The transition from normal to emergency system states: An examination of variables that generate active learning among operators

A failure by human operators to take an active monitoring role in complex automated systems has resulted in operators who are unable to make a transition from normal scanning behavior to the detection, diagnosis, and correction of system failures during a malfunction. Passive monitoring is common when operators feel distant or removed from closed-loop operations or when they experience a breakdown in communication and coordination efforts. The effects of an active task orientation and inter-operator communication in normal and emergency situations is investigated in this paper using a simulated process system. The results of this study suggest that proactive instructions are very successful at improving both monitoring and diagnostic performance, whereas, communication only improved the accuracy of a failure diagnosis. Without proper training, operator communication may interfere with the speed of system information detection, an operator's system knowledge, and secondary task performance. The implication of these results for operator training programs are discussed.U of I OnlyETDs are only available to UIUC Users without author permissio