Page 25

FIGURE 5-1     Factors that influence job performance.

discussed earlier, performance is greatly influenced by the extent to which the job and task requirements are compatible with the capabilities and limitations of the employee. The objective of ergonomics is to assure this compatibility. Another important factor, particularly in light of the seemingly large individual differences in aptitudes among screening personnel, is the match between the aptitudes of the employee and the skill requirements of the job. This match is a function of the procedures employed for selecting and assigning personnel to specific jobs. Also, to the extent to which they can be incorporated into the job, recognition of performance, opportunities for feelings of achievement, and opportunities for growth can serve to enhance performance. An example of an opportunity for growth was given by D. Issacharoff of El Al Airlines in his presentation to the panel. He told the panel that personnel hired by the company that performs passenger screening for El Al Airlines are given the opportunity to advance to jobs with the airline. In the United States, passenger screening personnel are often employees of a contractor company, and, generally, they do not have the opportunity to advance beyond a supervisory role at security checkpoints.

Thus, the relationship between pay and performance is an indirect one. Adequate pay provides a foundation for realizing adequate or enhanced levels of performance, but a combination of performance factors must be present as well. For example, if the effectiveness of a passenger screening system depends on certain operator aptitudes, then increased wages will not result in increased levels of performance, if the employee does not have these aptitudes to begin with.

ERGONOMICS IN SYSTEM DESIGN

According to data provided by the FAA (1995), operator performance in conducting passenger screening using current systems and procedures is not uniformly effective. Applying the principles of ergonomics in the design of screening systems and procedures is a possible avenue to improving the performance of current and future systems. The allocation of functions between machine and operator, in particular, will have a significant influence on the effectiveness of future systems. This allocation will dictate the specific tasks to be performed by the operator and the manner in which the operator must perform them. The goal is to ensure that functions assigned to humans are compatible with human capabilities. If they are not, then assigned functions will not be performed well, even if the best personnel selection, training, and motivation approaches are employed.

The resolution of issues related to ergonomics will be critical to the success of new passenger screening systems. In an apparent paradox, as screening systems become more automated, human factors are likely to become even more critical to success. Human operators will perform the difficult and complex tasks that cannot be automated. Increased automation will also introduce a host of new human factors issues that must be addressed (see, for example, Rasmussen, 1986; Wiener, 1987; Reason, 1990). One such issue deals with effectively integrating available information for screening and alarm resolution decisions. Which of the variety of techniques available for use in data integration and display will be most effective for passenger screening? Another issue will be the design of calibration, testing, and maintenance systems that are likely to be more complex for more highly automated systems.

Ergonomics issues can be addressed by applying existing knowledge, by conducting research in laboratory and field settings, and by incorporating appropriate measures in system  test and evaluation programs. To realize the benefits of these efforts for any specific system, however, these issues must be integrated into the system development process. The FAA can ensure that system developers address critical human factors issues by incorporating appropriate and sufficiently sensitive measures of human performance in suitable system test protocols. These test protocols must be designed and employed to evaluate and qualify systems prior to their implementation, and they should be specified in advance to system developers.

The importance of ergonomics in system effectiveness is illustrated by the inadequate design of existing systems. Current systems for screening carry-on baggage continue to suffer from human factors issues that were not and have not been addressed properly. In an example cited by a workshop participant, the effectiveness of current screening systems can be jeopardized by pressures imposed by management on operators to increase the rate of passenger screening (Dennison, 1995). Other data from the FAA show that the overall detection effectiveness of existing human-machine screening systems is lower than desirable (FAA, 1995). According to