Ockerman, J. J., Najjar, L. J., Thompson, J. C., Treanor, C. J., & Atkinson, F. D. (1996). FAST: A research paradigm for educational performance support systems. In P. Carson & F. Makedon (Eds.), Educational Multimedia and Hypermedia 1996 (pp. 545-550). Charlottesville, VA: Association for the Advancement of Computing in Education.
Jennifer J. Ockerman - jojo@chmsr.isye.gatech.edu
Lawrence J. Najjar - gt4708d@prism.gatech.edu
J. Christopher Thompson - chris.thompson@gtri.gatech.edu
Christopher J. Treanor - chris.treanor@gtri.gatech.edu
Multimedia in Manufacturing Education Laboratory
Georgia Tech Research Institute MaRC/ATRP
Georgia Institute of Technology
Atlanta, GA, USA
F.D. Skip Atkinson - Skip-Atkinson@gsu.edu
Middle and Secondary Education and Instructional Technology
Georgia State University
Atlanta, GA, USA
Factory Automation Support Technology (FAST) is a new project for Georgia Tech researchers. FAST uses special hardware and performance support software to improve the performance of users on work tasks by giving users the right information, in the right quantity, at the right time. The special hardware is a wearable, voice-activated computer that allows users to operate the system while keeping their hands free to perform their tasks. The performance support software will provide helpful, relevant, just-in-time information that users need to perform their tasks. So, FAST will improve the user's performance by providing helpful information when and where the user needs it. This paper provides some background information about the FAST system, discusses issues to be addressed by this research, and describes our planned development of proof-of-concept systems in the poultry industry.
Today's workplace is continuously changing. There is increasing automation, down-sizing or right-sizing, and more mobile work forces. The increasing levels of automation require that employees know how to maintain and keep the automation running. More sophisticated automation often requires that the work force be better educated. When organizations down-size or right-size, machines are often used to replace human labor, but fewer employees are available to deal with the more sophisticated equipment. More work has to be done by fewer people. Since automation is often scattered throughout a factory, if not throughout the world, maintainers must travel to the automation to do their work. These mobile workers cannot be supported by current static technologies such as desktop personal computers.
To meet these challenges we need to rethink both technological support and training. This new workplace environment often requires more training which means that training needs to become more efficient. There are several drawbacks to the way training is currently done. These drawbacks are summarized below.
Performance support systems have been promoted as a solution to these training drawbacks [Gery 1991, Stevens and Stevens 1995] [see Table 1]. The goal of performance support systems is to provide employees with the right information, in the right quantity and detail, at the right time [Gery 1991]. This includes just-in-time training in the tasks the employee needs to do. In other words, performance support systems allow less proficient employees to perform as more experienced employees. Industry is interested in performance support systems because they not only improve employee performance but also reduce the time normally used for training. Performance support systems train employees as they are performing their jobs, rather than before they perform their jobs. This is a major shift in the way training is currently conducted.
Table 1: Traditional Training versus FAST| Traditional Training | Factory Automation Support Technology (FAST) |
| Training is not integrated with everyday work environment or shop floor process. | Focus on continual learning process in the work environment; not limited to training; assistance provided at moment of need. |
| Training is done before doing the job task being trained. | Training is done while doing the job task being trained. |
| Training is focused on increasing knowledge about the job task. | Assistance is provided to improve performance of job task. |
| Training is trainer-centered; the responsibility for teaching is on the trainer or training system | Learner is responsible for defining learning goals for getting the job done. |
| Assessment of training is based on learner satisfaction and attainment of classroom objectives. | Assessment of assistance is based on job performance. |
The goal of the FAST project is to combine the latest technology in wearable computers with an educational performance support system. The following sections describe the FAST hardware and software in turn. Later sections discuss our research goals and plans for implementation.
The FAST hardware consists of a wearable, voice-activated computer system. This computer system was assembled in our lab and is equivalent to a 486 25Mhz desktop computer. This computer system consists of several components [see Figure 1]. These components are described below.
This computer system enables employees to get information at the task site and, since their hands are not busy operating the computer, to continue to perform a task as they are receiving the information. This wearable computer system complements software-based performance support systems by making them accessible to employees at all times and in all places during their work day.
We have spent some time looking at the ergonomic issues involved in a wearable computer. For example, where should the computer be worn to keep it out of the way but have it accessible in case the buttons need to be used? We hope that the convenience, comfort, and helpfulness of FAST will encourage employees to want to use the system.
Figure 1. Wearable computer system.
The software component of the FAST system is an educational performance support system. Performance support systems usually consist of several types of information. A typical performance support system provides a combination of the following capabilities [Gery 1991, Reynolds and Araya 1995, Stevens and Stevens 1995]:
The three most common kinds of support information are: reference information, task-specific training, and expert advice. Reference information describes the task and other related tasks that the employee may need to perform. This reference information supports employees by making immediately available information which they previously had to memorize or look for in a manual. For example, if a quality control inspector in a factory needs to check that a machine reading is within tolerances, these tolerances can be supplied by a performance support system. As a result, the employee does not have to remember the tolerances or to go back to her desk to compare the reading to the specifications in a manual. The reference section not only makes employees more efficient but it also allows them to learn more deeply about a given task. The reference information is always available for the employee to read and provides the theory behind the job tasks it supports.
Just-in-time, task-specific training reduces pre-job training by helping employees to learn while doing their jobs. For example, instead of looking up information in a textbook that was used six months ago in a training class, an employee can, for example, quickly access the on-line procedures for resetting a piece of machinery that has gone out of tolerance limits. This can be done while the employee is standing in front of the piece of machinery. Just-in-time, task-specific training does not take the employee away from the job, so it is not as time-consuming or expensive as traditional training. Since this type of training is done while employees are doing their jobs, it is used immediately in the context of the job at hand. Just-in-time, task-specific training is also geared towards increasing productivity by helping the employees do their jobs as opposed to teaching the employees about their jobs. Finally, this type of training is learner-centered because employees ask for help when they need it to perform a task, and the help gives them the specific information that they request.
Educational performance support systems often contain specific advice on performing job tasks and using the performance support system to its greatest advantage. The advice is usually provided by an expert system. Expert job advice aids employees in reasoning about their tasks. For example, an expert job advisor may help an employee troubleshoot a piece of machinery to determine why it is out of tolerance limits. There can also be expert systems which advise on the use of the performance support system as opposed to the actual job task. An expert performance support system advisor provides information about the performance support system. For instance, when the outcome of a procedure does not match the expected one, the expert performance support system advisor may suggest that the employee use the expert job advisor.
Two other types of information are application help functions and automated tools for task performance. These types of information are most helpful when a supported task involves the use of a computer. For example, application help information can assist an employee with using an application necessary to do his or her job (e.g., a spreadsheet program). Automated tools help an employee perform a high-level task by doing lower-level tasks automatically. For example, an automated tool may aid a quality assurance employee by calculating the average and total of quality data that is entered.
Besides the issues discussed above, an additional issue the FAST project hopes to address is the question of how to support employees with computer technology who do not normally work with computers to complete their tasks. Most performance support systems to date have been designed to aid workers who currently have a computer in their work place and who use that computer to perform their tasks (e.g., airline reservations agents, insurance providers). However, for tasks on which a computer is not currently used, there are other issues to consider. For example, what will be the effect of introducing computers into the job? Will computer literacy be a factor? How do you make the computer an integral part of the system?
We are currently implementing the FAST concept for two different poultry industry applications. The first application is a proof-of-concept performance support system and wearable computer for quality control inspectors in poultry processing plants. The FAST hardware components will enable quality control inspectors to directly input inspection data into a computer using voice entry while their hands are busy manipulating poultry products. The software educational performance support system will tell an inspector how to do specific inspections, how to compute measurement averages for the shift, what to do if a measurement exceeds quality standards, and how to notify supervisors if quality standards are not met. The software performance support system will also automatically integrate the quality information into daily reports. We are currently working closely with quality control personnel at a poultry plant in Georgia to develop this proof-of-concept performance support system.
The second application is an initial educational performance support system to aid plant personnel in conducting water reduction audits. The system will allow an employee to walk to various sites inside and outside the poultry facility and perform specific tasks as defined by the performance support system. The performance support system will use text, audio, drawings, and video to show the employee how to measure water flow, adjust water valves, and calculate water usage. We are working with environmental engineers at Georgia Tech who currently perform this task at various sites across the state of Georgia.
By combining an educational performance support system and wearable computer technology, Factory Automation Support Technology (FAST) addresses the learning needs of workers while they perform their jobs. FAST addresses the drawbacks of current training methods by providing learner-centered training when and where it is needed. FAST is not only addressing training issues but also changes taking place in today's workplace. These changes include increasing automation, down-sizing, and more mobile work forces. FAST has been implemented as a demonstration system [Najjar, Ockerman, Thompson, and Treanor (in press)] and is currently being implemented in two poultry industry applications.
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This work was funded by the state of Georgia in response to a request from the Georgia Poultry Federation. We thank Cagles in Camilla, Georgia for serving as our industrial partner. Our project director is Craig Wyvill.