Effects of “Workarounds” on Perceptions of Problem Importance during Operational Test

“Workarounds” are nonstandard procedures operators devise to compensate for system deficiencies. This study investigated the impact of workarounds on the perceived importance of problems discovered during operational test. Questionnaire data were collected for 73 reported design deficiencies to assess the existence and effectiveness of workarounds and the importance of the tasks they affected to mission success. Problems were viewed as more important when workarounds were ineffective or time consuming, and when the tasks affected were deemed critical to mission success. Implications for problem prioritization are discussed.