Representing Data Quality on Naval Tactical Displays

Abstract : Multi-Source Data Fusion (MSDF), as developed under COMDAT, provides an assessment of the reliability of the estimate of the fused track's attributes and position. Part of the human factors work under COMDAT has been to investigate methods of representing the quality of the MSDF-generated tracks to the operator. The research reported in this paper is concerned with the potential impact of different representations of data quality or uncertainty on the visibility of tactical symbols and the intuitiveness of the different representations. Three methods of representing data quality were investigated: a variably filled bar presented beside the tactical symbols, different diameter rings that encompassed the tactical symbols, and varying the saturation of the tactical symbols. In Experiment 1, a visual search task was used to compare the accuracy and speed with which participants could locate multiple instances of each of the tactical symbols without any representation of data quality and when each of the three methods tested were added. Experiment 1, 2 examined the ability of participants to quickly and consistently interpret the quality of the data, represented by the tactical symbol, using the three different methods. The results indicated that the bar interfered least with people's ability to locate the tactical symbols, but the saturation method was most consistently interpreted. A second set of experiments looked at applying the saturation coding to the bars and rings instead of the tactical symbol. Redundant saturation coding of the bars and rings had no effect on tactical symbol visibility and did not improve the consistency of interpretation of data quality. The basic recommendation was that a small independent symbol, such as the bar, was the preferred method for representing data quality. However, operators should have the option of turning it off if the display appears too cluttered.