Driving towards a greener future: an application of cognitive work analysis to promote fuel-efficient driving

Abstract

Driving is a daily encountered task for many. Unlike the majority of life's daily hassles, however, the act of driving has significant environmental repercussions. Supporting the development of environmentally conscious driving techniques and developing tools and interfaces to reduce the environmental impact of driving is warranted to minimise the negative impact of these actions. The current paper documents the development of a complete cognitive work analysis (CWA) to support environmentally conscious driving. The paper proposes that the use of the CWA approach-enabled examination of the fuelefficient driving task and consideration of the role numerous objects, agents and skills can play in facilitating fuel-efficient driving. In addition to the traditional CWA process, this paper shows how the revealed finding can be used as the basis for developing specifications that can be taken forward to allow for the development of novel in-vehicle interfaces to support fuel-efficient driving.

Constraining Design: Applying the Insights of Cognitive Work Analysis to the Design of Novel In-Car Interfaces to Support Eco-Driving

“…The aim of this paper was to present initial work examining use of CWA [35] to constrain interfaces developed using DwI [25] to encourage fuel-efficient driving. By focusing on user requirements, as provided by CWA [45], it was seen that the discussions related to the DwI cards were highly structured and directed. By providing the CWA and DwI cards, individuals without a background in design or fuel-efficient driving were able to develop initial mock-ups of potential interfaces.…”

“…Participants were initially introduced to the research program the overall aims of the session, and they received a brief introduction on the concept of eco-driving and they improving fuel efficiency when driving through the modification of driver behaviour. Following this introduction, participants were introduced to a previously completed CWA documenting fuel-efficient driving [45]. The previously completed CWA had mapped the potential constraints that would operate around an eco-driving interface, across multiple driver skill levels and driving scenarios, for example waiting at traffic lights and accelerating to higher speed.…”

“…Participants were asked, using the presented CWA, to design an interface that would help the driver to become more fuel-efficient during the presented scenario. Participants were asked to work through all 101 DwI cards [34] whilst considering the scenario and the CWA [45] to inspire suitable designs. Participants were informed that they were free to use any form of interaction display within their design, including head-down displays (HDDs), head-up displays (HUDs), auditory signals and haptic signals.…”

“…The final phase of the workshop focused on the use of the previous presented CWA [45] to review and redesign the developed interface as appropriate. Participants were asked to reflect on all of the previously completed stages of the CWA, and discuss how each of the key elements within their interface was informed by the CWA.…”

“…In order to ensure that the display adhered to the previously completed CWA [45], each element of the interface was compared against this documentation. Due to its focus in mapping the physical objects that comprise a system as well as the overall aims and objectives of the system, the abstraction hierarchy created as part of the work domain analysis component was seen as the primary validation tool.…”