Function Key and Shortcut Key Use in Airway Facilities.

摘要

This document provides information on the function keys and shortcut keys used by systems in the Federal Aviation Administration Airway Facilities (AF) work environment. It includes a catalog of the function keys and shortcut keys used by each system and the associated functionality. Researchers collected these data through analysis of software specifications, computer-based instruction manuals, and field site visits. They extracted human factor guidelines relevant to function key and shortcut key use from human factors guidelines and the research literature. Researchers also collected information on function key and shortcut key use by commercial applications to extract what amounts to de facto industry standards for function key and shortcut key use. The researchers compared current function key and shortcut key use across systems in the AF operational environment. They also compared current AF use of function keys and shortcut keys against human factors guidelines and de facto industry standards. Based on this evaluation, the researchers found little consistency in the assignment of functions to function keys and shortcut keys among different AF systems. The researchers make recommendations toward improving consistency and usability of function keys and shortcut keys in the AF environment.