Errors in working with office computers: A first validation of a taxonomy for observed errors in a field setting

An action‐oriented taxonomy of errors in human‐computer interaction in the office differentiated four classes: functionality problems, usability problems, interaction problems, and inefficient behavior. Functionality problems were differentiated in how they affect the action process. Usability problems were differentiated according to levels of action regulation and steps in the action process. For example, conscious strategies were differentiated from automatic ones. To examine the taxonomy's construct validation, several hypotheses regarding error‐handling time, need for external support, complexity at work, and novices versus experts were tested in a field study of 198 clerical workers at 11 German companies and 7 small firms. A total of 1,749 errors were observed within a 2‐hour period, 1,306 were rated concordantly by two re‐raters. As expected, errors resulting from conscious regulation and functionality problems needed more error‐handling time than errors resulting from more automatic actions. Ther...

[1]  Jens Rasmussen.  Human Error Data. Facts or Fiction , 1985 .

[2]  Richard Davis,et al.  Task Analysis and User Errors: A Methodology for Assessing Interactions , 1983, Int. J. Man Mach. Stud..

[3]  M. Frese,et al.  Goal Directed Behavior: The Concept of Action in Psychology , 1985 .

[4]  Jacob Cohen.  A Coefficient of Agreement for Nominal Scales , 1960 .

[5]  M. Frese,et al.  Error handling in office work with computers: A field study , 1993 .

[6]  Morris Dean,et al.  How a Computer Should Talk to People , 1982, IBM Syst. J..

[7]  H. Heckhausen,et al.  Intentional action and action slips. , 1990 .

[8]  D. Norman.  Categorization of action slips. , 1981 .

[9]  M. Frese,et al.  Zur Fehlerbehandlung in der Software-Ergonomie: Theoretische und praktische überligungen , 1988 .

[10]  B. Adelson.  When Novices Surpass Experts: The Difficulty of a Task May Increase With Expertise , 1984 .

[11]  Sandra H. Rouse,et al.  Analysis and classification of human error , 1983, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[12]  Jens Rasmussen,et al.  Human errors. a taxonomy for describing human malfunction in industrial installations , 1982 .

[13]  Jochen Prümper,et al.  Some surprising differences between novice and expert errors in computerized office work , 1992 .

[14]  D. Zapf.  STRESSBEZOGENE ARBEITSANALYSE BEI DER ARBEIT MIT UNTERSCHIEDLICHEN BUROSOFTWARESYSTEMEN , 1991 .

[15]  Norbert K. Semmer,et al.  Action Theory in Clinical Psychology , 2021, Goal Directed Behavior.

[16]  Bert Arnold,et al.  User errors in human—computer interaction , 1988 .

[17]  J. B. Smelcer.  Understanding user errors in database query , 1990 .

[18]  Jochen Prümper,et al.  Handlungsorientierte Fehlertaxonomie in der Nensch-Computer Interaktion: Theoretische Überlegungen und eine erste Überprüfung im Rahmen einer Expertenbefragung , 1989 .

[19]  Jens Rasmussen,et al.  Human error mechanisms in complex work environments , 1987 .

[20]  G. Miller,et al.  Nondynamic aspects of personality. , 1960 .

[21]  G. Miller,et al.  Plans and the structure of behavior , 1960 .

[22]  Ben Shneiderman,et al.  Designing the User Interface: Strategies for Effective Human-Computer Interaction , 1998 .

[23]  Jens Rasmussen,et al.  The Definition of Human Error and a Taxonomy for Technical System Design , 1987 .

[24]  J. Nielsen,et al.  Coordinating user interfaces for consistency , 2001, SGCH.

[25]  Claire E. O'malley.  Helping Users Help Themselves , 1986 .

[26]  P. von Papstein,et al.  Transferring skills from training to the actual work situation: the role of task application knowledge, action styles and job decision latitude , 1988, CHI '88.

[27]  Keith Duncan,et al.  Cognitive Engineering , 2017, Encyclopedia of GIS.

[28]  M. Frese,et al.  Skill learning as a concept in life-span developmental psychology: an action theoretic analysis. , 1984, Human development.

[29]  Constantin Skarpelis,et al.  Software für die Arbeit von morgen , 1991 .

[30]  J. Bortz,et al.  Lehrbuch der empirischen Forschung , 1984 .

[31]  L. Cronbach,et al.  Construct validity in psychological tests. , 1955, Psychological bulletin.

[32]  Robert E. Kraut,et al.  Command use and interface design , 1983, CHI '83.

[33]  G. A. Miller,et al.  Book Review Nisbett, R. , & Ross, L.Human inference: Strategies and shortcomings of social judgment.Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1980. , 1982 .

[34]  Sebastiano Bagnara,et al.  Human Error Detection Processes , 1987, Int. J. Man Mach. Stud..

[35]  Michael Frese,et al.  Funktions- und Nutzungsprobleme bei unterschiedlichen Dialogformen , 1990 .

[36]  Jens Rasmussen,et al.  Cognitive Control and Human Error Mechanisms , 1987 .

[37]  Michael Frese,et al.  Errors in Training Computer Skills: on the Positive Function of Errors , 1991, Hum. Comput. Interact..

[38]  Donald A. Norman,et al.  Designing for error , 1987 .

[39]  John M. Carroll,et al.  Learning, using and designing filenames and command paradigms† , 1982 .

[40]  G. Miller,et al.  Plans and the structure of behavior , 1960 .

[41]  W. Volpert,et al.  Task Analysis for Work Design on the Basis of Action Regulation Theory , 1986 .

[42]  Liam J. Bannon,et al.  Helping Users Help Each Other , 1986 .

[43]  Heidi Keller,et al.  Innovation and the design of work and learning environments: The concept of exploration in human-computer interaction. , 1990 .

[44]  Robert E. Kraut,et al.  Interface design and multivariate analysis of UNIX command use , 1984, TOIS.

[45]  Siegfried Greif,et al.  Aktives Lernen durch systematische Fehlerexploration oder programmiertes Lernen durch Tutorials , 1987 .

[46]  R. Schmidt.  A schema theory of discrete motor skill learning. , 1975 .

[47]  Matthias Rauterberg,et al.  Task orientation and user-oriented dialog design , 1991, Int. J. Hum. Comput. Interact..

[48]  P. Johnson-Laird.  Mental models , 1989 .

[49]  Jochen Prümper,et al.  The effects of an active development of the mental model in the training process: experimental results in a word processing system , 1988 .

[50]  John R. Anderson.  The Architecture of Cognition , 1983 .

[51]  Eberhard Ulich,et al.  The chances of individualization in human-computer interaction and its consequences , 1988 .