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Automation Adoption and Adaptation in Automation Adoption and Adaptation in the Air Traffic Control, the Air Traffic Control,

URET Case StudyURET Case Study

Tatjana Bolic

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Problem Statement and GoalProblem Statement and Goal

• Capacity constraint, improvements in form of Decision Support Tools (DSTs)

• Incremental development of Air Traffic Control (ATC) system in USA

• Unexpected consequences• Need to know more about adoption of automation in

ATC – to facilitate easier and faster transitions from one system to another

• Goal – to assess the automation adoption by air traffic controllers

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OutlineOutline

URET description URET diffusion Interviews with Subject Matter Experts Hypotheses Conclusions and Recommendations

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URET DescriptionURET Description

Three displays Conflict probe Trial plan Automated route amendment

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URET DescriptionURET Description

Aircraft List and Plan display – electronic flight strips

Graphic Plan display

Wind Grid display

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URET DescriptionURET Description

Usage variation:

Different teams use it in a different wayUsage differs from the intended usageUsage differs across centers

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URET DiffusionURET Diffusion

Diffusion of innovation: “is the process by which an innovation is communicated through certain channels over time among the members of a social system “

4 elements:Innovation - URETCommunication channels – inter personal and inter

facility FAA networksTime – length of URET usageSocial system – individual en-route facilities

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URET DiffusionURET Diffusion

Social system norms Innovation characteristics:

Relative advantageCompatibilityComplexityTrialabilityObservability

Adaptation: “the degree to which an innovation is changed or modified by a user in the process of its adoption and implementation “

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Interviews With Subject Matter Interviews With Subject Matter ExpertsExperts

Assistant Controller (D-side) duties Individual differences Center differences Airspace differences URET issues

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Interviews With Subject Matter Interviews With Subject Matter ExpertsExperts

Assistant controller (D-side) duties

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Interviews With Subject Matter Interviews With Subject Matter ExpertsExperts

Individual differences

Personal styles

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Interviews With Subject Matter Interviews With Subject Matter ExpertsExperts

Center differences

Team orientedIndividual oriented

Staffing

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Interviews With Subject Matter Interviews With Subject Matter ExpertsExperts

Airspace differences

FL 140

FL 240

FL 350

FL 350

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Interviews With Subject Matter Interviews With Subject Matter ExpertsExperts

URET Issues

False conflict alertsTraining

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HypothesesHypotheses

Hypothesis 1: The longer the controller uses URET, the more complete his use of its capabilities will be.

Time

Learning

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HypothesesHypotheses

Hypothesis 2: Quality and depth of training will affect the use of URET.

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HypothesesHypotheses

Hypothesis 3: New controllers will use all main functionalities more than the old controllers.

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HypothesesHypotheses

Hypothesis 4: Adaptation of URET use will result when controller works the sector alone, and if the controller works alone most of the time, the adaptation will be even more pronounced.

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HypothesesHypotheses Hypothesis 5: Strategic environment is

more suited for full URET use than the tactical environment.

FL 140

FL 240

FL 350

FL 350

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HypothesesHypotheses

Hypothesis 6: D-side controllers who use the full URET functionality will offer conflict resolution to their R-side controller more often than D-side controllers who don’t use the full URET functionality.

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Conclusions and Conclusions and RecommendationsRecommendations

Adoption and adaptation of automation not new – not applied in ATC

Use diffusion of innovation to investigate innovation adoption in ATC

Future work - Survey development and administration