Study On Error-Cognition Mechanism Of Task Interface In Complex Information System

With the rapid developments of computer technology and information technology, human-machine interfaces of aircrafts, ships, nuclear power plants, battlefield command system, and other complex information systems have evolved from the traditional control mode to digital control mode with visual information interface. Because digital monitoring tasks are characterized by the large quantity of information and complex information relationships, an operator may enter the complex cognition and lead to task failure, even serious system failures and major accidents due to operation errors, misreading, misjudgment, late feedback, and other cognitive difficulties. Therefore, the systematic design of human-computer interaction information interface in complex information systems is the key issue in current academic and engineering fields and the blank in interdisciplinary studies of design and engineering. Especially the studies on the interaction mechanism between cognition and error from the perspective of the source of task failures-error factor are seldom studied and require to be strengthened. In the paper, with error factors as the study object, we proposed the new design idea of complex information interface based on the relationship between error and cognition and obtained the following achievements:(1) We proposed a new interface design method by introducing error factors. We defined the error factors in complex information task interface and extracted all the potential error factors from the analysis results of complex monitoring tasks and operators’ visual behaviors. Based on Rasmussen, Norman, Reason and other error types as well as the HERA and CREAM failure identification models, we performed classification and cognitive characterization for error factors according to information search, information recognition, information identification, information selection and judgment as well as the decision-making process and obtained the comprehensive error-cognition model for complex information interface. The results provided the source for task failures in later interface design.(2) We established the error-cognition stratification model for complex information task interfaces. According to the classification and cognitive characterization of error factors, we firstly established corresponding error-cognition sets. Then, based on study methods and experimental paradigms of perception, attention, memory, thinking and other cognitive psychological contents, we explored corresponding cognitive processing theory from every error type and developed the error-cognition knowledge context. Finally, we obtained visual perception mechanism of error factors and established the cognitive stratification model of mistake perception (MP), attention failure (AF), perceptual confusion (PC), memory lapse (ML), and negligence (AI).(3) We established the experimental analysis method for error factors based on visual behaviors and physiological responses. Based on the relevant technical and analytical methods of visual perception experiments, according to Wickens visual search model, we performed nesting cognitive experiments for response latency and eye tracking. The results of visual search experiments of monitoring task interface, error factor experiments of visual limitation, visual disturbance and attention diversion as well as behavioral data and physiological data of eye tracking indicate that the error-cognition set is related to interface information. Error factors generated in the visual search process are directly related to task interface layout, information spacing-location, information feature-capacity, and other factors.(4) We proposed by the mapping method from error-cognition mechanism to design information. According to the response chains of error-cognition and interface information, with the mapping method of matrix descriptions, we analyzed the relationship between the error-cognition sets and design information sets. According to the mapping relationship between the error-cognition domain and design information domain, we developed the relationship between error-cognition and design information and obtained the relationship matrix between error-cognition of design information correlation and the importance of design information. Taking into account various constraints, the constrains of the interface layout target could make the mapping relationship more reasonable.(5) Based on the proposed design method of complex information interface from error-cognition to information characteristics mapping, taking the task interface of a typical navigation warfare display system as an example, according to the design optimization method, we extracted omission, misreading/misjudgment, ignorance and error factors. Then, according to the response chain of the error factor-information characteristics, we determined information characteristic orientation, visual range, spacing, visual attention intensity of symbols, and other information design features and obtained the solution through the mapping relationship from error-cognition to information feature. Finally, according to the obtained solution, we proposed the optimized design scheme of the monitoring task interface.