Operator's Mental Images on Teamwork Plant Operation

Abstract The interaction between/among operators must be considered in research domains such as a task analysis or human modeling of a teamwork operation. This paper shows that the interaction between/among operators can be represented by three kinds of "Mental Images" and operator's cognitive activity can be analyzed by using these mental images. Furthermore, it also shows (1) how mental images are formed in an operator's mind and (2) what kind of action would be taken when he/she senses a discrepancy between mental images. Finally, an illustrative example of an airplane accident shows how to make use of mental images in human error analysis.