This thesis investigates the relationships between performance, workload, and situation awareness at varying levels of automation. The relationships observed in this study are compared to a description put forth to formalize the conventional interpretation of the trade-off between the benefits of automation during routine operation and the costs under conditions of automation failure. The original work stipulated that this “routine-failure trade-off” is likely a simplification affected by contextual factors. This work therefore aimed to i) provide empirical evidence to support or refute the trade-off and ii) to identify possible extenuating factors. The results generally supported the routine-failure trade-off, and considered in light of the functional structure of the task suggested that the relationships between goals and individual functions specific to a given task seem to affect the overall costs and benefits of automation through the mechanism of selective reliance. Further work is required to validate the findings of this study.

Several analytical techniques including use case diagrams, process flow diagrams (PFDs), hierarchical task analysis (HTA), failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA), systematic human error reduction and prediction approach (SHERPA), hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP), heuristics, the Safe Living Guide and the Resident Assessment Instrument – Home Care (RAI-HC) are applied to data obtained from two pilot home visits to determine whether common failure modes, causes, effects and recommendations are yielded by the techniques. The time required to apply each analytical technique to processes uncovered from the pilot data was measured and outputs of the techniques were reviewed for commonality. Of the tools considered, SHERPA was found to return the most failure modes, effects and recommendations, while FMEA was the only human factors tool to yield causes. Additionally, FMEA and SHERPA provided a means of ranking potential failure modes based on severity and probability.

This thesis investigates the relationships between performance, workload, and situation awareness at varying levels of automation. The relationships observed in this study are compared to a description put forth to formalize the conventional interpretation of the trade-off between the benefits of automation during routine operation and the costs under conditions of automation failure. The original work stipulated that this “routine-failure trade-off” is likely a simplification affected by contextual factors. This work therefore aimed to i) provide empirical evidence to support or refute the trade-off and ii) to identify possible extenuating factors. The results generally supported the routine-failure trade-off, and considered in light of the functional structure of the task suggested that the relationships between goals and individual functions specific to a given task seem to affect the overall costs and benefits of automation through the mechanism of selective reliance. Further work is required to validate the findings of this study.

Diss. Helsingin yliopisto, 2006. / Myös verkkojulkaisuna.

There is a growing amount of research evaluating behavioral approaches for skill acquisition in sports. Few of these studies have focused on yoga and skill acquisition. There is a need for a low effort yet effective way to teach yoga postures to individuals who do not take private yoga classes and may practice at home. This study evaluated the effects of using a picture-based task analysis and self-evaluation on the skill acquisition of yoga postures. A multiple baseline across yoga postures was used. During the task analyses intervention, the participants received a task analysis, performed the posture, and scored the task analysis upon the completion of the posture. Results showed that the task-analysis and self-evaluation increased the accuracy of all the poses.

L’objet de cette thèse est de présenter quelques éléments caractéristiques d’une étude conduite en Tunisie afin d’améliorer la compréhension du processus d’acquisition de compétences dans la conception et la représentation des solutions technologiques en génie mécanique. L’enseignement de la conception mécanique s’appuie largement sur la manipulation d’objets en trois dimensions. Pour autant, les objets ou mécanismes ainsi représentés restent limités à de simples outils de présentation ; leur utilisation, dans le cadre de nouvelles approches de situations d’apprentissage fondées sur la résolution de problèmes, est plutôt limitée. Ces possibilités permettraient de développer des stratégies d’apprentissage plus ouvertes, encourageant la recherche et permettant à l’élève de s’auto-évaluer tout en réduisant le guidage procédural de l’enseignant et son rôle d’évaluateur normatif. Le modeleur 3D pourrait ainsi jouer un rôle particulier avec un changement de statut passant de celui d’outil organisant l’activité pédagogique de l’enseignant à celui d’instrument utilisé par l’élève pour résoudre le problème qui lui est posé. De fait, l’enseignant limitait son investigation et donc sa créativité. La créativité et le nombre de solutions à un problème posé en génie mécanique reposent sur l’exploitation du modeleur 3D qui fait passer l’objet d’un simple outil à un instrument et qui donne à l’élève une autonomie pendant son apprentissage et pendant l’évaluation de sa production. Les résultats obtenus lors de l’étude semblent encourageants tant pour la recherche que pour l’évolution de la discipline. / The purpose of this thesis is to present some characteristic elements of a study conducted in Tunisia. The study was conducted to better understand the acquisition process of competencies in the design and representations of technological solutions in mechanical engineering. The teaching of mechanical engineering to fourth graders, technical branches in Tunisia, takes place in technological laboratories with about 10 computer workstations. The 3D modelling software could thus play a special role with a change of status from that of a tool used by the teacher to organize his teaching activities to an instrument used by the learner to solve a situation problem. The use of 3D modelling software to represent 3D objects gives learners the ability to conceive a range of new solutions. The learner can assess himself without resorting to his teacher, who seems to be so far, the only person who is able to evaluate his work and lead him to the expected solution. In fact, the teacher hinders his investigation and creativity. Creativity and the number of solutions to a problem in mechanical engineering depend heavily on the exploitation of a 3D modelling software that changes the use of a simple tool into an instrument that makes the learner autonomous and able to evaluate his own production. The results obtained in the study are encouraging not only for research but also for the development of mechanical engineering. It will be necessary, however, to check the degree of commitment of the teachers who are in favour of this new teaching-learning tool. It will also be wise to analyse the competencies required by the companies in the field and by the labour market in general.

This study compared a task analytic versus a traditional approach to teaching a musical instrument to emotionally disturbed children. Students' musical performance and attitude toward the instruction were compared between conditions. Six severely emotionally disturbed boys, 8-11 years of age, participated in the study. Each student learned to play a one, two, and three chord song accompaniment on an omnichord under the two experimental conditions. At the end of each condition and two weeks following the termination of the study, each student was asked to perform the three-chord songs. Their performances were videotaped for future analyses by two independent observers. In addition to the performance ratings, the students completed a questionnaire concerning their attitudes toward the instruction. This questionnaire also served as a dependent measure. No statistically significant differences were found among the performance ratings and student attitudes between conditions. Implications for music therapy practice and future research are given.

No description available.

The number of prehospital deaths caused by large bleedings could be decreased if civilian people would act in time to help the injured patient. One way to help is to stop the bleeding with a tourniquet application. However, the tourniquet needs to be placed correctly in order to stop the bleeding. Therefore laypersons need to be educated in bleeding control to increase the rate of successful tourniquet application. This study used human error identification techniques such as Hierarchical Task Analysis and Systematic Human Error Reduction and Prediction Approach to identify possible errors of four commonly used tourniquet models: the CAT-7, Delfi-EMT, SAM-X and SWAT-T. The results show that many predicted errors are time-oriented and critical. Video analysis of tourniquet application was performed to map occurred use errors from the videos with the predicted ones. The goal was to identify problems that could be solved by training or redesigns of the tourniquets. The results show that the most common errors for all participants during tourniquet application were of six error types. The errors were to not check time or write down time of application, to take too much time to place the tourniquet around the limb, to place the tourniquet upside down, to place the tourniquet band over the securing mechanism instead of between and lastly to not secure the tourniquet correctly before transporting the patient. The untrained laypersons made more errors than the trained laypersons and professional emergency personnel group. The trained laypersons also made fewer errors in a calm setting than in a stressed setting, comparing to the professional group who did the same error types in both settings. The results indicate that untrained laypersons not only make more errors but also more critical errors than trained laypersons and professional emergency personnel. Future research should empirically test other tourniquet models than the CAT in the goal of finding use errors to be reduced. Overall the results are in line with previous studies that show the need for education of bleeding control techniques in the civilian population.

Studien belyser flygtrafikledningssystemet Mil i-ATC och flygledares upplevelser av systemet och larmhanteringen. Arbetet genomfördes på uppdrag av Combitech med syfte att undersöka och skapa förståelse för hur flygledare interagerar med systemet och fattar beslut i samband med inkommande larm. För att fånga användarens perspektiv genomfördes två observationer och tolv semistrukturerade intervjuer med erfarna flygledare, och för att analysera data tillämpades metoderna Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA) och Tematisk analys. Resultatet av CTA presenterades i form av ett flödesschema, vilket tillsammans med den tematiska analysen och tidigare forskning bidrog till en diskussion kring vidmakthållande ur ett användarperspektiv samt framtagandet av förbättringsförslag.Resultatet indikerade att det är en komplex uppgift att designa användargränssnitt för ett system som kantas och är beroende av användares egna erfarenheter och bedömningar. Larmtext i kombination med färgkodning visade sig vara ett effektivt verktyg för att ge användaren en snabb överblick och bedöma allvarlighetsgraden av ett inkommande larm. En risk som identifierades var fenomenet Cry Wolf, där flygledare tenderade att underskatta allvarlighetsgraden vid upprepade larm inom korta tidsintervaller. Förslag på åtgärder för att undvika risken för Cry Wolf-fenomenet är att skapa en lista för långtidskvittering samt implementera en ny larmsignal för kritiska larm. Vid implementering av nya funktioner är det av yttersta vikt att genomföra noggranna tester för att undvika tvetydigheter och alternativa tolkningar av informationen som presenteras. Felaktig eller otydlig design kan orsaka problem, och eftersom människan är en essentiell del inom flygledning är det nödvändigt och betydelsefullt att utveckla system som betraktar människan som en del av systemet, med syfte att förebygga mänskligt felhandlande.