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

MAP-01-011 – HFI Technical Guide (STGP 11)• Advantages• Various physiological techniques have demonstrated a sensitivity to taskdemand variations.• When using physiological techniques, data is recorded continuouslythroughout task performance.• Physiological measurements can often be taken in a real world setting,removing the need for a simulation of the task.• Advances in technology have resulted in an increased accuracy andsensitivity of the various physiological measurement tools.• Physiological measurement does not interfere with primary taskperformance.• Disadvantages• The data is easily confounded by extraneous interference (DTC209 -Young & Stanton 2004)• The equipment used to measure physiological responses is typicallyphysically obtrusive.• The equipment is also typically expensive to acquire, temperamental anddifficult to operate.• Physiological data is very difficult to obtain and analyse.• In order to use physiological techniques effectively, the analyst(s) requiresa thorough understanding of physiological responses to workload.• It may be difficult to use certain equipment in the field (e.g. brain and eyemeasurement equipment).A3.6.2Primary and Secondary Task Performance MeasuresAnother popular laboratory approach is the use of Primary and Secondary taskperformance measures. Here, Primary task performance measures of MWLinvolve assessing the suitable aspects of participant performance during thetask(s) under analysis, assuming that an increase in workload will facilitate aperformance decrement of some sort.The secondary task performance measures involve the addition of a secondarytask, whereby participants are required to maintain performance on the primarytask and also perform a secondary task as and when the primary task allows.The secondary task is designed to compete for the same resources as theprimary task and any differences in workload between primary tasks are thenreflected in the performance of the secondary task.May 2006 Page A3-44 Issue 4