Assessing User Interface Design Features Using the Job Characteristics Model in Industrial Maintenance

Maintenance technicians working in heavy industry play a vital role in sustaining and repairing equipment. Technicians are expected to follow written procedures, usually derived from equipment manuals. Historically maintenance procedures have been paper-based. Organisations are increasingly turning to digital devices, but this transition needs to account for the specific needs of the technicians and the context of their work. In this paper, we assess the impact of a digital tool for maintenance procedures on the work of technicians. To do this, we perform a three-phase industry case study. We use dimensions from the Job Characteristics Model (JCM) (autonomy, feedback, task variety, task identity, task significance) to examine the effects of context-specific design features (i.e., navigation control, task presentation, procedure inputs and feedback, and timed work) on maintenance technicians’ work. Our findings indicate that JCM is a relevant tool for assessing the impact of user interface designs on manual work.