Objective:

Mission systems are complex, containing networks of humans and computers working together. Designing such systems is challenging, especially for novel exploration missions. Automated or semi-automated mission design techniques can help propagate expertise from one mission to another, and can ensure that all mission requirements are satisfied. They can also address design features early, when changes are relatively easy and cheap to make. This research task will develop a mission design methodology, with integrated analysis and simulation of complex systems that include expert human decision makers. Formal modeling and model checking will help to ensure completeness and safety of mission systems, while multiresolution simulation and visualization methods will help validate the designs. Investigators will focus on detecting indirect mode changes, lack of appropriate feedback, inconsistent system behavior, unintended side effects, and ambiguous interfaces. A taxonomy will be developed, with principles for designing human-understandable visual representations of formal specifications of ground data systems and flight software requirements and functions. Results will form the basis for an automated tool set that integrates the software, system, and human factors aspects of mission planning.

Applications:

Model-based design of ground data systems and flight software. The tools will enhance situation awareness, minimize human errors, optimize allocation of tasks, enhance learnability, and simplify training.

NASA Benefit:

This task addresses model-based design of ground data systems and flight software. Previous research successfully analyzed safety of the Traffic-alert and Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) software and automated flight-management systems. Incorporating mission-planning human factors will increase the scope of these formal design tools. The tools will enhance situation awareness, minimize human errors, optimize allocation of tasks, enhance learnability, and simplify training.

Keywords:

mission systems design safety, displays, human interfaces, error reduction, formal methods, HCI

Prior Technology:

Rules of thumb; design reuse; simulations; field tests.

FY04 Milestone:

Taxonomy and preliminary principles for visual representations.

FY04 Quadchart Slide:

HCC_NRA_Leveson_HCIDev.ppt.

Accomplishments:

Formally grounded design support for mission operations software; visual interface for understanding software requirements and functionality; application to flight-system design; documentation; tool set commercialization.

Related Web Pages:

Research group page.

Contacts:

Nancy G. Leveson (PI), Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
R. John Hansman, Jr. (Co-I), Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Margaret Storey (Co-I), Massachusetts Institute of Technology.