Abstract: This paper documents the role of human factors engineers in some aspects of a development project for a large software product used in a complex operational environment. The process by which the user interfaces for several products were converged into a single one is described. Techniques for evaluating the user interface in this complex environment are discussed. The process involved preliminary testing to document problems, subsequent design and development activity, and verification testing to document improvements and remaining problems.

Keywords: Complex systems; Design; Empirical studies; Evaluation; Implementation; Models and theories; Prototyping; Software development; Survey

Originally published: Proceedings of the Human Factors Society 31st Annual Meeting, 1987, pp. 710-714

Republished: G. Perlman, G. K. Green, & M. S. Wogalter (Eds.) Human Factors Perspectives on Human-Computer Interaction: Selections from Proceedings of Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Annual Meetings, 1983-1994, Santa Monica, CA: HFES, 1995, pp. 95-99.