title: Designing for flexible interaction between humans and automation: delegation interfaces for supervisory control.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop a method enabling human-like, flexible supervisory control via delegation to automation.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Real-time supervisory relationships with automation are rarely as flexible as human task delegation to other humans. Flexibility in human-adaptable automation can provide important benefits, including improved situation awareness, more accurate automation usage, more balanced mental workload, increased user acceptance, and improved overall performance.
  
  
  METHODS
  We review problems with static and adaptive (as opposed to "adaptable") automation; contrast these approaches with human-human task delegation, which can mitigate many of the problems; and revise the concept of a "level of automation" as a pattern of task-based roles and authorizations. We argue that delegation requires a shared hierarchical task model between supervisor and subordinates, used to delegate tasks at various levels, and offer instruction on performing them. A prototype implementation called Playbook is described.
  
  
  RESULTS
  On the basis of these analyses, we propose methods for supporting human-machine delegation interactions that parallel human-human delegation in important respects. We develop an architecture for machine-based delegation systems based on the metaphor of a sports team's "playbook." Finally, we describe a prototype implementation of this architecture, with an accompanying user interface and usage scenario, for mission planning for uninhabited air vehicles.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Delegation offers a viable method for flexible, multilevel human-automation interaction to enhance system performance while maintaining user workload at a manageable level.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most applications of adaptive automation (aviation, air traffic control, robotics, process control, etc.) are potential avenues for the adaptable, delegation approach we advocate. We present an extended example for uninhabited air vehicle mission planning.
authors.affiliation: Smart Information Flow Technologies, LLC, 1272 Raymond Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108, USA. cmiller@sift.info
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Raja
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parasuraman
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000401:Aircraft / Q000295:instrumentation*; D001331:Automation; D001359:Aviation; D001364:Awareness; D006804:Ergonomics; D006801:Humans; D008328:Man-Machine Systems; D009934:Organization and Administration; D018511:Systems Integration; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D014584:User-Computer Interface; D016526:Workload