Development of design principles for automated systems in transport control

Abstract

This article reports the results of a qualitative study investigating attitudes towards and opinions of an advanced automation system currently used in UK rail signalling. In-depth interviews were held with 10 users, key issues associated with automation were identified and the automation's impact on the signalling task investigated. The interview data highlighted the importance of the signallers' understanding of the automation and their (in)ability to predict its outputs. The interviews also covered the methods used by signallers to interact with and control the automation, and the perceived effects on their workload. The results indicate that despite a generally low level of understanding and ability to predict the actions of the automation system, signallers have developed largely successful coping mechanisms that enable them to use the technology effectively. These findings, along with parallel work identifying desirable attributes of automation from the literature in the area, were used to develop 12 principles of automation which can be used to help design new systems which better facilitate cooperative working.

Practitioner Summary: The work reported in this article was completed with the active involvement of operational rail staff who regularly use automated systems in rail signalling. The outcomes are currently being used to inform decisions on the extent and type of automation and user interfaces in future generations of rail control systems.

Keywords:

• automation
• rail
• signalling
• ergonomics design principles
• control centres

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by Network Rail and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). The authors thank the participants of the interviews and the management staff who assisted with access to signal boxes during the study.

Notes

1. An inhibiting device provided for safety purposes.

2. Each workstation is divided into a number of areas for the purposes of ARS. Each of these is called a sub-area and may be turned on or off as the signaller wishes.