MAP-01-011 HFI Technical Guide - Human Factors Integration ...

MAP-01-011 – HFI Technical Guide (STGP 11)• Combat SystemThe mission performance of a vessel is greatly influenced by the operability of thevarious equipments in the Combat System. Command decision-making, speedand accuracy of response to threats and the morale of personnel are improved ifequipment is effective, efficient to use and trustworthy. Combat Systems includea variety of such user and maintainer interfaces ranging from human-computerinterfaces to more specialised types. Improvements in communications andsensor technology have increased the amount and types of data available to theCommand Team. A major issue is the use of data fusion and filtering techniquesto enable significant tactical information to be isolated and evaluated. Weaponssystems have become increasingly automated, placing the onus on the designerto provide Command Teams with weapons set-up, threat classification andoverride facilities. Sharing of information and co-operative interaction betweenoperators and teams mediated by the Combat System introduces the need todesign appropriate Group Ware. These types of facilities add a new dimension touser-equipment interaction, i.e. the user may see other users and their activitiesrepresented as objects within information displays.• Marine EngineeringVirtually all forms of marine engineering equipment will present some form ofinterface to users. A major challenge in this area is the design of the userequipmentinterface to integrated machinery control and surveillance systems.For example, in future platform management systems a range of propulsion andsupporting services will be controlled through a suite of visual display units in theShip Control Centre/Control Room replacing panels of dials, indicators andcontrol knobs. It is important to bear in mind that hardware intensive systems,e.g. cranes, mechanical handling equipment, fire-fighting equipment also have auser-equipment interface that must be designed for operability.2.2.13 Maintenance and Support (Chapter 16)Maintenance is required to ensure that equipments and systems remainoperational and safe. At the level of the platform this includes Ship Husbandryactivities ranging from bilge clearance to Upper Deck cleanliness. Close coordinationis required with the relevant System Project Manager to ensure thatplatform maintenance evolves in accordance with the integrated logistics supportconcept.At the equipment level, maintenance requirements are a function of equipmentreliability, the support policy and the expertise of available manpower. Each itemof equipment will have an associated maintainability requirement described in theIntegrated Logistics Support (ILS) concept for the type of equipment or for thevessel. Several HFI technical issues are related to the maintenance ofequipment. The first issue is the identification of the user tasks and duties, andassociated skills and knowledge, needed for maintenance. The impact onmaintenance tasks of the technology used in the equipment must be understood.For example, on-line diagnostics may be built into the equipment; the complexityof such diagnostics and their ease of use and interpretation will be affected bythe operability of the system and will in turn affect operator skill levels.• Combat SystemMaintenance issues have radically changed in recent years with the prevalentuse of information technology in Combat Systems. System management,Nov 2006 Page 2-10 Issue 4