Reducing operator perceived complexity

We investigated the role of the HMI (human machine interface) in reducing the perceived system complexity. A laboratory system consisting of up to five heat-exchange subsystems was used. Besides a variety of measures of system complexity, we mainly investigated a measure for perceived complexity. The HMI of the laboratory system could be mimicked through electronic interconnections. Experiments with students as subjects were performed using this system. The experimental results show that the operator´s perception of complexity is different for different HMIs