The effects of heuristic rule training on operator performance in a simulated process control environment

Area of Science:

• Human Factors
• Industrial Psychology
• Process Control Training

Background:

• Complex work environments present challenges in training operators for novel system and fault states.
• Effective training strategies are crucial for managing unfamiliar situations in industrial settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of heuristic rule training on operator performance and behavior in managing unfamiliar fault states.
• To evaluate the effectiveness of heuristic rules in preparing operators for complex system management.

Main Methods:

• An experiment involving 39 trainee operators from the chemical industry was conducted.
• Participants were trained on a process control simulation task, with an experimental group receiving heuristic rule training and a control group not.
• Operator performance and behavior were assessed one week after training.

Main Results:

• Heuristic rule training significantly enhanced diagnostic performance.
• However, this training also led to increased operator fatigue.
• Impairment in secondary task performance was observed in the heuristic rule training group.

Conclusions:

• Heuristic rule training offers benefits for diagnostic capabilities in complex systems.
• The findings suggest a potential trade-off between improved diagnostics and cognitive load (fatigue, secondary task performance).
• Implications for designing operator training programs in industrial settings require careful consideration of these effects.