Experimental studies of control problem-solving processes using a graphic mnemonic display

Experiments were conducted to examine different cognitive strategies in control problem-solving using a graphic mnemonic display typical for the control rooms of complex technological systems in power, chemical, and metallurgical industries. The law of plurality of human work strategies (Vehda 1985) was used as a fundamental assumption for this study. Detailed studies of the cognitive strategies' characteristics are especially important for design of the information display, and further development of the theory of transformation dynamics (Venda and Venda 1991,1992). During experiments at a Moscow power plant three different strategies were identified (S sy ,S w and S p ). Detailed follow-up experiments were conducted in the laboratory using a mock-up of a section of the power plant mnemonic display. Subject performance was analysed using eye movement registration, EEG recording, self-reporting, questionnaires, larynx myography, and time and error analysis. The follow-up experiments found three distinct strategies (S ι , S y and S w ). Laboratory assessment of information displays was validated only for the strategies S y and S w which were common for the real operators and subjects.