User as intelligent agent: Interface design for intelligent monitoring systems

Summary form only given. Many apparent user interface problems with intelligent systems are really underlying information problems. Viewing the user as an intelligent agent in a distributed software system can help solve many of these problems. The human agent and intelligent software agent jointly manage faults in the monitored process, and the human supervises the intelligent system. These design concepts integrate user interface and intelligent system design. Using this approach can improve intelligent system robustness and usability. Usability is improved by designs based on task-relevant information requirements. Robustness is improved by designs with support for user supervision and recovery. To evaluate the information requirements approach to design, an intelligent system prototype has been built. The Decision Support System (DESSY) prototype monitors a subsystem of the Space Shuttle remote manipulator system, or Shuttle arm. Design of both the intelligent system and the user interface used information requirements