台灣的龍門電廠採用數位儀控系統,與傳統的類比系統比較,數位儀控系統帶來更詳細與更可靠的資訊,但是,新的技術也帶來了新的問題。當運轉員想要獲得資訊或操作電廠系統時,可以透過一個叫做運轉員表單(operator menu)的觸控螢幕來操作,這個表單共分為15類共96個子系統項目(subsystems),分類方式由系統設計者所決定。本研究的目標是要了解運轉員對於電廠操作系統架構的心智模式與設計者是否一致,假如設計者的概念模式與運轉員的心智模式趨於一致,則操作電廠系統時將應可以帶來更高的效率。否則,則可能帶來新的操作問題。本研究提出一個新的方法來衡量運轉員的心智模式與設計者的概念模式之間有無差異。先以卡片分類法收集八位龍門電廠運轉員的資料,再以相近距離與相關係數等演算方法計算之間的差異程度。結果顯示出運轉員心智模式與設計者概念模式的相關一致程度只有大約四成,本研究針對差異部份進行更深入的探討,發現運轉員對各系統項目的分類方式可能不同於設計者的分類方式。此研究結果應可對於後續人機介面設計或是人員訓練之改善有所助益。
Digital Instrumentation and Control (I&C) systems have been installed in the Lungman Nuclear Power Plant (LNPP) in Taiwan. Compared to analog systems, digital systems offer higher reliability, better performance and additional information accessibility. However, new technology may also bring in new problems. With about 1000 screens of information can be retrieved from a Video Display Unit (VDU), it is crucial for operators to find the information they need with a correct path and in an efficient manner when they navigate through displays. In the design of Human-System Interface (HSI) for the LNPP, a screen called “operator menu” which lists the codes and acronyms of 96 subsystems and groups them into 15 categories with a schematic chart is used as the portal of accessing detail information. This screen represents the conceptual model of the nuclear power system in the FNPP. The objective of this study is to understand to what extent operators’ mental models about the system are consistent with this conceptual model. It is assumed that if operators’ mental models are more consistent with the conceptual model, then it will be more effective and efficient for accessing information. A new set of methods was proposed to measure this consistency. Data were collected from eight operators in the LNPP. Results showed that the consistency rate was only about 40%. Further analysis found out that operators might categorize the subsystems in a means different from the way of designers. The findings of the study should be able to provide suggestions for improving the HSI design and operator training.