Human-automation teamwork : Current practices and future directions in air traffic control

Svensson, Åsa · 2020 · Crossref

DOI: 10.3384/diss.diva-164303

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Summary

This dissertation investigates human-automation teamwork within Air Traffic Control (ATC), a high-stakes environment where complex automation is introduced to manage increasing traffic demands while human operators retain legal responsibility. The research addresses the problem that automation can negatively impact operator performance by forcing humans out of the control loop, leading to confusion or safety risks. Motivated by the need to maintain safety and efficiency amidst rising productivity pressures, the study aims to understand current ATC workflows and propose human-centered design principles for automation that functions as a collaborative team member rather than a standalone tool. The research comprises four studies involving operational air traffic controllers (ATCOs) across Sweden and other European countries. The methodology employed a mixed-methods approach, including interviews, simulations, questionnaires, and analysis of work patterns in both conventional and remote tower environments. The studies utilized the "Big Five" model of effective teamwork to evaluate factors such as adaptability, mutual performance monitoring, and backup behavior. The research explored both human-human and human-automation teamwork, examining ATCOs’ perceptions of current and future automation, their actual work patterns, and their interactions with new automated tools in en-route control. The findings indicate that adaptability and mutual performance monitoring are critical for effective teamwork in ATC, with mutual monitoring being particularly vital during stressful situations. The dissertation identifies two specific aspects essential for human-automation teamwork: boundary awareness and implicit communication. Boundary awareness refers to the operator’s knowledge of the automation’s capabilities, limitations, and the consequences of exceeding those boundaries. Implicit communication involves unspoken cues derived from the operator’s work patterns or automation predictions, facilitating seamless information flow between the human and the system. The results suggest that designing automation based on these concepts helps keep the operator in the loop and prevents automation surprise. The significance of this work lies in providing a foundational framework for the design of future ATC systems. By treating automation as a team member, the proposed concepts of boundary awareness and implicit communication offer a pathway to enhance cognitive collaboration and maintain safety in increasingly automated environments. The findings are applicable not only to ATC but also to other domains facing similar automation challenges, such as maritime operations, train control, and automotive systems. The dissertation concludes that human-centered design, informed by empirical insights into operator workflows and teamwork dynamics, is essential for developing automation that supports rather than undermines human performance.

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• automation
• automation complacency bias
• automation surprise
• mode awareness

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• Theoretical Contribution: conceptual framework