Definition Working in aviation requires operatives (pilots, controllers, airside safety, etc.) to take in information from a multitude of sources, assess this information, prioritise it, and use it to make decisions and take actions. This complete process from sensing information (whether it is aural, visual, mental, kinaesthetic, gustative or olfactory) through to taking action is referred to as “human information processing”, or information processing for short. So, information processing refers to the ability of the operator to process the type and amount of information within the required timeframe, and to do so in an effective manner that leads to suitable responses. Need to Know Information processing capabilities vary from person to person, day to day, place to place and task to task. It is particularly affected by age, health, stress, different environments, workplace cultures, experience levels, interpersonal relationships, distractions, and in particular, by its own limitations. These limitations can be substantial and will be explained later in this Article.
