Contextual Control Modes During an Airline Rescheduling Task

This paper examines how humans choose and organize the many activities required in accomplishing tasks in a complex, dynamic environment. These activities include information seeking, communicating, coordinating, judging, decision making, and implementing decisions. A range of contextual control modes (CCMs) as described by Hollnagel--strategic, tactical, opportunistic, and scrambled--are used in this investigation. These CCMs are viewed as responses to contextual features, such as time limits and task demand. The authors specifically examine CCMs during an airline schedule adherence task and evaluate potential measures of these tasks in a controlled experiment using student participants. In the first portion of the experiment, the time limits were varied. In the second, a sudden increase in task demand was introduced. Information-seeking behaviors and participant solutions were recorded. National Aeronautics and Space Administration task load index (TLX) workload ratings and participant self-assessments of contextual control mode were assessed. Participants reported operating in and transitioning between different CCMs in response to time limits and task changes. Results showed that CCMs did not correlate with TLX ratings of demand and effort but did correlate with TLX-frustration and TLX-performance ratings and with time limits. Since similar good performance may be achieved with several CCMs, support systems should be designed to support the behaviors associated with a likely CCM rather than just assuming a strategic CCM.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.1518/155534307X232839
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/15553434
• Authors:
  • Feigh, Karen M
  • Pritchett, Amy R
  • Denq, Tina W
  • Jacko, Julie A
• Publication Date: 2007

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References;
• Pagination: pp 169-185
• Serial:
  • Journal of Cognitive Engineering and Decision Making
  • Volume: 1
  • Issue Number: 2
  • Publisher: Human Factors and Ergonomics Society
  • ISSN: 1555-3434
  • Serial URL: http://edm.sagepub.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Airlines; Controlled trials; Decision support systems; Schedules and scheduling; Task analysis; Workload
• Uncontrolled Terms: Contextual control modes
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01084506
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jan 28 2008 8:08AM