An Application of Human Factors Concepts to an Interactive Computerized Personnel Record-Keeping System

摘要

This report describes a 'hands-on' demonstration that illustrates how human factors principles can be applied to the design of the human-computer interface and the operational procedures of an interactive, real-time Army personnel record processing system. The Standard Installation/Division Personnel System (SIDPERS) was identified as a typical record-processing system suitable for conversion to an interactive computer system. Four SIDPERS transactions (Duty Status, Departure, Arrival, and Grade Change) were selected as representative tasks for demonstrating the application of behavioral principles. The demonstration was programmed on the PLATO (Programmed Logic for Automatic Teaching Operation) system. The demonstration focused on the interactions between the computer and both an experienced and an inexperienced processing clerk of a unit. The demonstration also displayed interactions between a unit supervisor and the computer and between SIDPERS personnel and the computer. The demonstration capabilities included error detection and correction, definition of terms, variable input format, and efficient information retrieval.