Chapter 9 — Human factors and cyber policy: tools and methods
Lesson map
Lesson 09 published. Map, example, EX033.
flowchart TD
N0["Learning outcomes"]
N1["9.1 Survey and observation"]
N2["Lab — Survey barriers among 210 responses"]
N3["9.2 Usability test"]
N4["9.3 Combining methods"]
N5["Synthesis"]
N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4 --> N5
N5 --> EX["Worked example"]
EX --> Q["Exercise EX033"]
Logical drawing
flowchart LR
N0["Learning outcomes"]
N1["9.1 Survey and observation"]
N2["Lab — Survey barriers among 210 responses"]
N3["9.2 Usability test"]
N4["9.3 Combining methods"]
N5["Synthesis"]
N0 --> N1 --> N2 --> N3 --> N4 --> N5 --> Q["EX033"]
[Learning outcomes]
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v
[9.1 Survey and observation]
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v
[Lab — Survey barriers among 210 responses]
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v
[9.2 Usability test]
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v
[9.3 Combining methods]
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v
[Synthesis]
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v
[Worked example] --> [Exercise EX033]
Learning outcomes
You will (1) use a short survey and observation to study reporting; (2) run a simple usability test; (3) combine methods into findings.
9.1 Survey and observation
Priya runs a five-question anonymous survey for all staff and observes how reporting happens in each depot, with permission and without recording names. She receives 210 responses from 300 staff. The most common barrier is not knowing how to report from a terminal or phone. Observation shows that warehouse terminals have no email client, so workers have no way to report a suspicious message they see on a shared screen, such as a pop-up claiming to be from IT. She writes up her notes the same day.
Lab — Survey barriers among 210 responses
# Barriers among 210 synthetic survey responses (multiple choice).
b = {"don't know how from terminal or phone": 88, "unsure IT wants it": 71, "too busy": 52, "never heard back": 30}
for k, v in sorted(b.items(), key=lambda x: -x[1]): print(f"{k}: {v}/210 = {v / 210:.0%}")
Run with python3 lab_survey.py. Verified output:
don't know how from terminal or phone: 88/210 = 42%
unsure IT wants it: 71/210 = 34%
too busy: 52/210 = 25%
never heard back: 30/210 = 14%
9.2 Usability test
Priya tests a proposed report method for warehouse terminals: a desktop shortcut that opens a short form. Six volunteer workers try it with synthetic pop-ups on a test terminal, knowing they are testing the form. Five complete the report in under twenty seconds; one is confused by the word incident. She changes the label to Report something odd. Small usability tests catch wording problems that designers miss because they already know what they meant. All six then succeed. The test takes an hour.
9.3 Combining methods
Priya combines survey, observation and testing into findings: staff want to report but lack a route on terminals and phones; the word incident is off-putting; and many are unsure whether IT wants reports. She proposes the terminal form, a driver text number and a clear welcome message from managers. Each finding cites its evidence. Combining methods gives a fuller picture than any one method, because surveys count, observation reveals context and tests check solutions. The operations manager approves the proposals. Work begins soon.
Worked example
Priya surveys 210 staff, observes depots, tests a terminal form with six volunteers and combines methods into findings.
Synthetic case. Data are synthetic.
Errors and limits
Self-report bias. Small tests.
Exercises
- EX033 — Response rate. What was the survey response rate? Rubric: 3 = 70%;; 2 = 210 of 300;; 1 = 210%;; 0 = none.
- EX034 — Lab top barrier. What was the top barrier in the lab? Rubric: 3 = not knowing how to report from terminals or phones, 88 of 210;; 2 = how;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
- EX035 — Terminal gap. Why could warehouse workers not report? Rubric: 3 = terminals have no email client;; 2 = no route;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
- EX036 — Label change. What label replaced incident? Rubric: 3 = Report something odd;; 2 = plain words;; 1 = vague;; 0 = none.
Synthesis
Combined methods reveal barriers and test fixes before rollout.
Continue studying — chapter 09 of 18
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