Designing for Flexible Interaction Between Humans and Automation: Delegation Interfaces for Supervisory Control

Flexibility in human-adaptable automation can provide important benefits, including improved situation awareness, more balanced mental workload and improved overall performance. This study develops a method enabling human-like, flexible supervisory control via delegation to automation. The authors review problems with static and adaptive (as opposed to "adaptable") automation; contrast these approaches with human-human task delegation, which can mitigate many of the problems; and revise the concept of a "level of automation" as a pattern of task-based roles and authorizations. It is argued that delegation requires a shared hierarchical task model between supervisor and subordinates, used to delegate tasks at various levels. On the basis of these analyses, the authors propose methods for supporting human-machine delegation interactions that parallel human-human delegation in important respects. An architecture for machine-based delegation systems is developed based on the metaphor of a sports team's "playbook." A prototype implementation of this architecture, along with an accompanying user interface and usage scenario, is described for mission planning for uninhabited air vehicles. This study suggests that delegation offers a viable method for flexible, multilevel human-automation interaction to enhance system performance while maintaining a manageable user workload.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/oclc/1329271
• Authors:
  • Miller, Christopher A
  • Parasuraman, Raja
• Publication Date: 2007-2

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Print
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: pp 57-75
• Serial:
  • Human Factors
  • Volume: 49
  • Issue Number: 1
  • Publisher: Sage Publications, Incorporated
  • ISSN: 0018-7208
  • EISSN: 1547-8181
  • Serial URL: http://hfs.sagepub.com/

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Automation; Awareness; Control systems; Drones; Human factors engineering; Human machine systems; Manual control; Prototypes; System architecture; Task analysis; User interfaces (Computer science); Workload
• Uncontrolled Terms: Delegation; Supervisory control systems
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Bridges and other structures; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01044696
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Mar 17 2007 10:48PM