Seminar: Computational Models of Work to Study Multi-Agent Sociotechnical Systems

Seminar by Martijn IJtsma

Doctoral Candidate

Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering

Georgia Institute of Technology

Sociotechnical systems in complex work domains develop emergent behaviors that are difficult to identify a priori. Such emergent behavior originates, amongst other factors, from the complexities of both human behavior and the work domain, as well as from the increasingly powerful-but-rigid capabilities of technological aids. To fully understand this emergent behavior requires dynamic analysis to complement traditional static analysis. Computational simulation of work in these systems can account for the complex interactions between components in a system, and additionally allows for large-scale – and fast-time – exploration of the design trade-space for sociotechnical systems. This talk showcases the integration of methods from cognitive systems engineering and human-systems integration with computational models capable of simulating the dynamics of complex work environments. Two applications of these models will be discussed, to study the allocation of work in novel air traffic control operations and to analyze work strategies for human-robot teams in manned spaceflight operations.

Martijn IJtsma is a doctoral candidate in the Daniel Guggenheim School of Aerospace Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology. In 2013 and 2016, respectively, he received a BSc and MSc degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands, where he specialized in the control and simulation of complex aerospace systems. Martijn’s current research is with Georgia Tech’s Cognitive Engineering Center and focuses on how to design human-robot teams that support experts' ability to adapt work strategies to respond to current and anticipated changes in the work environment. More broadly, his research interests evolve around the development and application computational models of work and teams to simulate complex interactions and emergent behavior in sociotechnical systems.