Human factor design criteria for ATCS onboard terminals

Human factor activities for the development of MMI (man-machine interface) equipment and related displays are suggested with emphasis on the equipment´s applicability to the railroad industry. The author provides the framework for the application of human factors principles and criteria during progressing stages of system development. He summarizes the present state of the art methods for human factor planning, analysis, design, and evaluation efforts related to system development. The human factors principles and criteria described are provided for: the planning of human factors efforts to support the design and the initial operation phases; the use of human factor criteria in the design of the prototype onboard terminal(s); the evaluation of the prototype onboard terminal(s) against human factor criteria using a questionnaire arranged in a checklist format; and the application of the evaluation results in correcting human factors deficiencies