workshop. The Workshop was conceived and organized by NATO Research Study Group 9 (RSG.9) on "Modelling of Human Operator Behaviour in Weapon Systems". It represented the culmination of over five years of effort, and was attended by 139 persons from Europe, Canada, and the United States. RSG.9 was established in 1982 by Panel 8 of the Defence Research Group to accomplish the following objectives: * Determine the utility and state of the art of human performance modelling. * Encourage international research and the exchange of ideas. * Foster the practical application of modelling research. * Provide a bridge between the models and approaches adopted by engineers and behavioral scientists. * Present the findings in an international symposium.

Based on the research activities of the six-year NASA human performance modeling project, Human Performance Modeling in Aviation provides an in-depth look at cognitive modeling of human operators for aviation problems. This book presents specific solutions to aviation safety problems and explores methods for integrating human performance modeling into the aviation design process. The text compares the application of five different models to two classes of aviation problems: pilot navigation errors during airport taxi operations and approach and landing performance with synthetic vision systems. This results in a comprehensive summary of the capabilities of each model and of the field in general.

Despite its increasing importance, the verification and validation of the human-machine interface is perhaps the most overlooked aspect of system development. Although much has been written about the design and developmentprocess, very little organized information is available on how to verifyand validate highly complex and highly coupled dynamic systems. Inability toevaluate such systems adequately may become the limiting factor in our ability to employ systems that our technology and knowledge allow us to design. This volume, based on a NATO Advanced Science Institute held in 1992, is designed to provide guidance for the verification and validation of all highly complex and coupled systems. Air traffic control isused an an example to ensure that the theory is described in terms that will allow its implementation, but the results can be applied to all complex and coupled systems. The volume presents the knowledge and theory ina format that will allow readers from a wide variety of backgrounds to apply it to the systems for which they are responsible. The emphasis is on domains where significant advances have been made in the methods of identifying potential problems and in new testing methods and tools. Also emphasized are techniques to identify the assumptions on which a system is built and to spot their weaknesses.

This book describes and evaluates existing models of human performance and their use in the design and evaluation of new human-technology systems. Its primary focus is on the modeling of system operators who perform supervisory and manual control tasks. After an introduction on human performance modeling, the book describes information processing, control theory, task network, and knowledge-based models. It explains models of human performance in aircraft operations, nuclear power plant control, maintenance, and the supervisory control of process control systems, such as oil refineries. The book concludes with a discussion of model parameterization and validation and recommends a number of lines of research needed to strengthen model development and application.

Cognitive task analysis is a broad area consisting of tools and techniques for describing the knowledge and strategies required for task performance. Cognitive task analysis has implications for the development of expert systems, training and instructional design, expert decision making and policymaking. It has been applied in a wide range of settings, with different purposes, for instance: specifying user requirements in system design or specifying training requirements in training needs analysis. The topics to be covered by this work include: general approaches to cognitive task analysis, system design, instruction, and cognitive task analysis for teams. The work settings to which the tools and techniques described in this work have been applied include: 911 dispatching, faultfinding on board naval ships, design aircraft, and various support systems. The editors' goal in this book is to present in a single source a comprehensive, in-depth introduction to the field of cognitive task analysis. They have attempted to include as many examples as possible in the book, making it highly suitable for those wishing to undertake a cognitive task analysis themselves. The book also contains a historical introduction to the field and an annotated bibliography, making it an excellent guide to additional resources.

Production ergonomics – the science and practice of designing industrial workplaces to optimize human well-being and system performance – is a complex challenge for a designer. Humans are a valuable and flexible resource in any system of creation, and as long as they stay healthy, alert and motivated, they perform well and also become more competent over time, which increases their value as a resource. However, if a system designer is not mindful or aware of the many threats to health and system performance that may emerge, the end result may include inefficiency, productivity losses, low working morale, injuries and sick-leave. To help budding system designers and production engineers tackle these design challenges holistically, this book offers a multi-faceted orientation in the prerequisites for healthy and effective human work. We will cover physical, cognitive and organizational aspects of ergonomics, and provide both the individual human perspective and that of groups and populations, ending up with a look at global challenges that require workplaces to become more socially and economically sustainable. This book is written to give you a warm welcome to the subject, and to provide a solid foundation for improving industrial workplaces to attract and retain healthy and productive staff in the long run.