A Case Study in large Scale Computer Human Interaction Design

Abstract

The Reliability & Maintainability Information System (REMIS) is being developed by a team of Litton Computer Services, Tandem Computers, and SofTech under contract to the Air Force Logistics Command (AFLC) Logistics Management Support Center. Its purpose is to make accessible to AF managers worldwide, the data necessary to keep weapon systems combat ready in peace and sustain them in war. REMIS will modernize the collection and use of inventory, status, utilization, operational reliability, maintenance, configuration, mission capability, and awaiting parts data for aircraft, trainers, automatic test equipment, Communications-Electronics (C-E) equipment, and support equipment.

The Government procurement request for REMIS envisioned the need for human engineering of the Human Computer Interface (HCI), but there were no requirements to deliver human factors analysis documentation nor to conduct any formal testing. The HCI design task was eventually assigned to an ad hoc team (Messrs. Lorenzetti, Beck, and Maguire) with no formal human engineering experience, and with severe time constraints. Design of a user-friendly system under these constraints (using available human factors data sources) proved to be a challenging exercise!

This paper presents a description of the informal user surveys and qualitative evaluations that were used as a surrogate to the more formal approaches normally recommended. After the fact, the over 900 guidelines in Smith and Mosier were reviewed, with 75 found to be specifically applicable to REMIS. REMIS conformance to each of the 75 guidelines was then assessed. Although the REMIS design was evaluated as reasonably good, we concluded that specific human engineering requirements, schedule, budget, and documentation should be provided. The accessibility of human factors data supporting design should be substantially improved if better quality HCIs are to be assured.