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MABA-MABA or Abracadabra? Progress on Human–Automation Co-ordination

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  • Published: November 2002
  • Volume 4, pages 240–244, (2002)
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MABA-MABA or Abracadabra? Progress on Human–Automation Co-ordination
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  • S. W. A. Dekker1 &
  • D. D. Woods2 
  • 2282 Accesses

  • 295 Citations

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Abstract:

In this paper we argue that substitution-based function allocation methods (such as MABA-MABA, or Men-Are-Better-At/Machines-Are-Better-At lists) cannot provide progress on human–automation co-ordination. Quantitative ‘who does what’ allocation does not work because the real effects of automation are qualitative: it transforms human practice and forces people to adapt their skills and routines. Rather than re-inventing or refining substitution-based methods, we propose that the more pressing question on human–automation co-ordination is ‘How do we make them get along together?’

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Linköping Institute of Technology, Linköping, Sweden, , , , , , SE

    S. W. A. Dekker

  2. Cognitive Systems Engineering Laboratory, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA, , , , , , US

    D. D. Woods

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  1. S. W. A. Dekker
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  2. D. D. Woods
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Correspondence and offprint requests to: S. W. A. Dekker, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IKP, Linköping Institute of Technology, SE - 581 83 Linköping, Sweden. Tel.: +46 13 281646; fax +4613282579; email: sidde@ikp.liu.se

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Dekker, S., Woods, D. MABA-MABA or Abracadabra? Progress on Human–Automation Co-ordination . Cognition Tech Work 4, 240–244 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s101110200022

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  • Issue date: November 2002

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s101110200022

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  • Key words: Automation – Cognition – Computers – Co-ordination – Function allocation – Human error

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