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Human Machine Interface Display Design Document

1 Introduction

The purpose of this document is to describe the design for the human machine interface (HMI) display for the Next Generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) System (or “system of systems”) based on the initial Tier 1 requirements identified for the NG9-1-1 System. The ubiquitous access to 9-1-1 emergency services needed in today’s world of evolving technology is driving the need to introduce a broader array of interconnected networks that would comprehensively support emergency services. The U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) is leading the effort to introduce the NG9-1-1 System, which is designed to improve management of emergency services throughout all aspects of operations, including public access to the emergency services; facilitation of services; and delivery of emergency information to public safety answering points (PSAP), emergency call centers (ECC), and first responders.

USDOT views the NG9-1-1 System as a necessary transition to enable the general public to make a 9-1-1 “call” from any wired, wireless, or Internet Protocol (IP)-based device, and allow the emergency services community to take advantage of enhanced call delivery and advanced functional and operational capabilities through new internetworking technologies based on open standards. By enabling access to 9-1-1 services through virtually any communications device, the NG9-1-1 System provides a more direct ability to request help or share critical data from any location with emergency services providers. In addition, call takers at the PSAPs will be able to transfer emergency calls to another PSAP and forward the location and other critical data, such as text messages, images, and video, with the call.

The HMI within the NG9-1-1 PSAPs will assist in consolidating and presenting emergency information received via IP, cellular, telematics, sensor, and public switched telephone network (PSTN) devices to the call taker in an efficient end-user format. It will provide call takers with an interface to manage access to 9-1-1 requests for services received through virtually any communications device, provide a more direct ability to share critical data with emergency services providers from any location, transfer emergency calls to another PSAP, and forward the location and other critical data with the call. The HMI is envisioned to improve call takers’ efficiency and reduce time in responding to emergency calls.

This NG9-1-1 HMI Display Design Document presents a detailed description of the evolved HMI display that the call takers will use. The display is being designed to support next generation technologies, access methods, and functional capabilities. As a starting point, this document describes the NG9-1-1 call taker activities and call flows, followed by a detailed description of the HMI display, addressing the call taker operations within the next generation environment. Key design considerations and supporting requirements are discussed to draw attention to the characteristics that are most important to the successful operation of the HMI display in the NG9-1-1 System.

1.1 Goals and Objectives

The purpose of this document is to provide detailed specifications for the HMI display design. These specifications are based on the Tier 1 requirements developed and defined in the NG9-1-1 Concept of Operations and Detailed Design Specifications document. It is understood that these requirements may change during the project and further detailed specifications may be developed. This document is intended as a starting point for vendors and the PSAP community to begin development of deployable systems when they begin to implement and operate in the NG9-1-1 compliant environment.

This document will be used as a basis for the Proof of Concept (POC) HMI software development, as a full-scale version of the HMI (compliant with the Tier 1 requirements) will not be developed for the POC. Appendix E of this document details features and components that will be designed and implemented for the POC demonstration.

The goal of the HMI Display Design Document is to provide an overview of the HMI display design in the context of the new features of the NG9-1-1 System and options for multimedia calls and interfaces. T he objectives of the HMI Display Design Document are to—

• Develop HMI design specifications to allow for implementation at a PSAP (i.e., develop one or more call taker HMIs for the USDOT NG9-1-1 POC
• Provide a clear overview of functional capabilities and features of the HMI display in the NG9-1-1 environment
• Discuss the means by which call takers in the NG9-1-1 environment will be able to access and transfer calls, as well as share call data between PSAPs and other authorized emergency organizations
• Identify screen components, links, and functions of the HMI display, and identify their use by the call takers
• Indicate the use of legacy, computer aided dispatch (CAD), and mapping systems in the context of HMI
• Describe potential implementation considerations for the implementation of the HMI solution in PSAPs and NG9-1-1 operations.

1.2 Document Overview

This document contains the HMI display design functions, as well as a description of the suggested layout and components of the HMI screen. The remainder of this document is organized as follows:

• Section 2—HMI Design Process Overview and Methodology: Describes the approach taken to develop the HMI design and provides a high-level overview of activities that will take place during the development, implementation, and post-implementation phases.
• Section 3—Overall HMI Design: Describes the HMI design at a high-level relating it to specific call taker activities.
• Section 4—HMI Display Design: Provides a detailed description of the HMI display design, functionality, and layout. This section also describes, at a high-level, design specifications and considerations.
• Section 5—HMI Integration: Identifies integration considerations (at a high-level) for HMI integration nationwide at the PSAPs, and for the purpose of the POC, as well as high-level interface requirements.
• Appendix A: Acronyms: Lists acronyms used in this document.
• Appendix B: Glossary: Defines terms used in this document.
• Appendix C: Source References: Provides a list of published documents that were referenced while developing this document.
• Appendix D: Requirements Traceability Matrix: Contains requirements descriptions and additional detail to map each derived Tier 1 requirement to the sections of this document. Its purpose is to ensure compliance of this document with the requirements.
• Appendix E: HMI Design Specifications for POC Deployment: Details functionality and components of the HMI design that will be implemented for the POC.
• Appendix F: Design Components: contains descriptions of key fields used to illustrate the HMI components.

1.3 Target Audience

The NG9-1-1 HMI Display Design Document is a formal document that provides a user-oriented vision of the HMI display in the context of emergency services stakeholders. The intended audience includes NG9-1-1 System project stakeholders, vendors, and other parties who will use the HMI display. This document is intended to communicate the vision of the HMI display to these stakeholders so they can understand the functionality of this interface and provide foundational support for development and deployment of the HMI application in the NG9-1-1 environment. The HMI design is developed based on the functional understanding of PSAP operations and Concept of Operations requirements identified for the NG9-1-1 System.

2 HMI Design Process and Methodology

The HMI, within the NG9-1-1 PSAP, will assist in consolidating and presenting caller information received via new IP-based 9-1-1 communication channels while integrating the traditional information received from cellular and PSTN devices. The display will present the data received to the call taker in an efficient format, maximizing the call taker’s ability to understand and process the emergency request regardless of the communication channel through which it was received. The HMI display is envisioned to improve call takers’ efficiency and reduce time in responding to emergency calls.

The HMI display for the NG9-1-1 System should enhance the call takers’ ability to process emergency calls, enabling them to assist in saving lives, ensuring health, and protecting property. To ensure that the HMI display fulfills its function as an efficient interface between the call taker and NG9-1-1 System, the NG9-1-1 team used a rigorous development process. This section provides an overview of the HMI display design methodology and processes.

2.1 Role of NG9-1-1 HMI Display

The NG9-1-1 System provides emergency communications access to a variety of new telecommunication devices. As a result, the PSAP call taker may need to answer and process new means of communications and a variety of multimedia data (e.g., voice, text messages, images, and video). The NG9-1-1 HMI display will also provide linkages to supplemental or supportive data such as interactive maps, standard operating procedures (SOP), links to helpful hints, and interrogation questions to enhance the caller information.

The design of the NG9-1-1 HMI display is based on the key need for call takers to quickly and intuitively interpret the call data, make decisions about that data, and share data with appropriate entities as required. Caller data will contain next generation media and content, provide access to an increased amount of information (essential, supplemental, and supportive data), and display access to various tools and databases. The HMI display design takes into account the call taker’s need to quickly and efficiently forward the call to the appropriate third party or responder while managing a screen that contains innovative communication types and tools.

The vision for the NG9-1-1 HMI display is to provide the foundation for public emergency service applications used by call takers to receive and process Enhanced 9-1-1 (E9-1-1) calls from a variety of communication devices. Specifically, the NG9-1-1 HMI solution vision includes—

• Providing a “single point of access” for call takers to view all the essential data related to routing the call appropriately, as well as additional supportive and supplemental data.
• Supporting receipt and processing of 9-1-1 calls from a variety of origination devices, including voice, text, images, and video. The answering and processing of calls needs to be performed in a consistent way, regardless of the communication method or device used.
• Facilitating standardized call answering and processing, regardless of call type or communication method or device used (e.g., via scripted interrogation questions and resolution procedures/SOPs). In many cases today, interrogation questions and SOPs are available only in a printed format and not readily available to the call taker.

The purpose of the NG9-1-1 HMI display is to provide a single desktop platform that gives call takers and dispatchers a common frame of reference for information that can also be shared across all responder entities. The display will also allow unified access to different systems (legacy, mapping/location, case management, etc.), manage the next generation multimedia content, create composite and graphical user interface (GUI) screens across all views, and provide other performance-enhancing functions. To achieve these objectives, the HMI display must be designed to facilitate the call taker’s processing of the emergency calls while minimizing response time.

The HMI display must enable the call taker to conduct emergency call processing activities, including receiving a 9-1-1 call, verifying the nature and location of the emergency, verifying the location of the call, and forwarding call-related data to the appropriate public safety dispatch center for response. Section 3.1 of this document summarizes specific call taker activities addressed by the NG9-1-1 HMI.

The HMI display will correlate data from disparate sources and databases, and selectively include data on the display based on the call content. To accommodate next generation multimedia information sources, the HMI display will include new functionality and screens that are not currently available, including—

• Screens to process a wide variety of communication types (telephone, text messages, images, and video)
• Interactive maps
• Automatic call management and telephony functions, such as call forwarding and transfer, and call conferencing tools
• Embedded links to supplementary materials, including interrogation questions, SOPs, help tools, and training materials, as well as other applications.

To streamline the call taker’s call processing efforts, the HMI display will be organized in a clean, user-friendly manner, using available screen real estate, while providing quick access to the most commonly needed system features and applications.

Timely response to callers is the most critical aspect of emergency operations. Because c all takers often respond to life-and-death situations and cannot afford to make any errors while handling 9-1-1 calls, a successful HMI design that is easy to use and navigate is critical to improving call takers’ efficiency and accuracy in answering and processing 9-1-1 calls. The HMI display is being designed to fully address call taker needs for intuitive navigation through the application, provide adequate mapping and imaging features, and enable quick access to the frequently used features such as forwarding call information to dispatch agencies and emergency responders.

2.2 HMI Design Scope

The HMI Display Design Document is a detailed description of the components, features, and functions of the HMI display and the screen layout. Backend automated call distribution (ACD) rules and system requirements, as well as detailed call taker operations activities, are identified in the NG9-1-1 System Description and Requirements Document.

This HMI Display Design Document also contains a Requirements Traceability Matrix (see Appendix D), which ensures that it addresses all of the Tier 1 requirements identified in the NG9-1-1 System Description and Requirements Document.

2.3 HMI Design Approach

The HMI display design process began with a high-level review of PSAP operations and functional needs, followed by a detailed review of HMI business needs and layout considerations. NG9-1-1 System capabilities were evaluated to ensure that the HMI design would fulfill all of the system needs identified for it. The HMI design team considered issues identified for the HMI design in the HMI Human Factors Issues document and also gathered information from the PSAP call takers and directors—all to support design of a robust HMI display that would facilitate the call taker’s function when responding to emergency calls generated using next generation call origination devices. In summary, the HMI display was developed based on the identified needs and objectives of the call taker activities, NG9-1-1 system requirements and functional capabilities, as well as fulfillment of the User-Centered Design (UCD) principles for user interface layout.

Three key phases, described in Figure 2.1, helped determine the end vision of the HMI Display—Assessment of HMI Display Needs and Requirements, Design of the HMI Display, and Identification of HMI Design Considerations. Development and Post-Implementation activities, identified as the fourth phase in the HMI Design Approach, will begin after the design of the HMI display is complete.

Figure 2.1—HMI Display Design Activities

2.4 Design Definition and Perspective

The HMI display design was developed based on the functional and operational needs of PSAP call takers. These needs were determined based on interviews with the PSAP staff conducted via questionnaires as well as telephone. In addition, a thorough review of NG9-1-1 System documentation (Concept of Operations, Architecture Analysis, and System Description and Requirements documents) was conducted to identify system needs and operational components for the future HMI display.

The HMI design is driven from the perspective of the 9-1-1 call takers. It supports the need for call takers to quickly and intuitively interpret the caller data and make decisions based on that data and the call interrogation process. The HMI display is intended to maximize the call taker’s efficient use of the screen, enhance his/her ability to process calls received via various multimedia sources, and forward calls and call data to the appropriate entity—all while using new and innovative controls to handle the 9-1-1 calls. At the same time, the HMI display must continue to enable the call taker to conduct call answering and processing activities, including receiving a 9-1-1 call, verifying the nature and location of the emergency, verifying the location of the call, sharing call-related data with the appropriate public safety dispatcher or entity for response, as well as functional activities related to call records management, geospatial visualization, and data management.

Key characteristics identified for the HMI display design include—

• Clear and meaningful presentation of information from the HMI display
• Efficient navigation through the HMI display via a navigation menu and intuitive information flow
• User-friendly HMI display layout, including text, images, and screen design
• Quick identification of the emergency location by the call taker and display of the location on the screen
• Intuitive identification of the emergency type by the call taker through a variety of tools and components, including embedded scripting and Short Message Service (SMS) translation tools
• Standardized placement and presentation of essential information and multimedia contents (such as text, image, and video), which use a standard set of controls to interact with the multimedia data (i.e., zoom functions)
• Similar presentation of essential, supplementary, and supporting information on the HMI display for all call types (text, image, video, voice, etc.)
• Quick access to reference, help, and training materials (SOPs, FAQs, etc.)
• Convenient and efficient process for automatic and electronic sharing of data with entities and emergency responders, minimizing the call taker’s need to reenter data.
  

3 Overall HMI Design

The HMI display for the NG9-1-1 environment is designed to support the call taker’s need to quickly and intuitively interpret the call data and resolve the call as appropriate. The HMI display will enable call takers to conduct call answering and processing activities, as well as manipulate E9-1-1 data. These activities, described in Section 3.1 below, include receiving a 9-1-1 call, verifying the nature and location of the emergency, verifying the location of the call, sharing call-related data with the appropriate public safety dispatcher for response, and performing activities related to call records management, geospatial visualization, and data management.

The HMI display will provide call takers with access to all data relevant to routing the call appropriately. Call takers (at most PSAPs) receive a wide range of information that is categorized as essential, supporting, and supplementary. The NG9-1-1 System will maintain the information categories that are currently available and apply the categorization across calls received via all communication types. Table 3.1 describes the data categories and lists some examples for each.

Table 3.1—NG9-1-1 Data Categories

The HMI display will gather and display essential information (i.e., Caller Location, Phone Number, Subscriber Name, Service Provider, etc.) for each emergency call, regardless of the communication medium by which it is received (i.e., voice, text, image, video). In addition, presentation of the essential, supplementary, and supporting information on the HMI display will be standardized for all call types to facilitate the call taker’s ability to recognize the nature of emergency and quickly forward the call for response as appropriate.

The following sections of the document provide an overview of functional activities, requirements addressed by the HMI design, and a user role discussion.

3.1 Call Taker Functional Activities

The HMI display will serve as an interface between the call takers and the NG9-1-1 components, and will enable call takers to receive and manage calls from the public. The HMI will support all of the call taker’s routine activities, related to answering calls, identifying the nature of emergency, relaying the call to the appropriate entity, as well as tools that provide call takers with help in supporting daily operations, such as links to training materials, FAQs, and SOPs.

The end-to-end call flow shown in Figure 3-8 of the NG9-1-1 System Description and Requirements Document outlines functional activities that the call taker performs from the time a call has been initiated through its termination. The call flow describes the interaction of the call taker with the NG9-1-1 System and provides an overview of the processing of data during the duration of the call. The HMI display will enable the call taker to control and manage the call (and call data) received via the NG9-1-1 System and perform all of the call management tasks. The HMI display will also enable call takers to manipulate the system via commands and inputs, and receive an output from the system based on specified criteria.

Specifically, the HMI screen will enable call takers to perform the following call management tasks:

• Call Answering activities, which enable call takers to manage call queues, answer an incoming call, and perform a call back if the caller was disconnected
• Call Processing activities, which allow call takers to determine the nature of the emergency; determine the caller and emergency locations; select appropriate responders based on the nature and location of the emergency; provide pre-arrival instructions or other information to the caller; and establish conferencing among the call taker, caller, and third-party (e.g., telematics) service providers or appropriate public safety entities
• Call Records Management activities, which allow call takers to preserve a record of communication, obtain supportive or supplemental data from the call, and share call data with a third party, and transfer and terminate the call
• Geospatial Visualization activities, which allow call takers to view the 9-1-1 call location and geospatial information on a map, as well as update the map with the new call location and geospatial information
• Data Management activities, which allow call takers to submit caller information error report to the originating data provider for correction and generate a call record.

Because these activities have been previously described in detail in Section 5 (9-1-1 PSAP Operations Segment) of the NG9-1-1 Systems Description and RequirementsDocument, this section provides a summary of the selected functional activities, use cases, and associated data needs.

3.1.1 Call Answering

Call Answering activities include all activities conducted by a call taker to receive and answer a call. The HMI display will provide call takers with the ability to answer an incoming call, manage the call queue, and initiate a call back, if needed. The call taker is the primary role involved in the execution of these activities using the HMI display controls. Table 3.2 provides an overview of the activities, goals, HMI functional capabilities, and data needs for the Call Answering process.

Table 3.2—Overview of Call Answering Activities

Detailed information regarding Call Answering activities, including call flows, specific process inputs and outputs, data needs, and requirements, are listed in Section 5.1 (Call Answering) of the NG9-1-1 System Description and Requirements Document. Call Answering requirements related to the HMI display and how they are addressed in this document are listed in Appendix D of this document—Requirements Traceability Matrix.

3.1.2 Call Processing

Call Processing activities are performed by a call taker to determine the nature of emergency in order to efficiently resolve the issue presented by the caller (by sending the call to an appropriate entity or responder, terminating the call, or transferring the call to a third party). That determination is made on the basis of protocol, training and experience, and intelligence acquired from incoming data and interrogation of the caller. The HMI display will display all essential and supporting data, facilitating the ability of the call taker to quickly identify the nature of emergency and process the call. Furthermore, the display will contain embedded scripting, call handling SOPs, and links to supporting information to enhance the call taker’s ability to obtain answers to essential questions and forward the call to an appropriate response agency. Table 3.3 provides Call Processing activities, goals, HMI functional capabilities, and data needs.

Table 3.3—Overview of Call Processing Activities

Detailed information regarding Call Processing activities, including call flows, specific process inputs and outputs, data needs, and requirements, are listed in Section 5.2 (Call Processing) of the NG9-1-1 System Description and RequirementsDocument. Call Processing requirements related to the HMI display and how they are addressed in this document are listed in Appendix D of this document—Requirements Traceability Matrix.

3.1.3 Call Records Management

Call Records Management activities performed by call takers include capabilities and activities needed for creating, logging, archiving, retrieving, and transmitting Call Records. The HMI display will accommodate call takers in managing, viewing, and updating call records. Table 3.4 provides Call Processing activities, goals, HMI functional capabilities, and data needs.

Table 3.4—Overview of Call Records Management Activities

Details regarding Call Records Management activities, including call flows, specific process inputs and outputs, data needs, and requirements, are listed in Section 5.3 (Call Records Management) of the NG9-1-1 System Description and RequirementsDocument. Call Records Management requirements related to the HMI display and how they are addressed by this document are listed in Appendix D of this document—Requirements Traceability Matrix.

3.1.4 Geospatial Visualization

The call taker will be able to perform Geospatial Visualization (GV) activities using the HMI display and supporting mapping display in order to visualize and analyze call information on a map. Table 3.5 provides GV, goals, HMI functional capabilities, and data needs.

Table 3.5—Overview of Geospatial Visualization Activities

Details regarding GV activities, including call flows, specific process inputs and outputs, data needs, and requirements, are listed in Section 5.4 (Geospatial Visualization) of the NG9-1-1 System Description and RequirementsDocument. Requirements for the HMI display related to GV and how they are addressed in this document are listed in Appendix D of this document—Requirements Traceability Matrix.

3.1.5 Data Management

The Data Management activity, which allows call takers to document incorrect caller information and automate the reporting and tracking of the information so it can be corrected in the source data, will be available directly from the HMI display. If a call taker identifies data errors, he/she will be able to report the error to the originating organization (i.e., service provider) from selected HMI display sections. T able 3.6 identifies the Data Management activity, its goal, associated HMI functional capabilities, and data needs.

Table 3.6—Overview of the Data Management Activity

Details regarding the Data Management activity, including activity specific process inputs and outputs, data needs, and requirements, are listed in Section 6 (Data Management) of the NG9-1-1 System Description and RequirementsDocument. Requirements for the HMI display related to Data Management and how they are addressed by this document are listed in Appendix D of this document—Requirements Traceability Matrix.

3.2 HMI Requirements

The HMI Display Design Document adheres to requirements standards and classifications identified in Section 4 of the NG9-1-1 System Description and RequirementsDocument, which presents NG9-1-1 System requirements within enterprise segments, listing service areas and functional activities for each segment. These functional activities are then further decomposed to identify the system requirements necessary to provide the activity. Functional activities are also supported by the Multidimensional Requirements Views (MRV), which are used to conceptually describe the activity from the user’s perspective while simultaneously determining the requirements to be implemented by developers.

The design of the HMI display is based on requirements and system definitions identified in the NG9-1-1 System Description and RequirementsDocument and the MRVs. These documents align functional activities of call takers with specific system requirements and provide a detailed analysis of each prioritized activity by evaluating interactions or behaviors across the layers of architecture. The HMI display will be used as a communication device between call takers and the NG9-1-1 System—the call taker will use the HMI display to request a particular action, triggering an action in the NG9-1-1 System that results in an output from the system based on specified criteria. Requirements identified for the HMI display are generally related to managing call data, display features, and functionality, as well as multimedia data processing.

All Tier 1 system, data, and functional requirements, for the HMI display were extracted from the Requirements Repository. Each HMI display screen description identifies key requirements that were used to create that screen. Requirements Traceability Matrix (Appendix D) contains all extracted requirements and the HMI display design document section in which they are addressed. In this document, requirements descriptions contain—

• Service Area Code: Code to indicate a contextual grouping of like functional activities enabled by the system
• Activity Code: Unique code used to identify the Activity name and its associated service area name
• Role: A name of the job role of the person or the functional role of a technology that performs the Activity
• Requirement Code: Tracking number for each requirement
• Requirement Text: Specific requirement statement.

The Requirements Traceability Matrix, presented as Appendix D of this document, ensures compliance of this document with the derived Tier 1 requirements. The matrix contains requirements descriptions and provides additional detail for each, in order to map the requirement to the document sections.

3.3 User Roles Within NG9-1-1 and HMI Display

Call takers will be assigned to perform a variety of roles in the NG9-1-1 System. Role descriptions and overviews are provided in Table 2-1 of the NG9-1-1 System Description and RequirementsDocument. Furthermore, each PSAP has its own organizational structure and role definitions, which dictate system access based on role descriptions.

Individual PSAP locations will be able to customize access restrictions to the HMI display, based on the local rules and regulations. This document assumes unrestricted access to HMI display components by all NG9-1-1 roles and does not contain a discussion of access restrictions. Moreover, this document does not include a discussion of the user login/authentication process because it is unique at each PSAP location. At this point, the HMI design team is not able to determine whether a single sign-on structure will be in place for HMI and legacy systems or whether the systems will maintain their individual login procedures.

4 HMI Display Design

The NG9-1-1 System will introduce a large quantity and new types of information that may be available to the call takers and/or to others as part of call processing. This next generation media and content, as well as the display of additional tools and databases, will all be accessible from the HMI display. The display will contain new NG9-1-1 features and components capable of performing a variety of services to support call taker operations while maintaining efficient access to information and tools. The HMI display is designed to provide call takers with the following key benefits:

• Facilitation of data management through consistent data processing and management procedures
• Ability to interpret multimedia data messages by using embedded scripting, SOPs, and help tools
• Improved capability to process the call by identifying emergency issues
• Standardization of the HMI layout and consistent presentation of data from the display, regardless of the type of call received (voice, multimedia)
• Intuitive navigation through the easy-to-navigate HMI display, reducing keystrokes and call taker decision time.

This section of the document details layout, functionality, and components of the main HMI display (referred to hereafter as the Main HMI Console) and all of its sub-components. The design assumes that at least two physical hardware displays will be used at each call taker position—the Main HMI Console and the Mapping Display. The HMI Main Console presents all multimedia data received during a call; however, that section of the screen may be too small for the call taker to adequately view the multimedia information stream. Reducing the physical number of monitors would likely result in an increase in the number of steps to perform a single action (e.g., switching applications, maximizing windows, etc.) and a reduction in a call taker’s ease of use. Therefore, it is suggested that a third stand-alone display—Multimedia Display—should be used to view the multimedia data in full size. The HMI design assumes that CAD and other legacy system displays will continue to be used by PSAPs. Selected information from these legacy systems will be fully integrated into the fields of the HMI Main Console when appropriate; however, these systems would not be directly accessed by the user from the HMI Main Console during the call. As needed, the legacy systems might be accessed from a different screen or from the HMI console after the call has ended.

The HMI Display is being designed with the ability to support both standard and touch-screen monitors. Standard monitors are controlled from the terminal keyboard via key strokes and movements of the mouse. Touch-screen monitors allow the user to use the display as the primary input device (rather than a mouse or keyboard) by directly tapping graphical elements on the screen. Standard monitors are currently the most commonly used at PSAPs. However, the increasing popularity of touch-screen monitors, because of their ability to provide improved application control and intuitive interfaces, suggests that they may become more commonly used at PSAPs.

The HMI display includes a variety of display objects, including large buttons, tabs, drop-down menus, and a keypad, allowing call takers to rapidly manipulate data and minimize their need to manually enter information. The HMI display design is easily translated into a touch-screen monitor, through which call takers will be able to intuitively interact with the NG9-1-1 system by simply touching the desired functionality instead of executing a keyboard command.

Section 4.1, Main HMI Console, provides a comprehensive view of the HMI display, describing common system features and display sections. It also provides an indication of how 9-1-1 calls are received, processed, and shared by a PSAP call taker.

The HMI display will integrate with most screens and systems that are used at the PSAPs. HMI User Interface design activities are expected both to take advantage of legacy systems (CAD, mapping) and to expand the desktop’s capabilities through incorporation of inherent NG9-1-1 functionality. Furthermore, the display will provide a list of appropriate receiving (responding) agencies, such as Police/Fire/and Emergency Medical Services (EMS), that have the quickest response time to the emergency location.

Sub-sections 4.2 through 4.5 describe HMI display sub-sections and their key components. In addition, the interfaces between these components and data needs are addressed. Key system requirements are listed at the end of each sub-section to further detail the functionality for each screen. Sections 4.6 and 4.7 address the Multimedia Display and the Addition Information Display, respectively. The Map Display is discussed in Section 4.8. Finally, Section 4.9 provides interface, software, and hardware specifications for the HMI as a whole.

The HMI will be configurable to assist individuals who have difficulty distinguishing between standard color shades. By using textual and visual references in addition to color, the HMI will allow these users to determine the status of the call (e.g., incoming call, held call, more information, and/or active call). The HMI display design provides for the ability to receive, use, and manipulate information and operate controls necessary to access and use information technology by visual enhancement or non-visual means. Examples of equivalent access include screen enlargement, magnification software, keyboard controls used for input and synthesized speech, Braille, or other audible or tactile means used for output. Appropriate configuration will be determined by each of the PSAP locations; however, for the purpose of the POC, alerts will be generated via a flashing button and a change in the text displayed on the button face.

Appendix F, Design Components, contains descriptions and rules of fields used to illustrate the HMI design screen.

4.1 Main HMI Console

The Main HMI Console is the main display used by call takers to answer, respond to, and manage calls. The console allows call takers to view essential and supplementary data associated with each call. The console also provides call takers with quick access to tools to effectively process calls, such as embedded interrogation questions, scripting, and emergency response procedures. Call takers will be able to share all of the data obtained during the call with third parties and responder agencies directly from the main console. The screen contains a listing of appropriate agencies that are selected based on the type and location of the emergency situation. The Main Console is designed to minimize the time needed to access data and execute commands. The console will allow call takers to access most applications with a single click or keystroke.

The Main HMI Console is divided into four sections, as well as two areas for Pop-Up displays. The four sections are Caller Information, Emergency Information, Telephone Controls, and Call Taker Helpful Hints. The Multimedia Display (Pop-Up Section 1) is dedicated specifically for multimedia data, including Teletypewriter/ Telecommunications Device for the Deaf (TTY/TDD), text messaging, video and interactive video, and image displays. The Additional Information Display (Pop-Up Section 2) is dedicated for all other supporting and supplemental data as well as call taker tools. The Additional Information Display includes features such as embedded scripting, Responding Agency Detail, SOPs, Call Record, and, Call Recording, as well as other necessary identified Pop-Up sections. The Pop-Up screens use tab functionality, enabling the call taker to have multiple screens open simultaneously and switch between the screens using the tabs. For clarity, the active Pop-Up screen is highlighted to indicate the information the call taker is viewing. Table 4.1 describes the Main HMI Console sections and Pop-Up message screens.

Table 4.1—Main HMI Console Sections and Pop-Up Message Screens

The following sub-sections (4.2–4.7) of this document specify details regarding components, features, and functionality of each section.

An incoming call will be automatically forwarded to the available call taker (whose ACD status is set to “Available”). To alert the call taker of an incoming call, the entire HMI Main Console will flash and provide an audible warning. The call taker will be automatically connected to the caller, and, upon call initiation, the Caller Information section will be pre-populated with call stream data. Figure 4.1 describes the flow of information of the HMI screen depending on the call type.

Many PSAPs currently employ a separate monitor to display the mapping application, ensuring that call takers are able to obtain a clear geographical understanding of the emergency location. It is assumed that once the HMI is implemented, the mapping display will remain separate and will be integrated with the HMI and supporting NG9-1-1 tools.

The inability to distinguish shades of color is commonly referred to as color blindness or color vision deficiency.

Figure 4.1—HMI Flow Chart

The remainder of the current sub-section describes the HMI display layouts the call taker would see in the following scenarios:

1. Standard Voice Call (Multimedia and Additional Information tabs are deactivated)
2. Standard Voice Call (with Additional Information tab activated)
3. Multimedia Call (with Multimedia and Additional Information tabs activated)
4. TTY/TDD Call.

4.1.1 Standard Voice Call (Multimedia and Additional Information Tabs Are Deactivated)

Initially the Additional Information (Pop-Up Section 2) of the display will be unpopulated. If the call is not accompanied by any multimedia data, the Multimedia Display (Pop-Up Section 1) will also remain blank. Figure 4.2 shows the HMI Main Console with both Pop-Up sections deactivated.

Call takers will automatically receive a call if their status is set to “Available” based on ACD rules. Call takers may also pick up a call from the Call Queue section. The Alert feature of the ACD display will flash and generate an audio alert to notify call takers of a call that has been waiting in the queue for longer than necessary.

Each of the sections of the HMI Main Console and their related functionality, including Caller Information, Emergency Information, Telephone Controls and ACD Display, Helpful Links, as well as both of the Pop-Up sections, will be described in detail in the following sections of the document.

The display is designed to fit on a standard PSAP monitor (see Section 5.1.3 of this document for hardware specifications); therefore, all of the features, including selection buttons and telephone controls, will be easily viewed and accessed by call takers. However, if, during the testing phase, it becomes apparent that some of the functions are too small or not easily accessible, the design will be modified to ensure efficient navigation and usability of the display.

Figure 4.2—HMI Main Console (Pop-Up Sections Deactivated)

4.1.2 Standard Voice Call (with Additional Information Tab Activated)

By activating the Script button, a Pop-Up screen with specific information associated with the Emergency Type, is displayed to the user (see Section 4.3.3, Scripting ). The call taker will be able to activate this script during the call to guide the interrogation of the caller, as well as to allow the call taker to provide the caller with specific instructions related to the emergency. Furthermore, the call taker will be able to activate Agency Detail, Caller History, and Call Record tabs to use as reference during the call. As shown in Figure 4.3, the selected Scripting Pop-Up tab is highlighted to indicate that it is currently in use, and the remaining tabs are grayed out. The call taker will click on the tab, and it will be activated with the appropriate Pop-Up message. If the call taker decides to open another Additional Information tab (e.g., Call Queue), that tab will be the main activated tab. Each of the tabs will contain a Close Tab feature, to enable call takers to close the tab if it is no longer necessary.

Figure 4.3—HMI Main Console with Additional Information (Pop-Up Section 2) Activated

In Figure 4.3, the Multimedia section remains deactivated because the call does not contain any multimedia data.

4.1.3 Multimedia Call

The HMI Main Console contains functionality for call takers to receive multimedia calls (i.e., video/interactive video, static images, and text messages). Call takers will be able to view and interact with this multimedia data by using the Multimedia section (Pop-Up Section 1). If multiple types of media are received, the associated Pop-Ups will be activated. For example, if a caller sends both a text message and an image, both the TTY/TDD/Txt Message and Image Pop-Up displays will be shown to the call taker.

The call taker will have access to all of multimedia data types simultaneously from the Multimedia section. Call takers will be able to switch between the tabs as necessary to access needed data. Furthermore, the call taker may need to view a call script and other information associated with the call. The Additional Information Display (Pop-Up Section 2) will be activated with the necessary call data. Each of the tabs (for both Pop-Up sections) will contain a Close Tab button to enable call takers to close the tab if it is no longer necessary. Figure 4.4 shows the HMI Main Console when both Multimedia and Additional Information sections are activated.

Figure 4.4—HMI Main Console for a Multimedia Call

The caller will be able to initiate a video call with the call taker or request the assistance of a call interpreter. The Video/Interactive Video tab is available from the Multimedia Display (Pop-Up Section 1). The supporting image and text message is accessible to the call taker from his/her respective multimedia tabs, allowing the call taker to view them if necessary.

If a call interpreter is requested for the call, the Call Interpreter Pop-Up display activates in Pop-Up Section 2. To ensure that the call taker will always be in contact with the caller, as well as to maintain the standardized presentation information on the display, the Call Interpreter Pop-Up display is the only Multimedia display that is not activated in the Multimedia Display Pop-Up Section 1. The HMI will offer the possibility to view the Call Interpreter section for the purpose of storing the interpreter’s actions as part of the call record as well as maintaining visual contact between the interpreter and the call taker.

Figure 4.5 shows the HMI Main Console display with activated Interactive Video Display and the Call Interpreter Pop-Up.

Figure 4.5—HMI Main Console for Video Call with Activated Video Display and Call Interpreter Pop-Up

The call taker may need to use a script or view Additional Data for the call during the video call. To provide for this functionality, the Call Interpreter Pop-Up can be moved anywhere around the HMI Main Console display. It can also be resized to prevent the Pop-Up from blocking any necessary data. Figure 4.6 shows the HMI Main Console display with the Video/Interactive Video Multimedia section 2 tab activated, Additional Information Pop-Up Section 2 activated with a call script, and the Call Interpreter window resized and moved to the center of the display. As in the previous scenarios, the call taker will be able to view a number of Multimedia and Additional Information Pop-Ups during a single session by switching between tabs during the call. Activated tabs are highlighted, whereas deactivated tabs are grayed out.

Figure 4.6—HMI Main Console for Video Call with Activated Video Display, Call Interpreter Pop-Up, and Additional Information Pop-Up Sections

4.1.4 TTY/TDD Call

The HMI Main Console contains functionality to enable call takers to receive and maintain a teleconference with a person who is speech- or hearing-impaired using a TTY/TDD device or text-based system. In the NG9-1-1 environment, these callers will be able to use text messaging and video phones/devices in addition to TTY/TDD, the only direct 9-1-1 access method today.

For the purposes of this document, TTY/TDD calls are considered multimedia in that in addition to the text-based conversation, additional data is received by the call taker that will help make response-based decisions.

When a TTY/TDD call is received, the HMI Main Console will display the TTY/TDD/ Txt Message Pop-Up that contains the text-based conversation.

Figure 4.7 shows the HMI Main Console display with the TTY/TDD/Text Messaging Pop-Up screen activated.

Figure 4.7—HMI Main Console for TTY/TDD Call with Activated

4.2 Caller Information Sub-Section

The first sub-section of the Main HMI Console is the Caller Information sub-section. It contains information about an incoming call based on information received about the caller device from the NG9-1-1 System. This sub-section is primarily a read-only area and contains information related to caller location, contact information, and latitude/ longitude data.

4.2.1 Caller Information Sub-Section Screen Layout

The Caller Information sub-section contains information about the caller, including contact and location information. This information will be populated by the NG9-1-1 System, which receives information about the call origination device from the various data and call services connected to the network. Call takers will read this information as needed to process the emergency. This information includes Caller Location, Community, State, Contact Information, Name associated with the call device, as well as Latitude and Longitude data. The sub-section also contains information about the Service Provider and the Class of Service for the device. The only area that the call taker will be able to edit is the Alternate field—which allows the call taker to add a new number that may be associated with the call. A number of Pop-Up screens, including Additional Addresses, Caller History, Additional Call Data, and Update fields are available to the call taker from this sub-section. Figure 4.8 shows the layout for the Caller Information sub-section.

Figure 4.8—Caller Information Sub-Section Layout

Three Pop-Up screens can be accessed from the Caller Information sub-section:

• Additional Addresses
• Caller History
• Additional Call Data.

If the system has information to populate one of the Pop-Up screens, the associated button will flash and change text font to give the call taker a visible indicator that more information is available. Call takers will be able to view the additional information by selecting the appropriate button, after which the information will populate the Additional Information Pop-Up Section 2. Sections 4.2.2–4.2.4 describe the Pop-Up screens of the Caller Information sub-section.

Caller Information Sub-Section Features and Components

Caller Information sub-section components and their detailed description and functionality are described in Table 4.2.

Table 4.2—Caller Information Sub-Section Components

Requirements

Key NG9-1-1 Tier 1 requirements addressed by the Caller Information sub-section deal with the capability of the screen to present location information about the caller extracted from the call originating device, as well as latitude and longitude information. The call taker will also be able to access the caller history, view call data, and access other supplemental and supporting data from this sub-section of the HMI Console. A complete list of requirements addressed by the Caller Information sub-section and its Pop-Up screens is provided in Appendix D of this document—Requirements Traceability Matrix.

4.2.2 Additional Addresses Pop-Up

The Additional Addresses Pop-Up displays other addresses for the call device, if they are available. If the system or the service provider uses several locations, the addresses are captured by the Additional Addresses Pop-Up. These can also be additional addresses that a service provider collects from a registered user such as the home or work address.

The Additional Addresses Pop-Up screen contains a button to enable the call taker to add the address data to the comments of the incident record along with a time stamp. This feature may not be needed often because the data will also be contained in the call record database.

The key location information is displayed on the screen. If there is additional information associated with this location, the call taker will be able click on the line to a link to this information. This will allow the call taker to drill down to the level of data that he/she needs without cluttering up the screen with unnecessary information.

The call taker will also be able to add an additional address to this field if there is a new address that has not been captured by this screen. This may be a secondary address for the caller, such as a work address that has not been updated in the service provider records. Call takers will be able to add new address information using this section of the screen. Figure 4.9 shows the layout for the Additional Addresses Pop-Up screen.

Figure 4.9—Additional Addresses Pop-Up Screen Layout

4.2.3 Caller History Pop-Up

The Caller History Pop-Up screen is populated by the PSAP call record database. Information on all previous calls or contacts is listed in order, with the most recent first. This function is established by the PSAP business rules. These rules also determine what is displayed. The call taker will be able to pull up detailed information (if it is available) by clicking on an incident, or by selecting the View Call Record button. This triggers the Call Record Pop-Up (see Section 4.4.4) to open, which contains detailed historic information about the call, allowing the call taker to drill down to the level of detail needed for a particular call.

A call taker will use this screen to determine the history of the caller, and often it will allow him/her to assist in the processing of requests for service in the event of recurring incidents. Figure 4.10 shows the layout for the Caller History Pop-Up screen.

Figure 4.10—Caller History Pop-Up Screen Layout

4.2.4 Additional Call Data Pop-Up

Additional information shared during the call is displayed in the Additional Call Data (Pop-Up Section 2). This information can be a URL link to medical records, telematics, or locally stored database information. This will be different for each PSAP based on the services that the PSAP uses or has access to, and the business rules of the PSAP that determine the level of detail displayed to the call taker.

Information that is displayed directly should be labeled with clear text labels. For example if eXtensible Markup Language (XML) tags are used, the clear text of the tag should be used to label the data, not just the tag. These clear text labels are important to ensure clear understanding of the information by the call taker.

This screen also has a button to add the information to the incident comments. The contents of this screen is established by the PSAP business rules.

A call taker will use this screen to obtain additional information such as the severity of an impact in a vehicle crash to determine the level of response that is needed for an emergency. Figure 4.11 shows the layout for the Additional Call Data Pop-Up screen.

Figure 4.11—Additional Call Data Pop-Up Screen Layout

4.3 Emergency Information Sub-Section

The Emergency Information sub-section provides information about the emergency, including emergency location and emergency type. The location of the emergency is pre-populated with information extracted from the Caller Information sub-section; however, the call taker will be able to change this data if the emergency location is different than the caller’s location.

4.3.1 Emergency Information Sub-Section Screen Layout

The call taker will use the Emergency Information sub-section to enter data about the emergency and to update information sent to the PSAP about the caller. The screen also allows the call taker to view response agencies that are identified based on emergency type and location. Several Pop-Up screens are accessible from the Emergency Information sub-section, including Call SOP, Call Scripts, Agency Directory, Agency Detail, and Caller Information Discrepancy. Figure 4.12 shows the layout for the Emergency Information sub-section.

Figure 4.12—Emergency Information Sub-Section Layout

At the time of the call, the emergency information is populated based on the caller’s location information (Section 4.2.1). The call taker will be able to change the location information if the emergency location is different from the one provided by the caller. This is useful in the event that a person calls to report an incident that he/she is witnessing at another location such as a fire across the street.

The caller will be able to enter the type of emergency during queue waiting period. The Emergency Type field will populate with this information, if it is provided. However, the call taker will be able to enter and/or change the Emergency Type (Fire, Police, EMS) from the Emergency Type drop-down menu. The Emergency Secondary Type is a sub-menu of the Emergency Type. Based on the emergency type selected and the PSAP business rules, the menu changes and can also be used as a free text field. As an example, the caller may have an EMS emergency. The call taker selects the EMS entry from the Emergency Type drop-down menu. The Emergency Secondary Type drop-down menu populates with all common medical emergencies. The call taker selects the Emergency Secondary Type (i.e., Heart Attack) or enters text if the emergency is not available in the list (i.e., Dental Problem). If the emergency is both a medical and a police emergency, the call taker will be able to enter EMS into the Emergency Type field, and Police into the Emergency Secondary Type.

As new information is entered into the Emergency Location field, the other fields on the Emergency Section update. The Responding Agencies Listing automatically updates based on the Emergency Type and Location entry. Based on the update to an Emergency Type entry, the Responding Agency listing may change again or a support agency may be added to the list. These changes would all be based on the business rules of the PSAP.

The call taker will be able to enter notes about the emergency using the free-text Notes section. The notes can contain any information call takers believe is relevant to the emergency. The call taker will also be able to choose to send information to the dispatch agency by selecting the Dispatch button. This triggers sharing with the dispatcher of the call record (Section 4.4.4), which includes Emergency Type and Location, multimedia data, notes, and other call-related data.

Call takers will be able to access a variety of tools and components from the Emergency Information sub-section that will enable them to manage and handle the call. Call Scripts and Call SOP Pop-Ups become available based on the entered Emergency Type. The call taker will be able to view Agency Directory and Agency Detail if additional information about the responder is needed. The selected Pop-Up populates in Additional Information Display (Pop-Up Section 2). Sections 4.3.2—4.3.5 describe the Pop-Up screens of the Emergency Information sub-section.

Emergency Information Sub-Section Features and Components

Table 4.3 details the function of the fields and buttons on the Emergency information screen.

Table 4.3—Emergency Information Sub-Section Components

Requirements

Key NG9-1-1 requirements addressed by the Emergency Information sub-section deal with determining the location and type of the emergency and selecting appropriate responder agencies based on the location and type of the emergency, as well as enabling call takers to log the displayed responder agencies for each call. Call takers will also be able to access business rules and call handling procedures from this section. A complete list of requirements addressed by the Emergency Information sub-section and its Pop-Up screens is provided in Appendix D—Requirements Traceability Matrix.

4.3.2 Call SOP Pop-Up

The Call SOP button opens the Call SOP Pop-Up screen. The system populates this screen based on the Emergency Type and the PSAP business rules. If the selected SOP is not correct, the call taker will be able to access the directory of all SOPs and select the appropriate SOP. The Associated Procedures area will populate with a listing of SOPs identified for the emergency type and/or multimedia type. If there is no Emergency Type selected, the button can select a general SOP or the Directory of all SOPs based on PSAP business rules. Figure 4.13 shows the layout of the Call SOP Pop-Up screen.

Figure 4.13—Call SOP Pop-Up Screen Layout