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This paper summarised the results of a large number of studies directed at improving the performance of individuals engaged in. a specialised information processing system. These studies demonstrate how the employment of a variety of human factors techniques could enhance effectiveness, without altering the quality of input into the system or changing basic equipment design. An attempt was made to show how a particular application of information theory could be used to control and evaluate data. ft is believed that this model is useful in other types of applications where uncertainties should be considered in relation to potential gains or losses. The model employs a computer as a complement of man, not as a substitute. The man in the system is still required to make complex judgements. The model merely requires some judgements to be made explicitly. The computer then helps generate additional judgements, provides rapid calculations, updates and systematically weights the information. It is left to the decision-maker to establish an acceptable quality standard for the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a study about the influence of information theory in the understanding of skills. It illustrates the influence of information theory on the perception and response in skilled behavior and examines the results of this research in comparison with other findings in the field. C. E. Shannon's measure of information, which concentrates on the probabilities of events, the measurement of the motor output in skills, and the measurement of input and output in skilled performance are discussed.

Dr Martin is Senior Instructor at the GPO Headquarters Training Centre for Instructors. This paper is condensed from part of a Ph.D. thesis, entitled A Study of Some Incentives in the Acquisition of a Manual Skill, accepted by the University of London in 1955. The thesis is devoted to an analysis of different methods of teaching typewriting and teleprinting; a description of experiments set up to compare the efficacy of the 'controlled unison practice' method (developed by Mr John Harrow, formerly officer-in-charge, GPO Telegraph Training School, Glasgow) with the more common 'individual instruction' method; a consideration of the incentive conditions inherent in the 'controlled unison practice' method; and the formulation of a general theory of incentives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]