Frontline Issue 09 - Human Factors Integration Defence Technology ...

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Parallel SessionsGiven the enormous range of topic areas availablea high degree of focus was required. As such, thosesessions relevant to the HFI DTC were actively attendedand, of those, the following illustrate the general tenorand content of the event:Kuhl presented ‘United we stand: using multipletools to solve a multidimensional problem’. This wasinteresting in view of EAST (and WESTT’s) ability to dothe same, combined with the fact that this was anaward winning paper. In this case, a number ofhuman simulation approaches were combined ininteresting ways in order to provide a variety of systemdesign interventions at different levels (individuals,teams, equipment design etc.). I did question thedeterministic modelling assumptions and askedwhether the model bore relation to reality: this had notbeen checked, rather, the approach was designedso that these issues could at least be captured forfuture design iterations.There were two main Cognitive Work Analysis sessions,each featuring five separate presentations. Thesepresentations varied somewhat in quality, many werecompetent and interesting, but a disappointing trendwas noted. CWA, particularly WDA, was in a numberof cases being used and modified in ways that werenot appropriate. There were also instances of themethod being applied incorrectly and evidence offundamental misunderstandings (which often wentunquestioned). A worrying trend is that CWA seemsto be subject to a growing degree of inappropriatesimplification. Whilst practically expedient, there canbe no getting around the fact that simplified modelsgive rise to simple minded, if not completely incorrectresults.Strater et al. presented ‘Situation awareness andcollaborative tool usage in ad hoc command andcontrol teams’. Prof. Stanton took issue with theforceful assertion that ‘SA is something that only residesin people’s heads’, pointing out that this ignoresthe extensive and varied literature on distributedcognition, actor network theory, joint cognitive systemsand so on. This debate represents something of afundamental split in the approach to SA adoptedby the mainstream and that reflected in the HFIDTC, not to mention the wider literature. Based onthe dominance of the three level model of SA at thisevent, this remains a contentious area of debate.acknowledge, was that it was of a cross sectionaldesign and therefore wasn’t able to consider theevolutionary aspects of NEC; a competent papernonetheless. A mutual interest in sociotechnicalsystems theory was discussed and I have sent anumber of published articles that reflect the DTC’slong standing work in this area.Overall ImpressionsEvents such as these enable the work of the HFI DTCto be subject to peer scrutiny, and having passedthat test, to be placed in an international context.There is no doubt that the work of the consortiumshows genuine innovation and creativity. Indeed, inmany cases it stood out from what was often a ratherstaid, conventional, heavily experimental approachto HF. In contrast, the focus on ‘systems’, conceptssuch as complexity, sociotechnical theory, the use ofconcepts and metaphors from alternative domains,all combined with a heavily practical approach usingnovel software tools, favourably differentiated thebody of work presented by the DTC. It is interestingto note further, especially given the topic of CharlesPerrow’s plenary presentation, the two sessionsdevoted to CWA and the myriad presentations onissues related to systems and complexity, that the HFdomain is shifting much more in this direction. It is,therefore, reassuring to note that the consortium isoperating very much in the forefront of this trend.ReferencesKuhl, D. M. (2008) United we stand: using multiple toolsto solve a multi-dimensional problem. Proceedingsof the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 52ndAnnual Meeting. New York.Strater, L. D., Cuevas, H., Connors, E. S., Unqvarsky,D. & Endsley, M. R. (2008) Situation awareness andcollaborative tool usage in ad hoc command-andcontrolteams. Proceedings of the Human Factorsand Ergonomics Society 52nd Annual Meeting. NewYork.Futher information on the 52nd HFES annual meetingcan be found at the following address:www.hfes.org/web/hfesmeetings/08annualmeeting.htmlFinally, a presentation entitled ‘Self-synchronization innetworked teams’ was presented by Bart van Bezooijenfrom TNO. This was an interesting presentation thatoverlapped with the DTC’s research interests verywell. A limitation of the study, that the author did18
Meet The TeamRobin Morrison is the HFI DTC Operations Manager at Aerosystems International. Robin hasbeen working in the defence industry since graduating from Surrey University in 1983 withan MSc in Physics. Robin has progressed from software engineering through to projectmanagement while at AeI. He started at BAE Dynamics Group in Filton working with theTest and Evaluation team on the Sea Wolf, Sea Dart and Rapier missile defence systems.During this time, Robin was part of the team that developed a portable computer basedmissile performance analysis station that was used successfully onboard Type 22 frigates.In 1990, after 7 very enjoyable years, Robin moved to Marconi at Templecombe and wasone of the software engineers working on the Type 2093 sonar fitted to the Hunt class ships ofthe Royal Navy.In 1995, Robin joined Aerosystems International being initially involved in software development for front lineRAF aircraft. More recently and drawing on his years of experience Robin has being managing a number ofprojects at AeI. These have ranged from complex Health and Usage Monitoring Systems for RN/RAF Helicoptersthrough to a software product designed to test Data Link applications. Before joining the HFI DTC in 2007,Robin was the Support Manager at AeI for the Tactical Data Links Group, which required liaising with some 20customers on a world wide basis and ensuring that problems or suggestions reported were investigated, fixedand tested, and solutions delivered back to the customer.Steve Harmer recently joined MBDA UK as Head of Human Factors. After graduating fromPortsmouth Polytechnic in 1986 with a degree in Production Engineering, he went on togain an MSc in Work Design and Ergonomics from Birmingham University before joiningBAE Military Aircraft Division in 1987. Steve worked as a Human Factors Engineer onSea Harrier FA2, Tornado ADV, Hawk 100/200 and Nimrod MRA4. He joined the BAESystems Advanced Technology Centre in 1994 where he continued to support companyprojects across all military services, covering a wide spectrum of HF activities from HFImanagement to human performance assessment. In addition he was involved in a rangeof research activities including the development of decision-support aids to counter terrorismthreats to civilian aircraft, novel HCI technologies for military and civil flightdecks and operator involvement ineffects-based operations.Steve was Chair of the pan-BAE Systems HFI Special Interest Group for 7 years before joining MBDA UK.Dr Georgina Fletcher is the Human Factors Business Manager at SEA and project managerof their HFI DTC work. With a background in psychology and ergonomics, she has over13 years experience in developing, conducting and managing Human Factors projectsin both research and consultancy environments.She started her career in the DERA in Farnborough working on a number European fundedaviation safety projects looking at training and simulation, automation, system design andcrew resource management. She was also involved in supporting military projects includingexploring transfer of lessons learned in civil aviation to the military domain with respect to COTS procurements.She then moved to the University of Aberdeen as a Research Fellow, where, working with Scottish ClinicalSimulation Centre, she developed a behavioural marker system for assessing anaesthetists’ non-technicalskills such as decision making, situation awareness and team working. This work is the subject of her PhD. Shethen worked at the National Patient Safety Agency where she was involved in developing solutions to improvethe safety of healthcare system design and operation. Whist taking time out to complete her PhD, Georginaworked as a freelance consultant supporting a team skills development programme in the oil industry.In summer 2007, she moved to SEA and since joining the HFI DTC has become particularly involved in workdeveloping guidance for the HFI Social and Organisational domain.19
Page 1 and 2: HFI DTC Newsletter Issue 9Human Fac
Page 3 and 4: HFI DTC Awarded New ContractAuthor:
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Page 7 and 8: Social and Organisational: the 7th
Page 9 and 10: Hofstede (1991)and Klein (2004).How
Page 11 and 12: Diving with the UK’s Submarine Re
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Page 15 and 16: HFI DTC Awarded ErgonomicsPresident
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