Human-computer cooperative problem solving: theory, design, and evaluation of an intelligent associate system

One approach to aiding the human supervisory controller of a complex dynamic system is to provide an intelligent operator´s associate. We propose a prescriptive theory of human-computer cooperative problem solving and describes the design and evaluation of a prototype system based on the theory. The theory consists of five principles: human-in-charge, mutual intelligibility, openness and honesty, management of trouble, and multiple perspectives. A prototype intelligent associate system, the Georgia Tech Mission Operations Cooperative Assistant (GT-MOCA), is an embodiment of these principles that provides a collection of context-sensitive resources for the human operator of a simulated satellite ground control system. These resources include an interactive visualization of current activities, an organized message lists of important events, and interactive graphics depicting the current state of the controlled system. An evaluation study utilizing actual NASA satellite ground controllers showed that GT-MOCA was perceived to be useful and provided performance benefits for certain portions of the control task