A Method for Formal Analysis and Simulation of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) to Meet Safety Standards

Abstract

Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are the “glue” that holds the command-and-control center together. They are step-by-step instructions to guide the operators on how to control complex human-machine systems. While the machine is certified and the operators are licensed, SOPs are loosely regulated. Time and cost constraints limit the testing of SOPs to account for the variability noted in human performance, i.e., SOP execution time and the variability in the operational environment. Additionally, SOPs mainly exist as static text documents, i.e., Word documents, hindering the ability to revise SOPs and maintain configuration integrity consistently. To address these limitations, this dissertation developed a framework for a digital SOP representation, metrics, and a simulation model to aid in creating, revising, and evaluating SOPs. A canonical structure, the extended Procedure Representation Language (e-PRL), was developed to decompose SOP steps into perceptual, cognitive, and motor elements. A method for using Large Language Models (LLMs) to generate SOP Steps from Owners Manuals, and a method to classify the text in the SOP steps into e-PRL components was developed. Techniques, including Monte-Carlo simulations to assess human performance and quantitative metrics that evaluate SOP content and training requirements, were developed for the e-PRL representation. Three case studies demonstrating the applicability of the methods are presented from the following domains: (1) aviation operational SOPs, (2) International Space Station (ISS) Habitable Airlock (HAL) SOPs, and (3) semi-autonomous vehicle SOPs. The implications of the results for each case study and the limitations and future work for the methods are discussed.