Discrete Information Object Analysis of Primary Flight Display Clutter

Modern aircraft utilize digital display screens to provide critical flight and system status information to pilots. As computing power has increased, the number of data sources and information presented has also increased, with the goal of increasing situational awareness. However, the display can become cluttered with extraneous or irrelevant information, to the detriment of pilot cognitive workload. Pilot perceptions of clutter vary with flight experience, introducing unique considerations in the flight training environment, given the experience difference between instructors and students. Researchers have studied the problem, identifying both the number of visual objects and information density as predictors of perception of clutter. Combining these constructs with Gestalt Theory, or perceiving a whole object rather than the sum of parts, may provide insight into how clutter is perceived by pilots. This paper introduces discrete information objects, composed of related display objects and information, as a construct for analyzing clutter for future research