Designing Systems: Are we getting it right

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Designing Systems Are we getting it right?

• Dr. Jan Noyes
• Department of Experimental Psychology
• University of Bristol
• Tel. [phone]
• Fax. [phone]
• Email. j.noyes_at_bristol.ac.uk

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Background

• My academic, professional and research interests
  are in Human Factors Psychology (often called
  Cognitive Ergonomics),
• and in particular, the design of the interface
  between the human and advanced, complex
  technologies (human-computer interaction).

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Research Area 1

• 1. Emerging and new technologies
• e.g. keyboard design, speech and pen-based input
  to machines.

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Talking and Writing to Machines - Advantages

• Ease of operation perceived naturalness.
• Direct data entry.
• Increased control capabilities, e.g. enhanced
  mobility (disabled users), and use in hostile
  environments.

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Specific Benefits

• Speech hands/eyes busy situations, and
  information overload.
• Pen single device and attentional focus, and
  non-standard text.

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Automatic Speech Recognition

• Issues
• End-point detection of words.
• Accuracy (misrecognitions).
• Introducing intelligence into the system.
• User expectations.
• Reversion techniques.

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Solutions

• Experimental work with humans informs our
  understanding.
• Experienced users through to novices and
  potential users.

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Research Area 2

• 2. Display design in complex systems e.g.
  information management and presentation issues.

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Complex Systems

• Issues
• In the past, designing for the human not a
  problem.
• Advanced technology and information-rich systems
  create a problem.

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Advanced Warning and Diagnostic Systems

• Role of human error
• (Analyses of accident data)
• Display design anticipation (activate warnings
  earlier), information about secondary
  consequences, system to provide more relevant
  information, predictive facility

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Model of Causes of Accidents

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Managing Error

• How can we manage error?
• Engineering and Design (External)
• Error-tolerant systems
• Training (Internal)

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Human Factors Engineering

• External Performance Shaping Factors
• Equipment and workplace design
• Human-machine interactions
• Operating procedures
• Environmental and organisational factors
• Job aids, e.g. manuals, etc.

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Training

• Internal Performance Shaping Factors
• Levels of motivation, skills and experience
• Selection and recruitment
• Training programmes
• Open-reporting systems

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Research Area 3

• 3. Computer screens versus hard copy
• e.g. processing differences in learning and
  recall, and affective characteristics.

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Questions (that keep me awake at night)

• Talking and writing how can we optimise user
  interactions?
• In information-rich systems, how can we
  facilitate human-machine interactions given that
  the human is often the bottle-neck in the
  system?
• When should we should hard copy and when should
  we use computers?

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Some Recent Publications

• Noyes, J.M. Baber, C. (1999). User-centred
  design of systems. London Springer.
• Noyes, J.M. Starr, A.F. (2000). Civil aircraft
  warning systems Future directions in information
  management and presentation. International
  Journal of Aviation Psychology, 10(2), 169-188.
• Noyes, J.M. (2001). Designing for humans. Hove,
  UK Psychology Press.
• Noyes, J.M. Bransby, M.L. (2001). People In
  Control Human factors of control room
  operations. Stevenage, UK IEE Press.
• Noyes, J.M. (2001). Talking and writing how
  natural in human-machine interaction?
  International Journal of Human-Computer Studies,
  55(4), 503-519.
• Noyes, J.M. Garland, K.J. (submitted). VDT
  versus paper-based reading Reply to Mayes, Sims,
  and Koonce. International Journal of Industrial
  Ergonomics.

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Finally what we are trying to prevent