Hands-free administration of subjective workload scales: Acceptability in a surgical training environment

Introduction

Subjective workload measures are usually administered in a visual-manual format, either electronically or by paper and pencil. However, vocal responses to spoken queries may sometimes be preferable, for example when experimental manipulations require continuous manual responding or when participants have certain sensory/motor impairments. In the present study, we evaluated the acceptability of the hands-free administration of two subjective workload questionnaires - the NASA Task Load Index (NASA-TLX) and the Multiple Resources Questionnaire (MRQ) - in a surgical training environment where manual responding is often constrained.

Method

Sixty-four undergraduates performed fifteen 90-s trials of laparoscopic training tasks (five replications of 3 tasks - cannulation, ring transfer, and rope manipulation). Half of the participants provided workload ratings using a traditional paper-and-pencil version of the NASA-TLX and MRQ; the remainder used a vocal (hands-free) version of the questionnaires. A follow-up experiment extended the evaluation of the hands-free version to actual medical students in a Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) training facility.

Results

The NASA-TLX was scored in 2 ways - (1) the traditional procedure using participant-specific weights to combine its 6 subscales, and (2) a simplified procedure - the NASA Raw Task Load Index (NASA-RTLX) - using the unweighted mean of the subscale scores. Comparison of the scores obtained from the hands-free and written administration conditions yielded coefficients of equivalence of r = 0.85 (NASA-TLX) and r = 0.81 (NASA-RTLX). Equivalence estimates for the individual subscales ranged from r = 0.78 (“mental demand”) to r = 0.31 (“effort”). Both administration formats and scoring methods were equally sensitive to task and repetition effects. For the MRQ, the coefficient of equivalence for the hands-free and written versions was r = 0.96 when tested on undergraduates. However, the sensitivity of the hands-free MRQ to task demands (η_partial² = 0.138) was substantially less than that for the written version (η_partial² = 0.252). This potential shortcoming of the hands-free MRQ did not seem to generalize to medical students who showed robust task effects when using the hands-free MRQ (η_partial² = 0.396). A detailed analysis of the MRQ subscales also revealed differences that may be attributable to a “spillover” effect in which participants’ judgments about the demands of completing the questionnaires contaminated their judgments about the primary surgical training tasks.

Conclusion

Vocal versions of the NASA-TLX are acceptable alternatives to standard written formats when researchers wish to obtain global workload estimates. However, care should be used when interpreting the individual subscales if the object is to make comparisons between studies or conditions that use different administration modalities. For the MRQ, the vocal version was less sensitive to experimental manipulations than its written counterpart; however, when medical students rather than undergraduates used the vocal version, the instrument’s sensitivity increased well beyond that obtained with any other combination of administration modality and instrument in this study. Thus, the vocal version of the MRQ may be an acceptable workload assessment technique for selected populations, and it may even be a suitable substitute for the NASA-TLX.     

A methodology to model the information structure of an organization

The Integrated Computer Aided Manufacturing (ICAM) program of the U.S. Air Force identified a need to better communicate and analyze manufacturing for the people involved in improving productivity. To satisfy that need, the ICAM program developed the IDEF (ICAM Definition) method to address particular characteristics of manufacturing. This IDEF method is equally applicable in analyzing other types of organizations. IDEF comprises three modeling methodologies: function model methodology (IDEF₀), information model methodology (IDEF₁) and dynamics model methodology (IDEF₂). This paper reports on the Information model methodology only. This methodology is used to construct an information model that helps in understanding the structure of information needed to support the functions of an organization.     

实施顾客满意战略 创造石油机械名牌

企业的竞争,也是赢得顾客的竞争。满意忠诚的顾客群既是企业得以生存的基础,也是企业潜在的财富。江汉石油管理局第四机械厂的实践表明:只有创造名牌产品,才能获得顾客满意。具体到企业管理或生产实践中,就是要努力做到三点:1、建立现代化的质量理念;2、以满意的产品满足顾客的需求;3、以内部顾客的满意实现真正意义上的顾客满意。     

论我国综合市场监管机制的重构

行政控制模式下综合市场监管机制存在诸多缺陷，借鉴发达国家监管经验，立足国情，重建我国综合市场监管机制宜以工商行政管理部门为基础，依法创设权威独立的综合市场监管机构，合理配置执法手段，引入司法权制衡行政权，并辅以经济公益诉讼扩大社会公众的参与程度，以补充政府市场监管功能。     

IP电话网络互通中的地址解析研究

设计了一套基于客户服务器模式的地址解析方法,为IPPhone互通提供高效的地址解析。把它作为Recom-mendationH.225.0附录G的一种补充方法。     

基于分散校区和完全学分制的网络化教务管理系统研究与实现

校区分散、学生所修年限不等致使我校继续教育学院的工作极为繁重、工作效率低、出错率高、学生投诉频繁。我校继续教育学院在考察了北京、上海、西安等地的教务管理系统后，没有发现基于分散校区和完全学分制的网络化教育管理系统，决定开发一套软件系统使管理规范化、信息化。     

Building a drug development database: challenges in reliable data availability

Abstract

Context: Policy and legislative efforts to improve the biomedical innovation process must rely on a detailed and thorough analysis of drug development and industry output.

Objective: As part of our efforts to build a publicly-available database on the characteristics of drug development, we present work undertaken to test methods for compiling data from public sources. These initial steps are designed to explore challenges in data extraction, completeness and reliability. Specifically, filing dates for Investigational New Drugs (IND) applications with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) were chosen as the initial objective data element to be collected.

Materials and methods: FDA’s Drugs@FDA database and the Federal Register (FR) were used to collect IND dates for the 587 New Molecular Entities (NMEs) approved between 1994 and 2014. When available, the following data were captured: approval date, IND number, IND date and source of information.

Results: At least one IND date was available for 445 (75.8%) of the 587 NMEs. The Drugs@FDA database provided IND dates for 303 (51.6%) NMEs and the FR contributed with 297 (50.6%) IND dates. Out of the 445 NMEs for which an IND date was obtained, 274 (61.6%) had more than one date reported.

Discussion: Key finding of this paper is a considerable inconsistency in reliably available or reported data elements, in this particular case, IND application filing dates as assembled from publicly-available sources.

Conclusion: Our team will continue to focus on finding ways to collect relevant information to measure impact of drug innovation.     

集群系统管理与计费终端的程序设计

移动通信系统已开始运用计算机技术进步自动化管理。根据移动通信系统的要求,我们研制了系统管理计费终端与系统控制器的接口电路和管理计费软件。本文叙述了进行系统管理与计费工作过程,给出了较件程序流程。     

面向拜登政府的过渡期网络安全建议

美国网络空间日光浴委员会为新上任的拜登政府提出的网络安全建议。重点建议拜登政府在上任头100天内组建国家网络总监办公室,制定和颁布国家网络战略,改善当前政府网络安全工作的连贯性和影响力,并进一步加强与私营部门的合作关系。同时阐述了拜登政府此后应优先开展的七项工作,以及白宫和国会应围绕网络安全展开立法合作的六个领域。