Conditions for the acquisition of operating knowledge for solving technical problems

微电子领域的进步与新产品创新（例如智能家居系统）齐头并进，从而导致人与技术相互作用的变化。这种相互作用中的干扰是有问题的。一方面，干扰可以归因于系统因素，这是可用性研究范围内的研究（例如，用户界面的设计），但另一方面，它们也可能来自个人影响（例如，缺乏操作知识）。由于产品种类的增加、产品生命周期的缩短和产品复杂性的增加，开发足够的操作知识是具有挑战性的，而且正变得越来越困难。我们的研究项目侧重于这种教育视角。技术设备的操作被看作是一个解决问题的过程（technical problem solving）：通过与设备的交互，人的目标是将当前启动系统的状态转化为期望的目标状态。在这样做的过程中，会出现障碍，使过渡变得困难，不能通过常规行动来解决。本研究项目关注的是获取操作知识以克服这些障碍的条件和形式。该项目的核心是调查个人认知和动机特征以及系统因素的作用，这些因素可能有利于或阻碍与数字化技术的有效互动。使用已建立的基于计算机的技术问题解决测试，可用于记录交互数据（例如，鼠标点击），在获取操作知识和有目的地控制技术设备中的偏好和过程进行了调查。日常技术系统从家庭自动化，家用电器和信息和通信技术领域（例如，加热控制，洗碗机，或互联网路由器）被考虑。所使用的基于计算机的测试在研究1中进一步发展（例如，由用户手册扩展）并根据广泛的成人样本进行校准。在研究2中，除了评估个体在解决技术问题方面的表现外，还将评估个体的认知和动机特征（即智力、阅读技能或技术自我概念）。根据获得的数据，调查了以下问题：(a)人们是否更喜欢某种形式的知识获取或将不同的形式结合起来（例如，通过系统探索发现功能并阅读用户手册中的说明）；(b)在什么条件下人们使用某种方法(例如，技术自我概念低的人是否更有可能从用户手册中获取知识？)和(c)日常技术设备的成功使用在多大程度上可归因于个人特征、知识获取策略和所获得知识的各个方面。

Advances in the field of microelectronics go hand in hand with new product innovations (e.g., smart home systems), which result in changes in human-technology-interaction. Interferences in this interaction are problematic. On the one hand, interferences can be attributed to system factors, which are researched within the scope of usability studies (e.g., design of user interfaces), but on the other hand they can also arise from individual influences (e.g., lack of operating knowledge). The development of adequate operating knowledge can be challenging and is becoming more difficult due to increasing product variety, shorter product life cycles and increasing product complexity. Our research project focuses on this educational perspective. The operation of a technical device is seen as a problem solving process (technical problem solving): By interacting with a device, a person aims at transforming a current start system state into a desired target state. In doing so, barriers occur which make a transition difficult and which cannot be solved by routine actions. This research project is concerned with the conditions and forms of acquiring operating knowledge to overcome such barriers. The core of the project is to investigate the role of individual cognitive and motivational characteristics as well as system factors that may favor or hinder competent interaction with digitized technology. Using an established computer-based test for technical problem solving, which can be used to record interaction data (e.g., mouse clicks), preferences and processes in the acquisition of operating knowledge and in the purposeful control of a technical device are investigated. Everyday technical systems from the fields of home automation, household appliance and information and communication technology (e.g., heating control, dishwasher, or Internet router) are considered. The computer-based test used is further developed (e.g., extended by user manuals) and calibrated in Study 1 based on a broad adult sample. In Study 2, cognitive and motivational characteristics of individuals (i.e., intelligence, reading skills, or technical self-concept) will be assessed in addition to their performance in technical problem solving. Based on the obtained data, the questions are investigated (a) whether people prefer some form of knowledge acquisition or combine different forms (e.g., discovering a function through system exploration with reading instructions in the user manual), (b) under which conditions people use a certain method (e.g., Is a person with a low technical self-concept more likely to acquire knowledge from user manuals? ) and (c) to which extent the successful use of everyday technical devices can be attributed to individual characteristics, strategies of knowledge acquisition and aspects of acquired knowledge.