Human error revisited: some lessons for situation awareness

Abstract

Situation awareness (SA) has received increasing exposure over the last decade. However, a universally accepted definition of SA has yet to emerge. This means that there is no clear exposition of the relative importance of the different aspects of SA and of which aspects require further investigation. Similar problems have been previously solved by human error researchers. By reflecting on the solutions to those problems, several lessons have been identified to help frame future SA research. These lessons suggest that all types of behaviour and performance need to be considered. The distinction between the manifestations and causes of the inevitable breakdowns in SA has to be clarified so that SA can be managed effectively. The concept of SA also has to account for all the contextual factors that affect it. Failure to heed these lessons could cause SA researchers to revisit problems that have already been solved.