Royal Aeronautical Society Human Factors Group Communication & Coordination: How Good is theTeam? London Gatwick Airport, CAA Aviation House September 23, 1998 From Crew Communication to Co-ordination: A Fundamental Means to an End Barbara G.Kanki NASA Ames Research Center MS 262-4, Moffett Field, CA 94035 bkanki@ mail.arc.nasa.gov Agenda • • What does Communication Accomplish? • How are Communication Skills Used? • Evaluating Crew Communication • in investigation • in research • in training • Lessons Learned & Unresolved Issues BGKaakJ NASA/ARC September 23, |998 page 2 Communication •.. which support accomplishes•.. outcomes • Information transfer Technical task • Team/task i performance management • Shared problem solving & decision making Establishment of the Work/team atmosp_ _ interpersonal climate B_.iKallki NASA/rSRC $epb_m_t 23 Its_8 page 3 What does communication accomplish? Information Transfer BGK_mkl NASA/ARC S_ptt_mhcr 23. 199_ pJtg¢4 What does communication accomplish? Team/task Management Teams/tasks are managed through communicatiom =_i t_ -+ Standard operating procedures i_ -* Planning, briefing, monitoring i! -_ Maintaining situation awareness, task attention -t Setting task priorities, distribution of workload B(_.,Lnk_ "_ASA/AR(" Scplcmi_('r23. 1¢2_ p_gc 5 What does communication accomplish? Problem Solving & Decision Making . 'Communication facilitates shared problem solving -t Problem recognition . Problem identification ,_ -* Decision making -, Critique & resolution B(]Ka._ki Y'_S,k/ARC Sep_'mh4:r _.3.=I'_9_ page 6 What does communication accomplish? Interpersonal "Climate" Communication establishes: -, Predictability, resource availability 4,work preferences, attitudes 4,com_te_skm l_v_ -, the tone" B(]Kanki N._SA/ARC Scpteml_r 2.]. itS8 page 7 How are Communication Skills Used? , Communication is a multipurpose tool which supports team performance 4,Technical task 4,CRM 4,Procedures & ATC 4,Work/team atmosphere • Specific speech acts must be interpreted within the contexts in which they occur 4,Physical Context 4,Social & Organizational Context 4,Task & Operational Context 4.Speech & Linguistic Context BGKa*nkJ NASA/ARC September 23, 1998 page _; How are Communication Skills Used? Physical Context • Aircraft states Environment states -* On the ground vs. inflight Weather, noise, light, Automation mode day/night -_ Normal vs. abnormal -_ Airspace location, traffic, terminal area • Communication network -* Remote, face-to-face, media availability Speech acts are interpreted within a physical context. When speaking face-to-face, speech is often abbreviated because the communicators share the same situation. Similarly, daylight and good visibility conditions may require less explicit referencing. I_()Kallkl _,,_S,_/ARC ._pt_mi'_t 23. lO_i_ paf_ 9 How are Communication Skills Used? Social & Organizational Context • Communicators • Crew composition 4 Within Cockpit •.*Experience, skill -_ Pilot - ATC -_ Familiarity, diversity -t Pilot - Dispatch/Mx • Roles and authority -* Cockpit - Cabin -* Captain -First Officer -* ATC, cabin, others Speech acts are interpreted within a social/org, context Some speech patterns are strongly linked to the CA-FO authority structure (e.g., command-acknowledgement). Deviations may indicate imbalance in crew composition or simply a required deviation from normal operations. BGKzmki NASA/ARC Se.ptc'mher 23, 1998 pm$c IO How are Communication Skills Used? Task & Operational Context Phase of flight & • Normal vs. non- procedural context normal operations Taxi, Takeoff, Cruise -_ Routine adjustments Approach, Landing -* lnflight problems Speech acts are interpreted within a task/operational context Under non-normal conditions, communications which deviate from SOP's may be required for re-adjusting priorities and workload. Under normal conditions, the same deviations may indicate non standard practices. BGKaIlki NASA/ARC Septcn_hcr 23. 10og page II How are Communication Skills Used? Speech & Linguistic Context • Individual styles • Speech Act patterns -_ Formality Question - Answer -t Communication rate -* Command-Acknowledgement -* Statement -Verification • Grammatical patterns -t Instruction - Readback -_ Completed statements -, Readback - Hcarback -, Non-standard English Speech acts are interpreted within a speech/linguistic context Deviations from expected sequences may indicate: - non-response, inattention, pre-occupation - incomplete or interrupted communication BGKank_ NASA/ARC September 23, 199g page 12 Evaluating Crew Communication Investigation Research 4 Case study -_ Experiment groups compared -* Focus on causal and Factors of interest designed contributing factors into the scenario No scenario control -t Many factors controlled & -* 100% validity manipulated / support staff --t Operational realism limited Training -t Training crew members, evaluating individuals -* Performance requirements embedded into scenario A few factors controlled & manipulated /limited staff -_ Operational realism limited BGKanki NASA/a, RC .$¢p_mbcr 23. ItS8 page 13 Evaluating Crew Communication in Investigation Speech Act Indicators ............ of crew performance; contributing factors Task-related speech acts 4.Emergency problem solving Response to the 4.ATC, routine and non-routine emergency, problem Procedural speech acts solving 4.Adherence to regulations & company procedures Adherence to procedures Non-task related speech acts Cockpit atmosphere, 4.Evidence of conflict, tension interpersonal climate 4.Attention to task, situation awareness BG"Kanlu NASA/ARC Scptcmbt-r 23. 1998 p*tt,,¢14 Investigation Example NTSB-CVR transcript CA. FO. ATC (Center, Approach) .30.5 min. routine flight, 25 sec. emergency CA on radio. FO ptlo! flying Task related speech acts o Request for ATC/ATIS infor- o Indicator of cooperative crew mation followed by imm. response coordination during routine flight FO-> CA 5instances CA-> FO 1instance • Indicator of inadequate problem solving during 25 sec. ® Joint recognition of problem, to resolve emergency but no identification of problem or stated plan within 25 seconds Procedural speech ®Indicator of general adherence • Adherence to SOP (checklists to procedures and ATC protocol & ATC) Nontask-related speech ® Appropriate social conversa- o Indicator of normal cockpit tion/responsiveness, return to atmosphere task speech when appropriate BGK3Jxki NASA/ARC Sept_ml_r 23. I_g page 15 Evaluating Crew Communication in Research Speech Act Indicators .......... of crew performance; differences across Speech acts totals & ratio's experiment conditions Speech act sequences _. question - answer Crew coordination command - acknowledgment strategies Dysfluencies _. incomplete speech Workload and workload _. interrupted speech distribution _- repetitions Roles and procedures Non-verbal acts BGKanki NASA/ARC St:ptL'mbcr 23. 199g pat/¢ l¢4 Research Example Full mission simulation Low vs. High level of automation CA = pilot flying 12 DC-9 crews. 10 MDgg crews Normal and abnormal flight conditions FO = pilot not flying O In the MD88 scenario Speech acts totals, -_ more total speech acts ratios and sequences -t more CA questions (question -answer ) ,¢.seekinformation(vs.verify) o Indicator of inform- uvtgatlon&sTstems(vs. ation access and procedures) relevance to problem •_ morequ_ unauswe_d Non-verbal acts (with visual access) • _I._the MD88 scenario • Indicator of changes in •._ CA =FO systmM a¢_ work roles, workload -. CA >F_ navigation acts Traditionally, CA >FO systems acts FO > CA navigation acts BGKanki NASA/ARC ScpLe.mhcr 23. l_g page 17 Evaluating Crew Communication in Training Speech Act Indicators ............. of crew performance; individual evaluation Information transfer Discuss flight conditions Technical training Team/task management objectives Set priorities, state plans & intentions, distribute work CRM training objectives Shared problem solving & d-m State decisions, course of action Adherence to Establish interpersonal climate procedures _. Solicit feedback & participation BGKanki NASA/ARC Scpwml_" 23.ts_gg page 18 Training Example LOE Event Set Pre*departur¢ through beginning of takeoff lAD ATIS 134.85 Event trigger = consideration orsummer operations, low visibility, abnormal engine _tarL pos_ible windshtmr Conditions: Aborted engine start. Congested ramps and taxiways inInw visibility on taxi out Ratings of pre-defined observable speech acts Within Event Set 1, o Indicator of primary o Crew discussion of complex CRM element, team departure partially observed management @ ABOVE AVERAGE crew • Indicator of quality of discussion of summer ops SOP technical and CRM • CA completed STANDARD performance pre-flight briefing Description of additional • PF snalyzed takeoff WX and relevant speech acts requested takeoff alternate • PNF verified PF intentions ® Indicator of secondary CRM elements prior to taxi start B{JKankl NAS,'.JARC September 23. 19'.;'8 page 19 Designing Scenario Event Sets Interpretation and evaluation of communication is aided by designing and controlling the speech contexts * Physical • Task & Operational --_Consistent, realistic A/C and Appropriate flight phases environment conditions and and procedures consequences Realistic normal & non- -* Realistic communication normal conditions sur- media rounding "event triggers" "distracters" and * Social & Organizational supporting events Consistent roles and • Speech & Linguistic responsibilities Incorporation of commun- -.t Appropriate interactive context for communicators ication network as needed BGl,_mk_ NASA/ARC Se-plembcr 23. [9_8 pl$_ 20