Application of Natural Language Processing in Procedure Design

Abstract

Procedures play a vital role in high-risk systems in ensuring that the required level of system performance is achieved while maintaining the associated risks below an acceptable level. An effective procedure has a low level of task complexities i.e., elements contributing to a multiplicity of paths/outcomes, uncertainty in information, interdependency, a multiplicity of instructions/object of instructions and an excess amount of information. As a part of this study, we have developed a Natural Language Processing algorithm that can identify these elements in a procedure. The algorithm was tested for a dataset consisting of 20 procedures and the results were found to be promising.

Human Factors Guidance for Writing Effective Laboratory Standard Operating Procedures

“…Some studies have found that less experienced people benefit from a version with more detailed steps in a procedure and more experienced people from a shorter version. 18 Indeed, some evidence shows that those with more experience are more likely to make an error if there are more words in the step of a procedure. 44 It is important to note that these findings are preliminary in nature, and important information regarding this idea is still not known.…”

“…The lack of direct guidance regarding how to produce laboratory SOPs illustrates a gap in lab safety and effectiveness. Indeed, Franz suggests that, of the three pillars for safe and effective laboratory operations (i.e., facilities, equipment, and procedures), the procedures pillar is the most critical and most likely one to fail. , …”

“…Even with digital procedures (that have a digital timestamp of the time the steps are checked off), if workers are required to sign off on steps for accountability alone (versus as a tool to support their work), this would likely ultimately result in some sort of workaround behaviors. Some recent research suggests that providing different versions of the SOP to users with divergent experiences could be beneficial. Some studies have found that less experienced people benefit from a version with more detailed steps in a procedure and more experienced people from a shorter version . Indeed, some evidence shows that those with more experience are more likely to make an error if there are more words in the step of a procedure .…”

“…Some recent research suggests that providing different versions of the SOP to users with divergent experiences could be beneficial. Some studies have found that less experienced people benefit from a version with more detailed steps in a procedure and more experienced people from a shorter version . Indeed, some evidence shows that those with more experience are more likely to make an error if there are more words in the step of a procedure .…”

“…The lack of direct guidance regarding how to produce laboratory SOPs illustrates a gap in lab safety and effectiveness. Indeed, Franz 18 suggests that, of the three pillars for safe and effective laboratory operations (i.e., facilities, equipment, and procedures), the procedures pillar is the most critical and most likely one to fail. 19,20 This gap is not unique to laboratory procedures, and since 2014, the NGAP Consortium has been integrating the science and methods of Human Factors/Ergonomics (HF/E) into the development, implementation, and management of procedural systems in high-risk process industries (e.g., petrochemical, oil and gas, electrical management).…”