Representing the Cognitive Demands of New Systems: A Decision-Centered Design Approach

摘要

This report was developed under SBIR Contract for Topic No. AF99-089. As information technologies are becoming more central to weapons systems, the burden is shifting from conventional human factors requirements to the cognitive requirements. This report describes results of a Phase 1 SBIR to explore the feasibility of a tool to help Program Managers address the decision-making aspects of teams early in the design cycle. One outcome is the demonstration of a clear need for such a tool. Interviews with prospective users indicated that input about crew decision making would be valuable in developing the concept of operations and driving development of the system; including training, design, function allocation, and staffing. The feasibility of collecting this information has been demonstrated in the Airborne Laser domain. Information about cognitive requirements was collected via observations and Cognitive Task Analysis interviews. A scenario illustrates events and decisions of a potential Airborne Laser mission. This type of scenario is the basis for a tool to conceptualize the dynamics and tradeoffs that involve cognitive tasks. The prototype tool that would be developed in a follow-on effort is called CRITERIA (Cognitive Requirements for Individuals and Teams: Evaluations, Recommendations, Inspection, and Analysis). The intent of CRITERIA is to define and represent the cognitive criteria for tasks in complex systems.