Evaluating two aspects of direct manipulation in advanced cockpits

Increasing use of automation in computer systems, such as advanced cockpits, presents special challenges in the design of user interfaces. The challenge is particularly difficult when automation is intermittent because the interface must support smooth transitions from automated to manual mode. A theory of direct manipulation predicts that this interface style will smooth the transition. Interfaces were designed to test the prediction and to evaluate two aspects of direct manipulation, semantic distance and engagement. Empirical results supported the theoretical prediction and also showed that direct engagement can have some adverse effects on another concurrent manual task. Generalizations of our results to other complex systems are presented.

[1]  R. K. Bernotat.  Man and Computer in Future On-Board Guidance and Control Systems of Aircraft , 1981 .

[2]  Dennis Wixon,et al.  User performance with command, menu, and iconic interfaces , 1985, CHI '85.

[3]  James D. Hollan,et al.  Direct Manipulation Interfaces , 1985, Hum. Comput. Interact..

[4]  Earl L. Wiener,et al.  Beyond the Sterile Cockpit , 1985 .

[5]  Stephen W. Draper,et al.  Display Managers as the Basis for User-Machine Communication , 1986 .

[6]  Donald A. Norman,et al.  User Centered System Design , 1986 .

[7]  Leo Beltracchi.  A Direct Manipulation Interface for Water-Based Rankine Cycle Heat Engines , 1987, IEEE Transactions on Systems, Man, and Cybernetics.

[8]  John Karat.  Evaluating User Interface Complexity , 1987 .

[9]  Dennis E. Egan,et al.  Handbook of Human Computer Interaction , 1988 .

[10]  C D Wickens,et al.  Codes and Modalities in Multiple Resources: A Success and a Qualification , 1988, Human factors.

[11]  John M. Reising,et al.  Advanced Warning/Caution/Advisory Displays for Fighter Aircraft , 1989 .

[12]  Christine M. Mitchell,et al.  Effectiveness of direct manipulation interaction in the supervisory control of FMS part movement , 1989, Conference Proceedings., IEEE International Conference on Systems, Man and Cybernetics.

[13]  John E. Deaton,et al.  Theory and Design of Adaptive Automation in Aviation Systems , 1992 .

[14]  Constance L. Heitmeyer,et al.  Direct Manipulation and Intermittent Automation in Advanced Cockpits , 1992 .

[15]  M Beaudouin-Lafon,et al.  An overview of human-computer interaction. , 1993, Biochimie.