Analysis of Alternative Advisory Systems for Truck Dispatching

This paper describes a resource allocation system concept for assigning petroleum product requests to delivery trucks in an oil distribution terminal. Currently the activity is completed manually (with paper spreadsheets), without any formal documented procedures. Prior effort proposed two human-computer interfaces to aid the dispatchers. In this work, the dispatchers reviewed the designs, presented to them as static pictures. Using this feedback, the requirements were re-evaluated and a functioning prototype was designed. Usability tests were conducted with the two prior interfaces and the new functional prototype. The results showed that a combined interface, where the user can select the type of display is more appealing to users.