Human Error Avoidance by use of Simulators onboard Ships

1. Human Systems
Integration on Board
Ships

2. What is human systems
integration ?
Creating effective designs which
maximize productivity and
operational effectiveness while
protecting operators and
maintainers
Understanding how the operator
fits into the system
Factoring –in the human element

3. How we can go wrong
• Case Studies

4. How we can make things better
• The oil industry estimates a nine-to-one
benefit to cost ratio when implementing
human system integration into the design of
controls and maintenance
• ABS recently performed a human factors
assessment during the engineering phase of
an offshore facility being built for South East
Asia. The goal was to decrease accidents
related to human error by using human
system integration. The activities and
recommendations made included workspace
design guidelines that took into
consideration the physical size and strength
capabilities of the intended end user

5. Identifying the challenge
• The Individual
• The ‘Team’
• The Man – Machine Interface
• The Environmental Context

6. Understanding the individual
• Cognitive
• Physical
• Psychological

7. Cognitive
• The human brain … the most
complex computer. We are yet to
fully comprehend it’s complexity.

8. Information Processing
• Seemingly
“simple” tasks
can have “more
than meets the
eye”
• Lets take a
look….

13. It’s on the tip of my tongue
• Understanding and accounting for the
limitations of our memory functions

14. Decision Making
A pure cognitive
function ?
or a combination
of :
 Past experience
 Logical analysis
 Intuition
 Trial and error
A Doctor - A
Mariner

15. The physical factor
Anthropometrics:
deals with body measurements
particularly those of:
– size
– strength
– physical capacity
Why is it important ?

17. Psychological factors
Feelings and Emotions
An asset or a burden?
Motivation to go beyond our normal limits
of performance ?
or
A hindrance to finding a solution ?
• The art of designing a “feel good”
environment

18. Understanding the ‘team” :
interactions between individuals
• Communication
• Interpersonal
Relationships
• Command and
Authority
• Delegation

19. The Man – Machine Interface
• Significant factor is the increased use of automation.
Some of the implications of increased automation:
• Does not usually replace human work with machine work, but
instead often changes the task is was meant to support
• Display and control interfaces can be confusing, distracting
and misleading
• Over-reliance on specific equipment, machinery, control
systems.
• Overload of information
• Lack of standardization of displays
• Losing situational awareness and “basic” skills

20. The Environmental Context
• Local factors :
temperature,
noise, vibration,
time of day,
cleanliness,
weather etc.
• Encompassing
factors : cultural,
commercial,
political, legal etc.

21. Where have we reached in human
systems integration ?
• Increasing awareness of it’s
importance
• Some understanding in real terms
of the potential benefits
• An attempt to identify risks in
existing systems
• Limited implementation or
application in design, planning or
training

22. Overcoming the Challenge
• A two pronged approach :
– To meet existing risks in the system
– Effective implementation of human
systems into systems engineering models
for new projects

23. Meeting existing risks in the
system
• Identification of weak links
• Manpower deployment
• Other resource deployment
• Training

24. The contribution of human
systems integration into a
systems engineering
model
• A critical feature
of an effective
planning and
design model is
to identify points
in the process in
which human
systems
engineering can

25. Key interaction points in the process
• Mission and requirements
analysis
• Function analysis and function
allocation
• Task design and analysis
• Human interface
• Performance, workload and
training level estimation
• User review

26. Examples of tools used by the
human systems engineer
• Task network analysis
• Human performance modelling
• Human Information Processing
Models

27. Task Network Modelling
• Breaks performance into tasks
characterized by
– Performance times
– Accuracy
– Probabilities
• Tasks are linked together into
networks that represent paths
the performance can take

28. “The Human in the loop” : Human
Performance Modelling
• Creating models that simulate the activities
operators would perform in a system

29. Human Information Processing
Models

30. Examples of typical contributions /
products by a human systems
engineer
• Descriptions of range of situations or events that
will confront operators. May be taken from real
life events or possible scenarios
• Operator expectations
• Identification of environmental factors that may
affect personnel
• Predictions of workload and stress
• Predicted underpinning knowledge or skills
• Decision action diagrams
• Predicted staffing and training needs
• Required design characteristics to support users
• Simulations and prototypes
• Task lists
• Task interactions and sequences
• Designing user interfaces
• Timeline analysis

31. Recommendations
• Increased awareness
• Systematic review of risks in existing
systems
• Constant interaction with end users
• Training to address inherent issues in
human systems integration
• Training in specific operational tasks
• Introduction of human performance
modelling
• Incorporation of human systems
engineering in design and planning of
new projects / acquisitions

32. The Real Challenge !
To balance the battle
between costs and
rewards.
We need to believe that
tangible results can be
achieved and it is worth it.