Human-system Interface Design Research Articles

Visual Style Elements in Human-System Interface Design for Nuclear Power Operations: Does Style Affect Performance and Preference?

As the world increasingly adopts renewable and sustainable energy systems, transitionary solutions include nuclear power, which currently provides 20% of the United States' electricity and is the largest single source of carbon-free electricity generation. Advanced reactors are a critical component of a carbon-free mixed energy portfolio that require careful design of first-of-a-kind control rooms. The application of Human Factors Engineering (HFE) is essential for scientific and iterative testing of novel human-system interface (HSI) concepts to ensure effective, efficient, and safe plant operations. Microworlds are simulators that use simplified physics models and control systems to distill nuclear power operations into essential functions. HFE scientists used the Rancor Microworld Simulator to obtain preference and performance metrics for novel and traditional static HSI design styles. Participants comprised advanced reactor company employees and nuclear industry consultants. A mixture of quantitative and qualitative data was captured. There was a preference for the basic graphical style that included high contrast and traditional color scheme elements. No single HSI design outperformed the others, and the participants did not perform better using their preferred HSI style. This experiment is the first in a series of HFE testing for HSIs in advanced reactor control room development. Clear user preferences emerged for elements within static displays. The cutting-edge neumorphic style was the least preferred. Future directions include tests of dynamic displays. HFE is used in evaluating and designing HSI devices that will improve the efficiency and safety of advanced nuclear power operations.

Developing an Integrated Energy System Interface for Electricity-Hydrogen Hybrid Nuclear Operations

Nuclear power plants are looking towards integrated energy systems to address the challenges faced by increasing competition from renewable energy and cheap natural gas in wholesale electricity markets. Electricity-hydrogen hybrid operations is one potential technology being explored. As part of this investigation a human factors team was integrated into the overall engineering project to develop a human system interface (HSI) for a novel system to extract steam for a coupled hydrogen production process. This paper presents the process used to perform the nuclear specific human factors engineering required to develop the HSI for this novel and unprecedented system. Furthermore, the early integration of the human factors team and the meaningful improvements to the engineering of the system itself in addition to the successful development of the HSI for this particular application are described. Lastly, the HSI developed is presented to demonstrate the culmination of the process and disseminate a potential HSI design for electricity-hydrogen hybrid operations that may be useful for others exploring similar integrated energy systems concepts.

Use of HFE Guidance for the Review of Nuclear Power Plants

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) evaluates the human factors engineering (HFE) of nuclear power plant design and operations to protect public health and safety. The HFE safety reviews encompass both the design process and its products. The NRC staff performs the reviews using the detailed guidance contained in two key documents: the HFE Program Review Model (NUREG-0711) and the Human-System Interface Design Review Guidelines (NUREG-0700). This paper will describe these two documents and the method used to develop them. As the NRC is committed to the periodic update and improvement of the guidance to ensure that they remain state-of-the-art design evaluation tools, we will discuss the topics being addressed in support of future updates as well.

Exploring The Use of Cognitive Models for Nuclear Power Plant Human-System Interface Evaluation

Many of the United States’ commercial fleet of nuclear power plants (NPPs) are approaching the end of their operating licenses. To extend the life of these plants, advanced human-system interface (HSI) technologies are being researched to address aging and reliability concerns with existing legacy systems. Human factors engineering (HFE) a critical role in ensuring these technologies are designed in a way that does not introduce new failure modes and promotes optimal human-system performance. An important focus of HFE in NPP modernization is early involvement to inform design of the HSI. This includes traditional formative evaluations, which are done to collect design feedback. While these evaluations are useful, they are limited in providing convincing quantitative data for efficiency of use. This paper discusses the use of cognitive models to provide quantitative data early in the HSI design process. A comparison is made of three open-source and readily accessible cognitive modeling tools.

Qualitative or Quantitative Data for Nuclear Control Room Usability Studies? A Pragmatic Approach to Data Collection and Presentation

Qualitative and quantitative approaches provide alternative, but often incompatible means to answer design questions during the early formative and later summative evaluation phases of the human-system interface design process. Human factors practitioners and researchers should identify which approach best addresses their particular research needs. Nuclear control room studies, particularly those conducted for control room modernization efforts, pose unique challenges. Due to the challenge of sampling large numbers of operators, the interface improvement goals of a usability evaluation, and the limited resources available for study analyses, a traditional quantitative approach is often not feasible or reasonable. Qualitative data provides a more pragmatic means to address design questions early on during the formative stage of the evaluation. Quantitative data can also be useful to bolster the qualitative data by presenting the data in a simple and intuitive graphic to provide evidence for design choices. An example case study using this approach during a formative evaluation study of a turbine control system human-system interface is described in this paper.

Human Factors in Control Room Modernisation

In view of the benefits of human factors engineering for nuclear power plants, the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission published a series of Nuclear Regulatory documents to describe the systematic methodologies and processes of human factors engineering on functional requirements analysis and function allocation, task analysis, human–system interface design, training program development, and so forth of the main control room of the nuclear power plant. The purpose of this paper is to introduce the application of human factors engineering to evaluate the usability and safety of the hybrid human–system interfaces developed for the conventional main control room during the process of modernisation. A comprehensive checklist with human factors guidelines was adopted to evaluate the usability of the hybrid human–system interfaces. Expert interview was adopted to collect data on task performance, workload, situation awareness, communication, and coordination based on operators’ experiences. The results provide guidance and a technical basis that should help plant staff with planning changes to the human–system interfaces of main control rooms that address issues that arise during control room modernisation.

Systematic layout planning in human–system interface: An evaluation of alarm displays with spatial proximity for accidents diagnosis of advanced boiling water reactor

To ensure safety in nuclear power plants, this study investigated the interface design of a digital alarm system by analyzing the diagnosing process of operating information. This study focused on the layout planning of alarm windows and followed proximity compatibility principle and nuclear human–system interface design review guidelines to improve the human–system interface. This study adopt systematic layout planning to modify the design of alarm windows. The time of alarm handling, and accuracy, as well as human reliability were evaluated to compare the original layout with the improved one. In the end, according to the results of the comparison, an alternative alarm window layout human–system interface, which fits diagnosing process, is suggested. Relevance to industryThe similar layout planning process could be applied to design control centers in high reliability organizations, in particular which need decision-making by person.

Control Room Design Review Guidance

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) evaluates the human factors engineering (HFE) of nuclear power plant design and operations to protect public health and safety. The HFE safety reviews encompass both the design process and its products. Detailed guidance for these reviews is provided in two key documents: the HFE Program Review Model (NUREG-0711) and the Human-System Interface Design Review Guidelines (NUREG-0700). The NRC is committed to the periodic update and improvement of the guidance to ensure that they remain state-of-the-art design evaluation tools. In this paper we will describe the guidance development and update methodology and the topics being addressed for both key documents. The guidance update program will improve document usability as well.

A direct methodology to establish design requirements for human–system interface (HSI) of automatic systems in nuclear power plants

This paper suggests a systematic approach to establish design requirements for the human–system interface (HSI) between operators and automatic systems. The role of automation in the control of a nuclear power plant (NPP) operation is to support the human operator and act as an efficient team player to help reduce the human operator’s workload. Some of the problems related to the interaction between the human operator and automation are out-of-the-loop performance, mode errors, role change to supervisory role and final authority issues. Therefore, the design of HSI is critical to avoiding breakdowns in communication between the human operator and the system. In this paper, the design requirements for human–system interface of automatic systems are constructed with the help of a tool called Itemized Sequence Diagram (ISD). Eight levels of automation (LOA) are initially defined in the function allocation and an ISD is drawn for each of the LOA for task allocation. The ISD is a modified version of sequence diagram, which is widely used in systems engineering as well as software engineering. The ISD elements of arrows, messages, actors and alternative boxes collectively show the interactions between the control agents, which are decomposed into four different roles: information acquiring, plant diagnosing, response selecting and response implementing. Eleven design requirements to optimize the human–automation interaction are suggested by using this method. The design requirements produced from the identified interaction points in the ISD are rationalized and how each requirement addresses the issues related to automation is discussed. We also identify which requirements address which of the stated automation issues and at which operational process stage each requirement applies to. Finally, the strengths of the proposed methodology and its implication on the HSI design are discussed in comparison with the methodology used to produce the existing guidelines or guidance.

A Study on a Trend of Human Error Types Observed in a Simulated Computerized Nuclear Power Plant Control Room

Objective: The aim of this study is to investigate a trend of human error types observed in a series of verification and validation experiments for an Advanced Control Room(ACR) equipped with Lager Display Panel(LDP), Work Station Flat Panel Display(WS FPD), list type Alarm System(AS), Soft Control(SC) and Computerized Procedure System(CPS). Background: Operator behaviors in a fully computerized control room are quite different from those in a traditional hard-wired control room. Operators in an ACR all together monitor plant status and variables through their own interface system such as LDP and WS FPD, are notified of abnormal plant status through their own list type AS, control the plant through their own SC, and follow the structured procedure through their own CPS whereas operators in a traditional control room only separately do their duty directed by their supervisor. Especially the secondary task such as manipulating the user interface of ACR can be an extra burden to all the operators including the supervisor. Method: The Reason"s human error classification method was applied to operators" behavioral data collected from a series of verification and validation experiments where operators showed their plant operational behaviors under a couple of harsh scenarios using the ACR simulator. Results: As operators accustomed to the new ACR system, knowledge or rule based mistakes appearing frequently in the early series of experiments decreased drastically in the latest stage of the series. Slip and lapse types of errors were observed throughout the series of experiments. Conclusion: Education and training can be one of the most important factors for the operators accustomed to the traditional control room to be adapted to the new system and to run the ACR successfully. Application: The results of this study implied that knowledge or rule based mistakes can be reduced by training and education but that lapse type errors might be reduced only through innovative improvement in human-system interface design or teamwork culture design including a new leadership style suitable for ACR.

Identification and Organization of Task Complexity Factors Based on a Model Combining Task Design Aspects and Complexity Dimensions

Objective: The purpose of this paper is to introduce a task complexity model combining task design aspects and complexity dimensions and to explain an approach to identifying and organizing task complexity factors based on the model. Background: Task complexity is a critical concept in describing and predicting human performance in complex systems such as nuclear power plants(NPPs). In order to understand the nature of task complexity, task complexity factors need to be identified and organized in a systematic manner. Although several methods have been suggested for identifying and organizing task complexity factors, it is rare to find an analytical approach based on a theoretically sound model. Method: This study regarded a task as a system to be designed. Three levels of design abstraction, which are functional, behavioral, and structural level of a task, characterize the design aspects of a task. The behavioral aspect is further classified into five cognitive processing activity types(information collection, information analysis, decision and action selection, action implementation, and action feedback). The complexity dimensions describe a task complexity from different perspectives that are size, variety, and order/organization. Combining the design aspects and complexity dimensions of a task, we developed a model from which meaningful task complexity factors can be identified and organized in an analytic way. Results: A model consisting of two facets, each of which is respectively concerned with design aspects and complexity dimensions, were proposed. Additionally, twenty-one task complexity factors were identified and organized based on the model. Conclusion: The model and approach introduced in this paper can be effectively used for examining human performance and humansystem interface design issues in NPPs. Application: The model and approach introduced in this paper could be used for several human factors problems, including task allocation and design of information aiding, in NPPs and extended to other types of complex systems such as air traffic control systems as well.

Application of a computational situation assessment model to human system interface design and experimental validation of its effectiveness

To evaluate the effects of human cognitive characteristics on situation awareness, a computational situation assessment model of nuclear power plant operators has been developed, as well as a procedure to apply the developed model to the design of human system interfaces (HSIs). The concept of the proposed procedure is to identify the key information source, which is expected to guarantee fast and accurate diagnosis when operators attend to it. The developed computational model is used to search the diagnostic paths and the key information source.In this study, an experiment with twelve trained participants was executed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed procedure. Eighteen scenarios covering various accidents were administered twice for each subject, and experimental data were collected and analyzed.As a result of the data analysis, it was validated that the salience level of information sources significantly influences the attention of operators, and the first observation of the key information sources leads operators to a quick and correct situation assessment. Therefore, we conclude that the proposed procedure for applying the developed model to HSI design is effective.

Human factors evaluation in nuclear power plant control rooms using a mobile system to support collaborative observation

Nuclear industry has several regulations and guidelines for human factors engineering (HFE) that should be applied in modernization of existing ones and in construction of new power plants. Their aim is to ensure that human factors/ergonomics are applied during the design process, making the system more controllable, reliable and safe than it would be if human factors were not adequately incorporated. Time consuming and inadequate methods for data collection and analysis in complex settings are often described as a problem to apply human factors in the design of process control systems. To facilitate the use of human factors/ergonomics in the design, we developed a mobile computer system to support collaborative observation of work teams to be used in complex environments. In this paper, we argue that collaborative observation should be used in the work teams’ knowledge elicitation for human system interface design purposes, showing the advantages of the collaborative approach in comparison to other non-collaborative ones. We describe the development of a mobile support system for collaborative observation tested in the evaluation of human system interfaces of a nuclear power simulator crew when operating a digital human-system interface. The results indicated that the mobile system stimulates collaboration among observers and the organization of overall human-system interface evaluation.

Updating Human Factors Engineering Guidelines For Conducting Safety Reviews of Nuclear Power Plants

The U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) reviews the human factors engineering (HFE) programs of applicants for nuclear power plant construction permits, operating licenses, standard design certifications, and combined operating licenses. The purpose of these safety reviews is to help ensure that personnel performance and reliability are appropriately supported. Detailed design review procedures and guidance for the evaluations is provided in three key documents: the Standard Review Plan (NUREG-0800), the HFE Program Review Model (NUREG-0711), and the Human-System Interface Design Review Guidelines (NUREG-0700). These documents were last revised in 2007, 2004 and 2002, respectively. The NRC is committed to the periodic update and improvement of the guidance to ensure that it remains a state-of-the-art design evaluation tool. To this end, the NRC is updating its guidance to stay current with recent research on human performance, advances in HFE methods and tools, and new technology being employed in plant and control room design. This paper describes the role of HFE guidelines in the safety review process and the content of the key HFE guidelines used. Then we will present the methodology used to develop HFE guidance and update these documents, and describe the current status of the update program.

Investigation of automation deployment in the main control room of nuclear power plants by using adaptive automation

AbstractRecently, with the progress of computer technology, the digitalization of human–system interface (HSI) in the main control room (MCR) of advanced nuclear power plants (NPPs) has become an important issue. A higher level of automation means that the computers execute the greater part of the task. The frequency, however, of automation‐induced system failures, including human errors, prompts us to more closely investigate the influences of automation. The objective of this study is to measure the effects of adaptive automation on the primary task performance, operator situation awareness (SA), and workload in an advanced MCR of an advanced NPP to reduce the number of failures and improve human performance. This study selects automatic mode and semi‐automatic mode to compose five different types of automation allocations. The experiment scenario is a reactor shutdown task. A personal computer transient analyzer (PCTran) is used to simulate the HSI of an MCR. Twelve participants are required to perform the experiment scenario on the automation allocation types. The dependent variables were the primary task performance; the subjective workload was measured using an NASA‐Task Load Index (NASA‐TLX) questionnaire; and three levels of SA were estimated by SA queries. Experimental results revealed that the automation allocations made up of higher ratio automatic modes led to superior primary task performance, lower operator workload, and lower frequency of human errors. In the high ratio automatic mode allocation, the operators have the lowest SA queries score. This study provides additional information for future digital HSI design in the MCRs of advanced NPPs. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

IDENTIFICATION AND EVALUATION OF HUMAN FACTORS ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH EMERGING NUCLEAR PLANT TECHNOLOGY

This study has identified human performance research issues associated with the implementation of new technology in nuclear power plants (NPPs). To identify the research issues, current industry developments and trends were evaluated in the areas of reactor technology, instrumentation and control technology, human-system integration technology, and human factors engineering (HFE) methods and tools. The issues were prioritized into four categories based on evaluations provided by 14 independent subject matter experts representing vendors, utilities, research organizations and regulators. Twenty issues were categorized into the top priority category. The study also identifies the priority of each issue and the rationale for those in the top priority category. The top priority issues were then organized into research program areas of: New Concepts of Operation using Multi-agent Teams, Human-system Interface Design, Complexity Issues in Advanced Systems, Operating Experience of New and Modernized Plants, and HFE Methods and Tools. The results can serve as input to the development of a long-term strategy and plan for addressing human performance in these areas to support the safe operation of new NPPs.

Development of Human Factors Validation System for the Advanced Control Room of APR1400

A human factors validation system for the main control room (MCR) of Advanced Power Reactor 1400MWe (APR1400) has been developed as it adopts digitalized human-system interfaces (HSIs). The integrated validation system is composed of process/plant models, HSIs, and the human performance evaluation support system (HUPESS). A real-time thermal-hydraulic code, RELAP5 R/T, was used and modified to simulate the dynamic characteristics of the APR1400, and simulation software, 3KeyMaster, was used to model the balance of plant systems. The HSIs developed in this study include all facilities in the APR1400 MCR, such as large display panels, 3 identified operator workstations, and a safety console. In addition, the remote shutdown workstation has been developed. The display systems in the HSIs have been developed using ProcSee, which is a software tool for developing and displaying dynamic graphical user interfaces. This paper describes the configurations of HSIs including display systems, the dynamic models of the APR1400 simulator, the instructor station, and the HUPESS. This paper also presents the results of plant simulation performance tests at transient compared with the results of RELAP5/MOD3.3 calculations. The human factors validation system for the advanced control room of APR1400 provides high degrees of physical, functional, and dynamic fidelities, and can be used in the validation process of the APR1400 HSI design.

Development of Human Factors Validation System for the Advanced Control Room of APR1400

A human factors validation system for the main control room (MCR) of Advanced Power Reactor 1400MWe (APR1400) has been developed as it adopts digitalized human-system interfaces (HSIs). The integrated validation system is composed of process/plant models, HSIs, and the human performance evaluation support system (HUPESS). A real-time thermal-hydraulic code, RELAP5 R/T, was used and modified to simulate the dynamic characteristics of the APR1400, and simulation software, 3KeyMaster, was used to model the balance of plant systems. The HSIs developed in this study include all facilities in the APR1400 MCR, such as large display panels, 3 identified operator workstations, and a safety console. In addition, the remote shutdown workstation has been developed. The display systems in the HSIs have been developed using ProcSee, which is a software tool for developing and displaying dynamic graphical user interfaces. This paper describes the configurations of HSIs including display systems, the dynamic models of the APR1400 simulator, the instructor station, and the HUPESS. This paper also presents the results of plant simulation performance tests at transient compared with the results of RELAP5/MOD3.3 calculations. The human factors validation system for the advanced control room of APR1400 provides high degrees of physical, functional, and dynamic fidelities, and can be used in the validation process of the APR1400 HSI design.

The implementation of a human factors engineering checklist for human–system interfaces upgrade in nuclear power plants

The primary purpose of this paper is to provide a human factors engineering (HFE) checklist for human–system interfaces (HSIs) upgrades in nuclear power plants (NPPs). The HFE checklist is used to review the HSIs design submittals prepared by licensees or applicants for a license or design certification of a HSI upgrade. NUREG-series regulation documents are used to develop the main frame of the initial HFE checklist. The contents of the HFE checklist are constructed by the theories and principles governing human factors. Then, verification and validation (V&V) of the HFE checklist is accomplished by validity and reliability evaluation. The results show that the HFE checklist has sufficient validity and reliability for the review of HSI upgrades in NPPs.

Human System Interface Design and Operators Cognitive Strategies

This paper focuses on the influence of Human-System Interface (HSI) design on nuclear power operators' ac- tual work. During plant normal operation, operators' work comprises activities like monitoring, the use of procedures, co- operation mechanisms, and cognitive strategies for problem solving and decision-making. The work is characterized by constant changes in the focus of attention and the dynamics of conflicting activities. This paper explores the relationships between the operators' cognitive strategies and the constraints imposed by the HSI. The method employed for data collec- tion was a field study during the operators' actual work in the plant control room. Our findings show that the HSI intro- duces background noise in the plant operation that shapes actions and decisions made by the operators.