Analysis Techniques For Man-Machine Systems Design

NATO UNCLASSIFIED-19 - - AC/243(Panel-8)TRnVolume ithe applications of the three most frequently used techniques reported how they related the resultsto system performance. Again this may reflect a deficiency of existing guides to humanengineering, which do not make clear the connection with other engineering specialities such assystems engineering, reliability, logistics support, spares allocation, maintenance, trainingsystems design, and test and evaluation. For those reasons, the RSG decided to concentrate itswork on a review of existing human engineering analysis techniques and their compatibility withother engineering processes. See Volume 2 of this report for details of the individual techniques.2.2 REVIEW OF HUMAN ENGINEERING ANALYSIS TECHNIQUES33. As with many engineering specialities, human engineering is most effective if it isapplied in the early stages of project development (Van Cott & Altman, 1956; Meister, 1985).Human engineering analysis techniques are applicable to those early stages through the analysisof the system concept. The techniques mentioned here, which are reviewed in Volume 2, areused for the analysis of system missions, functions and function allocation, the analysis ofoperator and maintainer tasks, and the requirements for human-machine interfaces. An additionalcategory of technique, Interface and Workspace Design, has been included because of theimportance of translating the task analysis information into a design (Fig. 2.3). It should benoted that not all possible analysis techniques are included in this report. The selection wasdictated by the results of the preliminary survey, and by the experience of the RSG members andtheir colleagues.,.mission &scenarioanalysis 2ehinvp 2. functionanalysis5.~~~ pefrac3.i ofu - stem 3.funcionworkspacep6. interface &allocation s a task a designanalysis5. performancepredictionlFigure 2.3:The sequence of human engineering analyses reviewed in the report34. In this review the prediction of system performance and operator workload isapproached only by analytical techniques. Those techniques, and task analysis in particular, canprovide the basis for other human engineering or human factors activities such as mathematicalmodelling, experimentation, man-in-the-loop simulation or rapid prototyping, or field trials bydefining performance requirements and identifying critical operator tasks. Those other humanengineering activities (see Fig. 1.6) are not covered by this review. Mathematical models ofhuman behaviour have been reviewed by another Research Study Group (McMillan et al.,1991). Man-in-the-loop simulator experiments, laboratory experiments, and techniques tosimulate the environmental setting are beyond the scope of this review. It must be remembered,however, that the analytical approach assumes normative behaviour of operator and system.NATOUNCLASSIFIED19 -