Aircraft Maintenance Intuitive Troubleshooting AMIT LOA DRAFT

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Aircraft Maintenance Intuitive Troubleshooting
(AMIT) LOA DRAFT
Capt Vaughan Whited Logistics Readiness
Branch Warfighter Readiness Research
Division Human Effectiveness Directorate Air
Force Research Laboratory
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Agenda

• AMIT Overview
• Experimental Design
• Interim FDT Results
• Next Steps

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AMIT Overview

• Description, Objectives, Approach, Vision

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AMIT Program Description

• Three year Air Force Research Laboratory Proof of
  Concept Demonstration
• Program Goal Reduce aircraft downtime by
  improving human performance

Novice Knowledge Base
TOs
Procedural Knowledge
Strategic Knowledge
Fault Isolation
System Knowledge
Training
Other Maintainers
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AMIT Program Objectives

• Improve expert and novice performance by
  providing immediate access to task-relevant
  knowledge
• Contrasted by currently fragmented processes
• Historical info, tech orders, logbooks,
  collaboration
• Improve novice performance by accelerating
  development of expert mental models and
  strategies
• Logical, task-specific knowledge presentation
• Access to expert sources of knowledge
• Decrease troubleshooting task times, error rates

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Program Approach
Year 1
Year 2
Year 3
Expert Knowledge Base
Other Maintainers
Logbooks
TOs
Tech Reps
Strategic Knowledge
Procedural Knowledge
AFETS
System Knowledge
Training
Additional Fault Isolation
Advanced Training
Schematics

• Problem Space Definition
• Cognitive Model Definition
• Gap Analysis
• Opportunity Identification
• CONOPS Development
• Preliminary Research

• Science Exploration
• Technology Demos
• Solution Integration
• Lab Tests
• Field Test Planning
• Obtain RD Sponsors
• AMUG CRB Reviews

• Field Test to Measure Troubleshooting Performance
  Improvements
• Transition Support
• Final Report

Technology Improvements Serving Maintenance
Excellence
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AMIT Vision
TOMORROW
TODAY
Technical Data
Aiding
Log Books
History

• SOLUTION
• Complete, timely, and contextual knowledge and
  information at the point of task
• Capture and reuse expert knowledge and strategies

Collaboration
Picture photographer and descriptions provided
in notes where available.
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Experimental Design

• Hypotheses, Methods, Measures

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Hypotheses

• FDT Hypothesis 1
• Maintainers using an AMIT tool will expend less
  total time troubleshooting and performing
  research than maintainers without an AMIT tool.
• FDT Hypothesis 2
• Maintainers using an AMIT tool will make fewer
  errors (diagnostic, unnecessary removals, and
  fewer repeat write-ups) than maintainers without
  an AMIT tool
• FDT Hypothesis 3
• Novice technicians with AMIT will successfully
  troubleshoot difficult discrepancies near where
  experts perform without AMIT

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Methods

• Two troubleshooting intensive AFSCs
• Fire Control
• Electro-Environmental (E/E)
• Three levels of user expertise
• System experts
• System novices
• Non-System maintainers (Crew Chiefs)
• Three levels of task complexity within groups
• Simple, Moderate, and Difficult
• Two conditions As-is (No AMIT) To-be (With
  AMIT)

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Measures

• Task time
• Overall completion time
• Sub-task time
• Performance errors
• Deviations from optimal path
• Incorrect data interpretation
• Feedback
• Questionnaires
• Interviews

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Interim Test Results

• Test Session 1 of 4

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Fire Control System 18 Subjects
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Completion Time
Expert Novice Crew Chief
FDT Hypothesis 1 Maintainers using an AMIT tool
will expend less total time troubleshooting and
performing research than maintainers without an
AMIT tool. In all but one case, AMIT use resulted
in faster task completion Trends continuing in
test session two (E/E System)
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Errors
Expert Novice Crew Chief
FDT Hypothesis 2 Maintainers using an AMIT tool
will make fewer errors than maintainers without
an AMIT tool In all but one case, AMIT use
resulted in either equal or reduced performance
errors Trends continuing in test session two (E/E
System)
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Novice Performance

• Average Time to Complete lt 15 Min difference
• System Novice w/ AMIT 224.1 Min
• System Expert w/out AMIT 209.4 Min
• Average Errors
• System Novice w/ AMIT 4
• System Expert w/out AMIT 3

FDT Hypothesis 3 Novice technicians with AMIT
will successfully troubleshoot difficult
discrepancies near where experts perform without
AMIT Trends continuing in test session two (E/E
System)
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User FeedbackTest Session 1 of 4

• Features most valued by test subjects
• Automatic collection of logbook data
• Focused history searches
• Automatic navigation within electronic technical
  data
• When will we see AMIT fielded?
• Nearly all participants have asked this question
  in one form or another.
• You have everything you need.
• System Expert discussing the information
  collected and provided by the AMIT tool
• Usable by anybody.
• System Expert, when asked whether AMIT is
  flexible enough for both novices and experts.

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User FeedbackTest Session 1 of 4

• Improving troubleshooting skills through
• Electronic technical manuals
• Logbook information
• Component repair history
• Fault isolation history for this problem and
  aircraft
• Yes it AMIT helped me because out on the
  flightline I need help but didn't on this.
• System Novice, asked if AMIT would make him a
  better troubleshooter.
• This would help both novice and expert
  technicians be better troubleshooters.
• System Expert

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Next Steps

• Complete Field Test Sessions 2 - 4 and data
  analysis
• Test ends mid-September 06
• Obtain MAJCOM sponsor for beta implementation
• Discussions on-going with AFMC, ACC, AMC, AFSOC,
  and AETC
• Obtain funding
• Select beta implementation site and weapon
  system
• Begin beta development FY 07

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Questions?