Visualization of Control Structure in Human-Automation System Based on Cognitive Work Analysis

Human operators who supervise advanced automation systems need information not only about the systems being controlled but also about the automation itself engaged in the system control. They are required to have correct mental models on mechanisms and constraints underlying in the system functions to make decisions on monitoring and adjusting complex interaction among subsystems or components. In the present paper, a new method is proposed to investigate complex control structures consisting of human and technological agents based on the framework of Cognitive Work Analysis (CWA). After the first two stages of CWA, their separate results will be combined into a unified picture which gives visualization of connections between different controllers' tasks and the system being controlled. Finishing mill, a highly automated manufacturing process, is employed as an example domain to demonstrate how this method make visible the complex control structure within the system.