New Orleans Vessel Traffic Service Watchstander Analysis PDF Download

A team of human factors specialists analyzed the performance of watchstanders in the U.S. Coast Guard's San Francisco Vessel Traffic Center at Yerba Buena Island, San Francisco, California. Data collected included copies of the center's forms and logs, records and tapes of watchstander activities for a total of 10 hours of observation, records of 9 in-depth interviews with operations personnel, stress questionnaires and critical incident interviews from 12 watchstanders, and photographs of equipment and workspace layout. Analysis of the data yielded a breakdown of watchstander time utilization, a summary of communications loading, and data for a tentative model of watchstander activity as a function of traffic and communications loads. Seven suggestions for improving operations were offered.