Mapping Complexity Sources in Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) Domains

HFES 54th Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA

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Farzan SasangoharFarzan Sasangohar11, Kristopher Thornburg, Kristopher Thornburg11, M. L. , M. L. CummingsCummings11, Amy D’Agostino, Amy D’Agostino22

11Massachusetts Institute of TechnologyMassachusetts Institute of Technology22Nuclear Regulatory CommissionNuclear Regulatory Commission

September 28, 2010September 28, 2010

PROBLEM: THREE MILE ISLAND (TMI)

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Source: http://theragblog.blogspot.com

PROBLEM: ADVANCED CONTROL ROOMS

New power plants will contain advanced digital control rooms

• Increased automation• Increased dynamic information to display• Different type of info presentation

Diff t t f i t ti

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• Different type of interaction

Problem: Human cognitive abilities unchanged

Problem: Perceived Complexity

Source: http://www.mauell.co.uk/gallery/control-room/

Automation

System

Teach Monitor Intervene LearnPlan

BACKGROUND

• Objective View (e.g., Cilliers, 1998; Rescher, 1998).

• Subjective View (e.g., Le Moigne, 1990; Casti, 1995; Martinez, 2001)

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Perceived Complexity

Control Room

ObjectiveComplexity

Reactor

Sensors

Actuators

Control System

Control

Information

SUBJECTIVE VS. OBJECTIVE COMPLEXITY

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How should complexity be defined in the context of NPP control rooms? In other words, what factors contribute to the complexity of a control room?

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2How can the effects of complexity on human performance be

d b h b l d b l h l ll d

RESEARCH QUESTIONS

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measured both objectively and subjectively, while still considering the difference between the two?

How can the negative effects of complexity in NPP control rooms be mitigated or changed through design, procedures and organizational practices?

METHOD: IDENTIFYING SOURCES OF COMPLEXITY

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METHOD: HUMAN EVENT REPOSITORY & ANALYSIS (HERA)collect information for assessing human performance

22 Incidents

Index of sub-events (chronological sequence of

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(chronological sequence of equipment, human, and off-plant sub-events)

Dependencies

Information about specific human sub-events

METHOD: EVIDENCE-BASED APPROACH

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METHOD: COMPLEXITY SOURCE NETWORK (CSN)

# of individual components and their connections as a direct measure of complexity (Edmonds, 1995)

“Deconstructionism” and

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“Dualism” (Dekker, 2003)

HSC complexity chain (Cummings & Tsonis, 2006)

Ensemble of CSNs

TOOLS: CXVIZ

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TOOLS: CXVIZ

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TOOLS:CXVIZ

• Emergent Patterns• Network Comparison• Network Characteristics• Network Dynamics• Aggregate CSN

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TOOLS: CXSURVEY

o To gather subjective complexity data

o 3 groups (operators, reviewers and d i )

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designers)

o Portability

oInteractivity (drawing the interconnections)

CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK

• A methodology to: • Investigate complexity objectively and subjectively, and understanding the difference between two.• Investigate the difference in complexity views of stakeholders (operators, reviewers and designers)

• Develop tools to study complexity (CXBundle)

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•Develop design guidelines and prescriptions for acquisition of future designs

• Recommendations for complexity view alignment policies within stakeholder groups.

We’d like to thank Dr. Jing Xing for her thoughtful comments.We’d like to thank Dr. Jing Xing for her thoughtful comments.

This research is sponsored by:This research is sponsored by:

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

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For more information, please contact Farzan Sasangohar (For more information, please contact Farzan Sasangohar (farzans@mit.edufarzans@mit.edu))

Or visit Humans and Automation Laboratory website: Or visit Humans and Automation Laboratory website: http://halab.mit.eduhttp://halab.mit.edu

CastiCasti, J. L. (1995). , J. L. (1995). ComplexificationComplexification. New York: HarperCollins.. New York: HarperCollins.

CilliersCilliers, P. (1998). Complexity and postmodernism: Understanding complex , P. (1998). Complexity and postmodernism: Understanding complex systems. systems. RoutledgeRoutledge, London and New York., London and New York.

CiuranaCiurana, E. R. (2004). , E. R. (2004). ComplexidadeComplexidade: : ElementosElementos parapara umauma definiçãodefinição,” in ,” in EnsaiosEnsaios de complex de complex dadedade 2, 2, Carvalho,E.dCarvalho,E.d. . AssisAssis; ; Mendonça,TMendonça,T. (org.), Porto . (org.), Porto AlegreAlegre: : SulinaSulina, 48, 48--63.63.

Cummings, M. L. & Cummings, M. L. & TsonisTsonis, C. (2006). Partitioning complexity in air traffic , C. (2006). Partitioning complexity in air traffic management tasks. International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 16 (3), management tasks. International Journal of Aviation Psychology, 16 (3),

REFERENCES

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LemoigneLemoigne, J. L. (1995). La , J. L. (1995). La modelisationmodelisation des systems complexes. The modeling des systems complexes. The modeling of complex systems. of complex systems. DunodDunod, Paris, Paris

Martinez, M. E. (2001). The process of knowing: A Martinez, M. E. (2001). The process of knowing: A biocognitivebiocognitive epistemology. epistemology. The Journal of Mind and Behavior, 22(4), 407The Journal of Mind and Behavior, 22(4), 407--426.426.

RescherRescher, N. (1998). Complexity: A philosophical overview, New Brunswick: , N. (1998). Complexity: A philosophical overview, New Brunswick: Transaction publishers.Transaction publishers.