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Convention concerning crew accommodation on board ship (Supplementary provisions)
the use of printed instructions. Recent studies by Kammann, Bormuth, Conrad, and Davies suggest that adult comprehension for income tax forms, employee benefits, newspaper copy and telephone dialing mstructions is far below common expectations. Attempts to improve comprehension through the control of readability indices has y i d d e d only inconsistent success against validation measures (Klare). The present series of tests sought to rephcate the findings of high rates of comprehension failure, to analyze the sources of error, and to determine if comprehension can be Improved through new strategies for designing the structure of instructional texts.
not itself difficult to discriminate when it was the search objective, but that it was sometmaes mistakenly classified as the circular 10p when people were searctung for 10p coins. To explain ttus asymetnc confusability between the circular and non-c~rcular coms using predominantly shape for a noncircular corn, and predominantly size for a circular coin.
r , ' e v a n t section of the new results is m accordance with those previous conclusions. However, the two studies differ somewhat in methodological and experimental details. These differences are discussed in relation to the problems of control-display stereotype studies in general. Equally important is the role of the subject's past experience with such equipment.
Keyboards
Workplace layout and equipment design
4.3.133 (62462) Kubitsky, G.L., and Landon, P.B. Field evaluation of a microform storage retrieval device for directory assistance operators. Paper presented
at the 16th Annual Meetmg of the Human Factors Society, Los Angeles, USA, 17- 19 Oct 1972, p 389. Due to the increased reliance of telephone subscribers on Directory Assistance, methods for making tins service more expedient and the operator's job more pleasant are being investigated at Bell Laboratories. To improve the operator's task by helping her save time while searching the often bulky paper reprints in response to a customer's request, two prototype microfilm retrieval devices were tested in the laboratory.
Kinaesthetic and tactile displays 4.3.134 (62480) Wright, P., and Fox, K. An investigation of the confusabdity of a new, non-c~rcular coin. Ergonomics, Sep 1972, 1 5 . 5 , 5 1 7 - 526. Two expenments are reported m each of winch subjects were shown photographs of assorted coins and were asked to count the n u m b e r of coins of a specified denomination. Experiment 1, using only decimal coins, showed that people made few errors when counting new, 7-sided coins (50p), but many errors when counting circular coins (10p) having the same diameter as the new coin. Expenment 2 showed (a) errors when counting 10p coins were fewer in an assortment of £sd coins than when among decimal coins - within the £sd coinage no other coin had the same diameter asl 0p; (b) the 10p error rate could be reduced by enlarging the diameter of the 50p coin. These reults suggest that the new 7-sided coin was
4.3.135 (62485) Smith, H.A. Function key design alternatives.
4.3.137 (62489) Anon.
Paper presented at the 16th Annual Meeting o f the Human Factors Society, Los Angeles, USA, 17- 19 Oct 1972,
Convention concerning crew accommodation on board ship (Supplementary provmons).
p 422.
Conventmn No 133, Internanonal Labour Conference, Geneva, Switzerland. Adopted 30 October 1970. 'Official Bulletin" International Labour Office, Geneva, Switzerland, 1971, 54.1, 6 - 14, abstr m Occupatmnal Safety and Health A bstracts (CIS 675 -
Early designs of function keys were limited to a single key for each function of the equipment, consequently, we are accustomed to seeing each function Identified and activated by unique keys. Developments m technology over the last decade have made it not only possible, but practical, for designs to employ techniques other than single or fixed function keys. These developments have been made possible by making the maclune know where the operator is in the operation of the device. The purpose of this paper Is to (1) Descnbe the basic alternatives available in using function keys in the design of equipment. (2) Identify relevant variables winch impact on function key selection. (3) Indicate the relevant merits of function key design alternatives. (4) Relate some of the relevant research at NCR.
Display-control dynamics 4.3.136 (62488) Whitfield, D., and Ryan, M. Control-display stereotypes in domestic cookers. Paper presented at the
Ergonomics Research Society Annual Conference, 11- 14 Apr 1972, abstr in Ergonomics. The linkages expected between the hotplate burners and controls on a domestic cooker have been investigated w3th groups of over 300 subjects. Different configurations of burners and controls have been studied, using a fairly realistic mock-up of a cooker. It is envisaged that the results might form the basis of standardlsatmn of such control-display stereotypes in cookers, for the current range of cookers contains examples of four linkage patterns. The only other study of this problem appears to be that by Chapams and Lmdenbaum, and the
1972). This convention applies to every sea-going ship which Is engaged in the transport of cargo or passengers or employed for any other commercial purpose, including tugs. It does not apply to ships of less than 100 t, sailing vessels, fishing boats or whalers, hydrofoils or air-cushion craft. It shall be applied, where reasonable and practicable, to ships between 200 and 1000 t and to the accommodation of persons engaged m usual seagoing routine m ships engaged in whalmg, etc. Individual sections are devoted to" crew-accommodatmn requirements (minimum floor area of sleeping accommodation, maxmaum sleepingaccommodation occupation density, floor area and equipment of mess rooms, recreation accommodation, water closets, washing facilities, lighting), apphcatlon of the Conventmn to existing ships. 4.3.138 (62491) Brookes, M.J., and Kaplan, A. The office environment Space planning and affectwe behavlour. Human Factors, Oct 1972, 1 4 . 5 , 3 7 3 - 391. The present state of the art m office and space planning Is described, and the results of a field study of the effects of office design on the occupants are presented. The attitudes and perceptions of 120 employees toward work prachces and their office environment were recorded, using a semantic scahng instrument, immediately before and nine months after a change m their surroundings from a conventional mixture of rectilmear open plan, semiprivate and private offices, to a
Applied Ergonomics September 1973
181
not itself difficult to discriminate when it was the search objective, but that it was sometmaes mistakenly classified as the circular 10p when people were searctung for 10p coins. To explain ttus asymetnc confusability between the circular and non-c~rcular coms using predominantly shape for a noncircular corn, and predominantly size for a circular coin.
r , ' e v a n t section of the new results is m accordance with those previous conclusions. However, the two studies differ somewhat in methodological and experimental details. These differences are discussed in relation to the problems of control-display stereotype studies in general. Equally important is the role of the subject's past experience with such equipment.
Keyboards
Workplace layout and equipment design
4.3.133 (62462) Kubitsky, G.L., and Landon, P.B. Field evaluation of a microform storage retrieval device for directory assistance operators. Paper presented
at the 16th Annual Meetmg of the Human Factors Society, Los Angeles, USA, 17- 19 Oct 1972, p 389. Due to the increased reliance of telephone subscribers on Directory Assistance, methods for making tins service more expedient and the operator's job more pleasant are being investigated at Bell Laboratories. To improve the operator's task by helping her save time while searching the often bulky paper reprints in response to a customer's request, two prototype microfilm retrieval devices were tested in the laboratory.
Kinaesthetic and tactile displays 4.3.134 (62480) Wright, P., and Fox, K. An investigation of the confusabdity of a new, non-c~rcular coin. Ergonomics, Sep 1972, 1 5 . 5 , 5 1 7 - 526. Two expenments are reported m each of winch subjects were shown photographs of assorted coins and were asked to count the n u m b e r of coins of a specified denomination. Experiment 1, using only decimal coins, showed that people made few errors when counting new, 7-sided coins (50p), but many errors when counting circular coins (10p) having the same diameter as the new coin. Expenment 2 showed (a) errors when counting 10p coins were fewer in an assortment of £sd coins than when among decimal coins - within the £sd coinage no other coin had the same diameter asl 0p; (b) the 10p error rate could be reduced by enlarging the diameter of the 50p coin. These reults suggest that the new 7-sided coin was
4.3.135 (62485) Smith, H.A. Function key design alternatives.
4.3.137 (62489) Anon.
Paper presented at the 16th Annual Meeting o f the Human Factors Society, Los Angeles, USA, 17- 19 Oct 1972,
Convention concerning crew accommodation on board ship (Supplementary provmons).
p 422.
Conventmn No 133, Internanonal Labour Conference, Geneva, Switzerland. Adopted 30 October 1970. 'Official Bulletin" International Labour Office, Geneva, Switzerland, 1971, 54.1, 6 - 14, abstr m Occupatmnal Safety and Health A bstracts (CIS 675 -
Early designs of function keys were limited to a single key for each function of the equipment, consequently, we are accustomed to seeing each function Identified and activated by unique keys. Developments m technology over the last decade have made it not only possible, but practical, for designs to employ techniques other than single or fixed function keys. These developments have been made possible by making the maclune know where the operator is in the operation of the device. The purpose of this paper Is to (1) Descnbe the basic alternatives available in using function keys in the design of equipment. (2) Identify relevant variables winch impact on function key selection. (3) Indicate the relevant merits of function key design alternatives. (4) Relate some of the relevant research at NCR.
Display-control dynamics 4.3.136 (62488) Whitfield, D., and Ryan, M. Control-display stereotypes in domestic cookers. Paper presented at the
Ergonomics Research Society Annual Conference, 11- 14 Apr 1972, abstr in Ergonomics. The linkages expected between the hotplate burners and controls on a domestic cooker have been investigated w3th groups of over 300 subjects. Different configurations of burners and controls have been studied, using a fairly realistic mock-up of a cooker. It is envisaged that the results might form the basis of standardlsatmn of such control-display stereotypes in cookers, for the current range of cookers contains examples of four linkage patterns. The only other study of this problem appears to be that by Chapams and Lmdenbaum, and the
1972). This convention applies to every sea-going ship which Is engaged in the transport of cargo or passengers or employed for any other commercial purpose, including tugs. It does not apply to ships of less than 100 t, sailing vessels, fishing boats or whalers, hydrofoils or air-cushion craft. It shall be applied, where reasonable and practicable, to ships between 200 and 1000 t and to the accommodation of persons engaged m usual seagoing routine m ships engaged in whalmg, etc. Individual sections are devoted to" crew-accommodatmn requirements (minimum floor area of sleeping accommodation, maxmaum sleepingaccommodation occupation density, floor area and equipment of mess rooms, recreation accommodation, water closets, washing facilities, lighting), apphcatlon of the Conventmn to existing ships. 4.3.138 (62491) Brookes, M.J., and Kaplan, A. The office environment Space planning and affectwe behavlour. Human Factors, Oct 1972, 1 4 . 5 , 3 7 3 - 391. The present state of the art m office and space planning Is described, and the results of a field study of the effects of office design on the occupants are presented. The attitudes and perceptions of 120 employees toward work prachces and their office environment were recorded, using a semantic scahng instrument, immediately before and nine months after a change m their surroundings from a conventional mixture of rectilmear open plan, semiprivate and private offices, to a
Applied Ergonomics September 1973
181