Current Foci
Based on input from HFCC members during spring 2006 meetings, the HFCC has identified the following candidate research issues which have cross-modal applicability:
- Implementation experience with OFM tools
- Information overload, distraction
- Impairment (e.g., fatigue, drugs, alcohol, health)
- Delivery of weather information
- Certification of electronic devices
- Close call reporting system(s)
- Human factors tool kits
- Visibility; LED's, changeable message signs
In addition, the HF members propose to undertake the preparation of White Papers for use by the modal administrations to address the candidate issues summarized below.
- Diminish congestion with HF input
- Understand expectations/needs of travelers
- Understand traveler attitudes toward congestion (i.e., What level of congestion will they tolerate?, What is the role of information in diminishing congestion effects? What alternatives to congestion will travelers consider, not consider?)
- How do various strategies for dealing with congestion conflict with traveler expectations and needs
- Provide feasible recommendations based on expectations for human behavior
- Accommodate older transportation users/operators
- Document travel, transportation age-related changes
- Identify best practices across modes in design of gauges, controls, signing, etc.
- Develop older user/operator guides for designers, engineers, transportation operators
- Ensure optimal design/procedures for
- Older users (e.g., pedestrians, transit passengers)
- Older operators (e.g., car, bus, & truck drivers, pilots)
- Causes of human errors in transportation
- Transportation accidents usually involve human error
- Human error regarded as primary causal rather than intervening factor
- When treated as primary, offenders are blamed. Yet others made same errors in similar situations
- Human error is intervening factor in a causal system
- Identification and control of systemic causal factors makes it less likely others will make same error in similar situations
- Facilitate safety cultures in DOT
- Outreach to stakeholders and assemble to champion a safety culture
- Inform about Proactive Risk Management vs. Reactive Risk Management
- Behavior-Based Safety
- Near Miss Reporting Systems
- Leading Indicators
- Culture Surveys
- Use of stakeholders to proselytize their industry segment
- Improve usability of DOT tools/products
- Document tool guidelines and specify objectives/performance requirements
- Recommend information structure/allocation
- Suggest use of different displays and formats
- Techniques to construct and evaluate alternative prototypes
- Carry out evaluations
- Enhance access to DOT HF aids/tools/guidelines
- Inventory DOT HF aides/tools/guidelines
- Define & classify each aide/tool/guideline
- Produce standard descriptions (e.g., purpose, intended audience, features, required input, & examples of uses)
- Create system to enable potential users to access tools & access additional information in an efficient manner
- Create web-based aide/tool/guideline tool repository
- Enhance employee selection and training; part of the Staffing Lifecycle.
- Candidate issues include demographics
- Skill needs (recruitment and selection)
- Training needs
- Retention