On the Design of Flight-Deck Procedures - Intelligent Systems ...

Hendrick (1987) states that human factors, or ergonomics, has two levels: micro-ergonomics and macroergonomics.Micro-ergonomics is focused at the direct human-machine system, e.g., controls, displays,etc. Macro-ergonomics, by comparison, is focused at the overall human-technology system and isconcerned with its impacts on organizational, managerial, and personnel sub-systems. Likewise, weargue that in order to understand how pilots conduct flight-deck procedures, we cannot look only at themicro-ergonomics, i.e. procedures, but we also must also examine macro-ergonomics, i.e., the policiesand concepts of operation, that are the basis on which procedures are developed, taught, and used. Wesubmit that both the macro- and micro-ergonomics aspects of any complex human-machine system mustbe examined in order to improve any human-machine system. The same, we have found, is true forprocedural design.1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDYThe intent of this work was to conduct a broad examination of design, usage, and compliance of cockpitprocedures from both macro- and micro-ergonomics perspectives. The objectives were to:1. Understand what procedures are.2. Identify the process by which procedures are presently designed.3. Understand whether procedures are actually used by line pilots, and why deviations from SOPsexist.4. Highlight some of the factors that affect procedural design.5. Provide guidelines for conceptual framework, design, and implementation of flight-deckprocedures.Based on our previous work on checklists (Degani and Wiener, 1990; 1991), we developed aframework, or model, of the link between the goal of operation and conduct of procedures. In additionto the five objectives listed above, we also wanted to test the usefulness of this model for proceduraldesign. The two chapters that follow will detail this theory.4