Cockpit Design Factors effecting the design of a complex task

Learning Goals Understand a practical example of a complex safety critical task See how various methodologies might be applied to it Give an account of some basic principles of design Give an account of how different systems may require different design solutions for their cockpits Discuss Crew/Cockpit Resource Management Identify the relevance of occupational psychology

Reading

Cockpits What is a cockpit What is controlled What feedback is needed - obvious egs What feedback is needed - less obvious egs

Other comments admin paper work Other systems Dynamic factors

How to control these systems control columns various, side stick, wheel etc pedals levers switches Buttons And…….

Feedback digital/alphanumeric analogue displays indicator lights –on/off –colour –flashing –intensity auditory alarms

So complex - many different subsystems many different controls many different displays

Design - what do you design Artifacts i.e. things or Systems –design tends to viewed as a discrete activity. this is misleading as this leads to the notion of a design phase as preceding operations and decommissioning.

Consequences of this view of design people design things neglect of systems aspects –training, procedures and organisational factors devaluation of user as design aid

An alternative view design is a conduit for bring relevant expertise to a point application

Back to cockpits First step (idealized) –define system and system needs and therefore design goals Undertake a task analysis –how –on whom –for whom

Occupational psychology in these matters the operator system interface training procedures organisational factors

Some issues that might arise Operator system interface Training Procedures Organisational Factors

Automation fewer crew members less expertise delayed, degrading systems knowledge system opacity system monitors constrained by others lack of knowledge

‘Errors’ and how design could have prevented them Kegworth SAS MD91 Take off weight on Air UK Landing at Bucharest Tenerife

Summary nature of task of flying an aircraft complexity of task notion of design as an ongoing process notion of design as a conduit or path for expert knowledge design is a superordinate construct the applied psychologist is appropriate at many levels