ABSTRACT
Human error plays a major role in losses of separation minima in Air Traffic Management (ATM). However, few classification systems have been designed to classify retrospectively cognitive errors in ATM, so that error prevention, protection, and mitigation is based on systematically-derived classifications and psychological theory. Hence, the Technique for the Retrospective Analysis of Cognitive Errors (TRACEr) has been developed. The technique is structured around a number of ‘cognitive domains’, which are based on Wickens’ (1992) model of human information processing. TRACEr was developed from an analysis of errors that have been observed or reported in ATM incident reports, real-time simulations, and the ATM and human error literature. Additionally, a development and evaluation study was conducted on an earlier version of the technique. This paper outlines the development of TRACEr, and details some aspects of TRACEr that add value to ATM error analysis.
