Impact of human operators on communication network dependability

Leena Norros; Ilkka Norros; Marja Liinasuo; Kari Seppänen

doi:10.1145/2074712.2074720

Impact of human operators on communication network dependability

Leena Norros, Ilkka Norros, Marja Liinasuo, Kari Seppänen

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference article in proceedings › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Motivation - To shed light on the context and content of the human operators' work in maintaining the dependability of telecommunication networks. Research approach - A case study was accomplished in a large telecommunication company. The research focused on clarifying the impact of human operators on the dependability of telecommunication network. 20 professionals were interviewed related to their conceptions of the possible generic role of human error to network dependability, and to the human-centric requirements of network control. Findings/Design - Interviews confirmed the existence of the assumption among members of the Communication Network Operations (CNO) community that the human operator has an important impact on the network dependability. Specific sources of errors in daily work were identified and strategies of avoiding erroneous action were described. Moreover we defined generic control demands of the CNO work domain, and operators' ways of coping with these demands. Focusing on these demands would provide proactive practices to increase dependability. Research limitations/Implications - The study was restricted to one Finnish telecommunication company. This limits possible empirical generalisation of the findings. Originality/Value - There is a scarcity of scientific literature about the characteristics of the control work and its demands in this critical domain. Take away message - Regarding human dependability of communication network operations, a combination of resilient and proactive ways of acting is needed. Due to daily changes in the network and the continuous increase of its complexity, specifically change management on both organisational and work practice levels is required

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Proceedings of the 29th Annual European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics
Place of Publication	Rostock
Publisher	Association for Computing Machinery ACM
Pages	35-42
ISBN (Print)	978-1-4503-1029-1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1145/2074712.2074720
Publication status	Published - 2011
MoE publication type	A4 Article in a conference publication
Event	European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics - Rostock, Germany Duration: 24 Aug 2011 → 26 Aug 2011 Conference number: 29

Conference

Conference	European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics
Abbreviated title	ECCE '11
Country	Germany
City	Rostock
Period	24/08/11 → 26/08/11

Keywords

Human dependability
communication network operation
work demands
human error

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title = "Impact of human operators on communication network dependability",

abstract = "Motivation - To shed light on the context and content of the human operators' work in maintaining the dependability of telecommunication networks. Research approach - A case study was accomplished in a large telecommunication company. The research focused on clarifying the impact of human operators on the dependability of telecommunication network. 20 professionals were interviewed related to their conceptions of the possible generic role of human error to network dependability, and to the human-centric requirements of network control. Findings/Design - Interviews confirmed the existence of the assumption among members of the Communication Network Operations (CNO) community that the human operator has an important impact on the network dependability. Specific sources of errors in daily work were identified and strategies of avoiding erroneous action were described. Moreover we defined generic control demands of the CNO work domain, and operators' ways of coping with these demands. Focusing on these demands would provide proactive practices to increase dependability. Research limitations/Implications - The study was restricted to one Finnish telecommunication company. This limits possible empirical generalisation of the findings. Originality/Value - There is a scarcity of scientific literature about the characteristics of the control work and its demands in this critical domain. Take away message - Regarding human dependability of communication network operations, a combination of resilient and proactive ways of acting is needed. Due to daily changes in the network and the continuous increase of its complexity, specifically change management on both organisational and work practice levels is required",

keywords = "Human dependability, communication network operation, work demands, human error",

author = "Leena Norros and Ilkka Norros and Marja Liinasuo and Kari Sepp{\"a}nen",

note = "Project code: 70728 1.2; European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics, ECCE '11 ; Conference date: 24-08-2011 Through 26-08-2011",

year = "2011",

doi = "10.1145/2074712.2074720",

language = "English",

isbn = "978-1-4503-1029-1",

pages = "35--42",

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publisher = "Association for Computing Machinery ACM",

address = "United States",

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Norros, L, Norros, I, Liinasuo, M & Seppänen, K 2011, Impact of human operators on communication network dependability. in Proceedings of the 29th Annual European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics. Association for Computing Machinery ACM, Rostock, pp. 35-42, European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics, Rostock, Germany, 24/08/11. https://doi.org/10.1145/2074712.2074720

Impact of human operators on communication network dependability. / Norros, Leena; Norros, Ilkka; Liinasuo, Marja ; Seppänen, Kari.

Proceedings of the 29th Annual European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics. Rostock : Association for Computing Machinery ACM, 2011. p. 35-42.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Conference article in proceedings › Scientific › peer-review

TY - GEN

T1 - Impact of human operators on communication network dependability

AU - Norros, Leena

AU - Norros, Ilkka

AU - Liinasuo, Marja

AU - Seppänen, Kari

N1 - Conference code: 29

PY - 2011

Y1 - 2011

N2 - Motivation - To shed light on the context and content of the human operators' work in maintaining the dependability of telecommunication networks. Research approach - A case study was accomplished in a large telecommunication company. The research focused on clarifying the impact of human operators on the dependability of telecommunication network. 20 professionals were interviewed related to their conceptions of the possible generic role of human error to network dependability, and to the human-centric requirements of network control. Findings/Design - Interviews confirmed the existence of the assumption among members of the Communication Network Operations (CNO) community that the human operator has an important impact on the network dependability. Specific sources of errors in daily work were identified and strategies of avoiding erroneous action were described. Moreover we defined generic control demands of the CNO work domain, and operators' ways of coping with these demands. Focusing on these demands would provide proactive practices to increase dependability. Research limitations/Implications - The study was restricted to one Finnish telecommunication company. This limits possible empirical generalisation of the findings. Originality/Value - There is a scarcity of scientific literature about the characteristics of the control work and its demands in this critical domain. Take away message - Regarding human dependability of communication network operations, a combination of resilient and proactive ways of acting is needed. Due to daily changes in the network and the continuous increase of its complexity, specifically change management on both organisational and work practice levels is required

AB - Motivation - To shed light on the context and content of the human operators' work in maintaining the dependability of telecommunication networks. Research approach - A case study was accomplished in a large telecommunication company. The research focused on clarifying the impact of human operators on the dependability of telecommunication network. 20 professionals were interviewed related to their conceptions of the possible generic role of human error to network dependability, and to the human-centric requirements of network control. Findings/Design - Interviews confirmed the existence of the assumption among members of the Communication Network Operations (CNO) community that the human operator has an important impact on the network dependability. Specific sources of errors in daily work were identified and strategies of avoiding erroneous action were described. Moreover we defined generic control demands of the CNO work domain, and operators' ways of coping with these demands. Focusing on these demands would provide proactive practices to increase dependability. Research limitations/Implications - The study was restricted to one Finnish telecommunication company. This limits possible empirical generalisation of the findings. Originality/Value - There is a scarcity of scientific literature about the characteristics of the control work and its demands in this critical domain. Take away message - Regarding human dependability of communication network operations, a combination of resilient and proactive ways of acting is needed. Due to daily changes in the network and the continuous increase of its complexity, specifically change management on both organisational and work practice levels is required

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KW - work demands

KW - human error

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DO - 10.1145/2074712.2074720

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BT - Proceedings of the 29th Annual European Conference on Cognitive Ergonomics

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Y2 - 24 August 2011 through 26 August 2011

ER -