Cognitive engineering of rule-based supervisory control systems: effects of concurrent automation

The authors observed subjects performing a task in a dynamic environment using rule-based supervisory control (RBSC). Task performance was evaluated in an experiment using control and display features derived from a cognitive process model of RBSC. In particular, the effects of numerical versus graphical display of rule parameter, textual data entry versus direct manipulation for control of rule parameters and the presence or absence of a display of the history of past actions were examined. Results indicate that the way in which subjects use the automation is affected by the controls and displays provided, and that the nature of that use can affect overall task performance