The CRT display evaluation: The multidimensional rating of CRT-generated displays

This report is one in a series evaluating various methods for determining the effectiveness of display formats and contains results from multidimensional rating of three cathode ray tube displays. Each display contained information regarding the status of nine safety parameters critical to safe operations the Loss-Of-Fluid Test (LOFT) reactor located at the Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL). Certified LOFT operators evaluated three formats - bars, stars, and meters - as part of a multimethod display evaluation ongoing at INEL. Each of the six cognitive dimensions embedded in the rating scale are discussed in terms of their internal consistency and ability to differentiate between each of the three formats. Preliminary findings suggest that two of the six dimensions, content integration and cognitive processing, were able to discriminate between formats while satisfying the criteria of internal consistency as measured by Cronbach's alpha. Conclusions in this report must be interpreted in light of moderate test-retest reliability.