chalmers symposium

Advanced Technology Centre 1Chalmers tekniska högskola, October 2007

David CarrHuman Factors Consultant

BAE Systems Advanced Technology Centre

“How To An Eat Elephant”:Integrating the human component into

large, complex ship designs.


Where I work

Farnborough

Portsmouth

Bristol

Glasgow

Chelmsford

Advanced Technology CentreHuman Factors Locations

BAE Systems, Scotstoun(formerly Yarrow Shipbuilders Limited)


The problem of Human Factors Influence

- Warships are complex products…

- …with complex interactions between their parts…

- …built by large, diverse organisations…

- …under complex procurement arrangements.

- Human Factors specialists are few…

- …and some of them are simple souls.

A very large ship

A (relatively) small Human Factors specialist


The Anatomy of a Warship

Machinery Rooms

Bridge

Zonal Damage Control positions

Weapons

HelicopterHangar

Flight Deck

Cabins Galleys, Messes

Store RoomsRAS Points

Enclosed mooring deck

Tiller Flat

Ops Room

Combat System Network

Platform Management System

etc.Ship Control Centre(Machinery Control, Damage Control HQ)


The Human System

- The crew needs to be ‘designed’

- Crew design and ship design are interdependent

- Crews have complex design characteristics:

- Crew size. How many people are needed to operate and maintain the ship?

- Organisational structure

- Recruitment

- Retention

- Employment conditions

- Training

- Sustainable career paths

- Job satisfaction

- The crew is outwith the scope of supply.


Components of the human system

- Intelligent

- Adaptable

- Can handle complex information

- Good at fine manipulation

- Expensive

- Easily broken

- Difficult to get replacements

- Doesn’t come with a manual or a guarantee

- Has complex supply and servicing requirements

- Low environmental tolerance

- Unreliable – especially under stressful conditions

- Mean Time Between Failures ≤ 1 day

- Mean Time To Repair ≥ 12 hours

- Variable quality

- Doesn’t come in standard sizes


Human variability

Bao Xishun – 2.36mHe Pingping – 0.73m

Both from Inner Mongolia (PRC)


Variations between and within populations

1.56m

1.87m

1.54m

1.85m


Design range for merchant ships

1.536m

1.90m


What happens when designers don’t allow for variability


Embarked Forces’ Assembly Area, HMS Fearless


System interactions

- No single design owner for a workspace

- Multiple dependencies on other disciplines

- Potential conflicts with unrelated systems

- Systems routed through compartments- Shipwide constraints- Build and upkeep aspects

- Who is responsible for Human Factors?

10V

240V

HP Seawater

HVAC

Fresh Water spray

Structures

LAN

Software

Removal Route

HP Seawater


Poor human-systems integration


Supply Office

~ 1.6m


Organisational Complexity

- Human Factors needs to influence several organisations

- Traceability from Equipment Requirements to User Requirements is via a long, complex route

- Human Factors requirements extend into outside organisations

Prime Contractor

PlatformComba

t System

Propulsion

Sh

ip B

uild S

up

po

rtCapability Procurer

(“Customer 1”)Naval User(“Customer 2”)

Su

pp

liers

HF

Sphere of interest for Human Factors


Where to begin?


The best way to eat an elephant?One piece at a time!


Go back to first principles

- Specify system functionality. What do we want the ship to do?

- Identify the critical areas for:

- Safety - Effectiveness, - Efficiency

- Think in terms of Human-Machine systems.

- Trace the physical attributes of the design back to the human capabilities they support.

- Task Analysis is the key to design.

“Equip the man. Don’t man the equipment.”(United States Marine Corps)


Task Analysis: What are all the bits for?

WTB158

WTB107

WTB69

Zone 2Zone 3Zone 4

Aft Machinery SpaceRegular short-duration access

•Maintenance personnel•Overalls/ ear defenders

Critical access•Firefighting•Machinery repair

Aft Machinery SpaceRegular short-duration access

•Maintenance personnel•Overalls/ ear defenders

Critical access•Firefighting•Machinery repair

Aft Machinery Space Access• Maintainers carrying

toolboxes• Rapid access for 3-person

firefighting teams• First aid/ Casualty

evacuation

Aft Machinery Space Access• Maintainers carrying

toolboxes• Rapid access for 3-person

firefighting teams• First aid/ Casualty

evacuation

Ship Control CentreHarbourside - 1 watchkeeper• Admin/ Safety activities

Peacetime - 1 w/k + 1 mobile• Machinery Supervision• Admin/ Safety Activities

Battle - 9 person team• Machinery control/ Repair coord.• Damage control coordination• Weapons repair coordination

Ship Control CentreHarbourside - 1 watchkeeper• Admin/ Safety activities

Peacetime - 1 w/k + 1 mobile• Machinery Supervision• Admin/ Safety Activities

Battle - 9 person team• Machinery control/ Repair coord.• Damage control coordination• Weapons repair coordination

Cabins• Outfitted for quality of life• Working space• Privacy• Personal storage space• Long-term comfort

•Low noise levels•Thermal comfort

Cabins• Outfitted for quality of life• Working space• Privacy• Personal storage space• Long-term comfort

•Low noise levels•Thermal comfort


Challenges from Project Organisations

- Ships and ship systems assembled from bought-in components

- Competitive procurement strategy

- Cost driven

- Human Factors is but one of many competing constraints

- Very large projects

- Varying levels of understanding of Human Factors- Limited Human Factors resources

- Traditional practices

- Scepticism: Human Factors specialists don’t build anything!

Human Factors =

Defence against the dark arts


Smile patiently and explain

Offer support. Check up on them from time to time

Let them get on with it(and use them as an ally)

Lean on them

“I’m an engineer. We don’t have to worry about that kind of thing.”

“Obviously we’ll need to do a Task Analysis before we design the system.”

“I’ll make sure all the machinery is accessible. But that’s just good

engineering”

“Yes! The décor is very important.

What colour should we paint the

cabins?”

System Designers and Human Factors

No Yes

No

Yes

Do they care about Human Factors

Do they understand Human Factorsproperly?


How to get a toe-hold

Hearts and Minds

- Education

- Information

- Support

Carrot and Stick

- Set task criteria as acceptance requirements

- Require evidence of task identification

Deckhead height

Clear height (i.e. free from obstructions)2100mm minimum is mandatory forpassageways2100mm minimum is recommended elsewhere forany space which is normally occupied.For compartments which are accessedinfrequently (e.g. for maintenance or repaironly), 1950mm is adequate, provided there isalso sufficient access for firefighters.

Access for firefighters

Minimum clearance for firefighters is1970mm

(based on 95th %ile 2020 male, plus allowancesfor boots and helmet)Smaller clearances may be tolerated for “duck-under” access by firefighters. Ask the HumanFactors Team first.This must be also be the minimum height inoccupied spaces, although 2100mm preferred.

Avoid making people have to stoop

It may be permissible for people to have toduck under an overhead obstacle on routeswhere access is infrequent. Ask the HumanFactors Team first.

Avoid crawing access.

This is only permitted for infrequentmaintenance / Inspection tasks. Ask theHuman Factors Team first.

Example of a Design Team information sheet


The impact of Off-the-Shelf components on the user interface


Which components matter?

Task Analysis

Safety Related?

Performance Critical?

Frequently used?

Components

User Interface?

Evidence of usability?

Accept Risk? Low Risk

y

y

y

y

y

n

n

n

n

n


How “Usability Mature” are suppliers?

Is your component suitable?

- It’s a valve. What more do you want?

- We sell it to a lot of customers.

- Trust us - we’re used to building these things.

- It’s been used successfully for a similar purpose and our customers have told us they’re very happy with it.

- All components meet the weight limits in the Manual Handling Regulations.

- We’ve reviewed all the controls against ergonomics guidelines.

- We’ve involved users in the design and have carried out thorough usability evaluations.

- Well…we think we’ve a fair idea that it’s suitable…but it would be best if we could work with you and your customer to makes sure that it works exactly the way you want it to.


Human Factors influence must be continuous

Big numbers Clear Dial Familiar format

?


Human Factors influence must be continuous

- From functional specification- Through procurement- To detailed fitting out

- …and through life.

LAN


Detailed Example: Type 45 Destroyer Ship Control Centre

Daring ClassAir Defence Destroyer7350 TonnesLength, 152.4 mBeam, 21.2mDraft, 5mSpeed, 29+ knotsComplement, 1902 shaft integrated electric propulsion (gas turbine)Armaments:PAAMS missile system4.5” gunClose-in weapons systemLynx helicopter


What is a Ship Control Centre (SCC)?

• The main compartment for operation of the ‘Platform Management System’ (PMS)

• Provides control and surveillance of shipboard machinery for:

• Propulsion and steering

• Power and cooling to weapons

• “Hotel” services (lighting, air conditioning, fresh water, sewage, etc)

• Damage Control systems

•Firefighting water; CO2 and Foam

•Integrity (Ventilation; Flood control)

•Incident and Casualty management

• Staffed by between 2 people (Peacetime Cruising) and 9 people (Action)

• Supports “The Internal Battle”


The Internal Battle


Previous RN ship technology

• Hardwired from equipment to control rooms

• Limited automation: still many manual operations

• Controlled from one central location

• Voice communications to other “outstations”

Control Room


The Conventional Ship Control Centre

- Layout dictated by bulky, hardwired panels

- Panels are against walls because of wiring

- Good overview of all systems

- But

- Operator roles fixed by where people stand and what they can reach

- Operators face the panels! Difficult to work as a team.


Type 45 Technology

• Software based

• More automation and more signals

• LAN distribution throughout the ship

• High levels of redundancy and flexibility


WTB158

WTB107

WTB69

Zone 1Zone 2Zone 3Zone 4

PMS Operating Points


New technology, old thinking


The User-Centred Approach

ISO 13407 standard approach to user-centred design

- Multi-discipline team - User Involvement - Iterative, prototyping

approach- Explicit allocation of

functions


Interdependent design issues

HCI Software

Console

Operator

Team

Ship

Compartment

Layout

Control Locations


Type 45 Team Design

WeaponsManagement Centre

Ship Control Centre

ANBCDOANBCDO

PMPM

DCODCO

SMSM

PropulsionSupervisor

PropulsionSupervisor

WMWM

WRMWRM

WSMWSM

PictureCompiler

PictureCompiler

Operations Room

Command

Command Advisor

Assistant

XO(Roving)

XO(Roving)

ZoneControlPosts(1-4)

i/c

ZCP Op

Fire and Flood Repair Parties




Mobile Machinery Repair Party

Weapons Repair Personnel

Medical HQMedical HQ

First Aid Parties

First Aid Parties

First Aid Parties

First Aid Parties


• Multi-function 2-screen displays• Ergonomically optimised• “See over” by 5th percentile RN personnel

promotes teamworking• Incorporates stowage for lifejacket and BA

SCC Operator’s Console


The Type 45 ‘Teamworking’ concept

- Consoles bring the functionality to the operators.

- Flexible software allows functions to be allocated to meet changing operational demands.

- Layout allows eye contact and verbal communication between team members.


Ship Control Centre


Fwd

Zone Control Post


LCD Monitor Mounting brackets


I like elephants - but I could never eat a whole one.

Advanced Technology Centre 46RINA Human Factors Conference, March 2007, London.

Tack så mycket Frågor?

David Carr

0141 957 [email protected]

chalmers symposium

Documents

problem of human factors

terms of human

human capabilities

human factors specialists

small human factors

human component intolarge

ship systems

poor humansystems integration