The purpose of this study was to evaluate several aspects of the Aircraft Carrier-Tactical Support Center (CV-TSC) console design. These variables were tested individually in order to isolate their effect and make recommendations for the overall console design. Six trackball devices, three number entry methods (keyboard number row, keyboard number pad, and separate number pad), and three methods of gross navigation (trackball only, touch screen, and navigation buttons) were evaluated. All tests involved simple tasks with timing and accuracy measures collected, as well as subjective feedback.The results of the study indicated that trackball 6 outperformed the others in most objective measures and was also the most preferred trackball. There were no conclusive performance results for the number entry test; however participants indicated a preference for a number pad, either separate or integrated with the keyboard. The touch screen method of gross navigation was the best performer, although participants preferred the trackball-only condition.

A two-year effort to include Human Systems Integration (HSI) in the design of a new console culminated in a final summative evaluation. The HSI team conducted the assessment on the new console developed for the CVN 77 Aircraft Carrier-Tactical Support Center. The evaluation compared the Engineering Development Model (EDM) prototype against the baseline Tactical Advanced Computer Four (TAC-4) console it was designed to replace. Overall, the results demonstrated a performance improvement with statistically significant tasks having faster average completion times on the EDM. There was also overwhelming subjective data in favor of the EDM, with 100% of participants preferring it over the TAC-4. There were no "show-stopper" issues uncovered; however, there was a potential safety concern that was resolved prior to production. Recommendations were also provided for console upgrades as part of a planned technology refresh.

A new console workstation was developed for the CVN 77 Aircraft Carrier-Tactical Support Center (CV-TSC). An iterative usability testing cycle was conducted throughout the design process, with the level of fidelity and realism increasing with each iteration. In the beginning, low-fidelity foam prototypes with static or interactive displays were useful in facilitating idea generation, gross workstation design and individual component testing. This progressed to wooden prototypes with increasingly interactive displays and input devices that helped to refine workspace design, device placement, and display configuration. The iterative process culminated in testing with a fully realistic metal prototype to validate the design against the baseline console. The console design included multiple spirals of usability testing within each level of fidelity, with the results from each study incorporated into the next iteration. Objective performance data and subjective fleet feedback were included throughout the design process.

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