Analysis Techniques For Man-Machine Systems Design

NATO UN CL A S SIFIEDAC/243(Panel 8)TR/7 - 100-Volume 25.3 SIMULATION FOR WORKLOAD ASSESSMENT AND MODELLING(SIMWAM)What the technique doesSIMWAM is a commercially available set of integrated, microcomputer-based, task network modelling programs,which permits an analyst to evaluate operator performance and workload distributions in complex human-machinesystems (Kirkpatrick & Malone, 1984). It permits analysts to simulate a network of tasks, and evaluate and identify:1. system manning level requirements; 2. training and cross-training requirements; 3. critical task sequences; 4.critical nodes; 5. reiterative task sequences; 6. task and task-sequence completion times; 7. redundant and/orunnecessary task sequences; 8. critical personnel and over-extended or undcrutilized personnel. SIMWAM provides allthe software and instructions required to create, maintain, and analyse a database of operator-Lask sequences and theworkloads of each operator in a multi-operator system. The technique can also assess the impact on workloaddistribution of varying the levels of automation in sub-systems. implementing cross-training across differcthtoperators, and varying the number of personnel.AaInputs to the techniqueOutputs of the techniqueTask sequences, predecessor-successor relationships among SIMWAM provides a transcript of mission time, tasktasks, details on operators, task priorities and task times completion status, time spent per task by each operator,(either minimum, mean, and maximum, or selection of a active and idle time per operator, and operator utilization.random sampling technique) are required as inputs.When to useSIMWAM applies to all phases of the development process. particularly to concept development and designdefinition. It can be used once details of the manning concept and of the tasks of specific operators are available.RelatedtechniquesLike SAINT, SIMWAM is based on the use of a Monte Carlo modelling approach to solving task loading issues andon the Workload Assessment Model (WAM) developed for the US Naval Air Development Center (Malone,Kirkpatrick & Kopp, 1986). It has been incorporated into the MANPRINT Integrated Decision/Engineering Aid(IDEA) developed for the U.S. Army (Heasly, Perse & Malone, 1988; Westerman et al., 1989).ResourcesrequiredSIMWAM was developed for the US Navy and the US Army. The software must be obtained from the developer. Itrequires a Macintosh® microcomputer.NATO UNCLASSIFIED-100-