FAA Office of Aerospace Medicine
Civil Aerospace Medical Institute
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Report No: DOT/FAA/AM-98/9

Title and Subtitle: Cockpit Integration of GPS: Initial Assessment-Menu Formats and Procedures

Report Date: March 1998

Authors: Wreggit, S.S., and Marsh, D.K., II

Abstract: A popular portable Global Positioning System (GPS) unit (Megellan EC-10X), representative of this class of devices, was examined for its usability by general aviation pilots. Nine private pilots participated in the experimentation, which was accomplished in three phases: familiarization and training, usability testing, and post-experiment debriefing. During familiarization and training, participants were asked to study flow diagrams representing GPS interface logic, observed a demonstration of the unit's features and procedures, and then were allowed to practice with the unit until they could demonstrate proficiency. During the usability testing phase, participants performed 37 GPS-related tasks requiring waypoint setting, GPS navigation, and general GPS-data entry and retrieval.

Findings from videotape, questionnaire, and debriefing data indicated that a number of menu structures interfered with the pilots' successful entry of data, editing of stored data, and activation of functions. For example, one source of confusion resulting in excess button presses was the need to deactivate the flight plan before any editing could be done. Recommendations are made for defining the form of the interface structure in this class of devices, including: A given function should be consistently assigned to one button, feedback should be consistent and meaningful, and an "undo" or "back" function would be a very useful way to decrease the number of button presses required by this interface.

Key Words: Aviation Research, Cockpit Displays, Control-Display Units, Flight Simulation, Global Positioning System, Human-Machine Interface, Menus, Navigation, User-Computer Interface

No. of Pages: 23