Task Complexity: A conceptual framework and guideline for Petro-HRA

Abstract

This master's thesis in psychology examines task complexity in an attempt to meet industry needs of creating a stronger theoretical foundation for the complexity performance shaping factor (PSF) in Petro-HRA and better guidelines for HRA methods. Petro-HRA is a Human Reliability Analysis (HRA) method being developed for the petroleum industry based on SPAR-H. In this thesis, a literature review is performed to identify factors contributing to task complexity. Based on this review a conceptual framework of 13 complexity factors is created and described. Seven of these 13 factors; goal complexity, size, complexity, step complexity, connection complexity, dynamic complexity, variation complexity, and structure complexity, are found to be usable in a description of the PSF complexity in Petro-HRA. These seven factors' effect on operator performance is discussed and the factors are integrated into an easy-to-use guideline for users of Petro-HRA. This guideline offers a description of the seven complexity factors and a recommendation for assigning the PSF. The guideline in this thesis may provide greater inter-rater reliability and greater accuracy in calculating the human error probabilities when performing Petro-HRA.