The main challenge of operators working with complex information systems is to gain sufficient situation awareness (SA). In this research project, we developed an analysis scheme to support a holistic study of SA. This analysis scheme was complemented with a method to process cognitive task analysis and observational research data to identify deficiencies of systems in supporting SA. This approach was applied in nautical traffic management practice. In total we identified 30 deficiencies, of which 23 were related to how the system interfaces support human information processing. The commonly applied user-centered design method was insufficient to overcome the identified deficiencies. User-centered design therefore was complemented with information engineering (IE) methods for analyzing relationships between information elements and for specifying UI design. Application of different IE methods resulted in the development of three UI concepts; a coherent, an integrated and a context-dependent adaptable UI. The generated UI concepts were tested using a nautical traffic management workplace simulator. Usability testing showed that the proposed IE approach had a positive effect on the effectiveness, efficiency and user satisfaction. Evaluation of the impact of the UI prototypes showed that the application of a graph theory based IE approach had positive effects on operators’ speed of gaining SA, speed of communication with priority stakeholders, and the likeliness that operators executed necessary actions in the required order. Application of semantic networks resulted in a UI which provided better support of answering questions of skippers related to future states of the traffic management environment.@en

This paper presents an analysis scheme which aims to support a
systematic study of required situation awareness (RSA). This scheme supports
identification of deficiencies of support for situation awareness (SA).
Information needs are goal and task dependent and can be defined using
existing cognitive task analysis (CTA) methods. RSA, however, is a subset of
information needs and depends on the interaction between goals, tasks, system
factors and individual factors. The analysis scheme has helped to identify that
the current methods to define RSA do not support a distinction between
information needs and RSA. The scheme was trialled in a nautical traffic
management context as an extension to existing CTA methods. The research
activities necessary to study RSA and to identify deficiencies of current support
for SA in nautical traffic management context were applied. The study showed
that the research set-up designed through application of the analysis scheme
helped to define RSA, and that RSA is considerably context and operator
dependent. Future research will focus on the potential for context-aware
adaptable interface solutions to allow for RSA dependent information
visualisation.@en

There has been an increase in the amount and complexity of traffic on Dutch inland waterways. Traffic management shifted from local traffic control to corridor traffic management. Due to these changes, operators in nautical traffic management centers experience difficulty to gain and maintain sufficient situation awareness. In our previous research, three groups of deficiencies of current situation awareness support have been identified. To overcome these deficiencies, a theoretical framework for information engineering user interface concepts was developed and used for designing three interface concepts. A coherent, an integrated and a context-dependent adaptable user interface were designed and implemented as testable prototypes. To support the process of information engineering, we combined user-centered design techniques with the formalism of set theory, directed graphs and semantic networks. From a methodological point of view, these proved to be useful both in conceptualization and implementation of the concepts. The usability of these concepts was tested in a simulator environment. The results show that the implemented prototypes represent an important improvement compared to the traditional interface solutions currently used by nautical traffic management operators. However, it was recognized that the coherent user interface implementation still suffered from a number of deficiencies. The context-dependent adaptable user interface was evaluated most positively.

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