Mary Theofanos NIST 301 975-5889 mary.theofanos@nist

1. Ten-Print Fingerprint Capture: Effect of Instructional Modes on User Performance Mary Theofanos NIST 301 975-5889 mary.theofanos@nist.gov May 23, 2007 These tests were performed for the Department of Homeland Security in accordance with section 303 of the Border Security Act, codified as 8 U.S.C. 1732. Specific hardware and software products identified in this report were used in order to perform the evaluations described in this document. In no case does such identification imply recommendation or endorsement by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, nor does it imply that the products and equipment identified are necessarily the best available for the purpose.

2. Why perform the study? • DHS and US-VISIT are transitioning from 2 prints to 10-prints • Visitors are not familiar with the 10-print process • Throughput and image quality are critical

3. Three Goals of the study To Understand: • How instructional modes affect the user performance • How long it takes to capture a 10-print image • What types of errors occur in this process

4. Experimental Design Instructional Modes Participants Leading Hand Right Left 100 50 50 Verbal 100 50 50 Poster 100 50 50 Video Timing Data and Errors

5. Three Instructional Modes 1st Mode: Verbal Read by the Test Facilitator: Step #1: When the right most light starts flashing green; place your right four fingers (demonstrate what four fingers) on the scanner and press down. Hold your fingers in place until the green light stops flashing Step #2: When the left most light starts flashing green; place your left four fingers (demonstrate what four fingers) on the scanner and press down. Hold your fingers in place until the green light stops flashing Step #3: When the center light starts flashing green; place your 2 thumbs (demonstrate thumbs side by side) on the scanner and press down. Hold your fingers in place until the green light stops flashing. Would you like me to repeat the instructions?

6. 2nd Mode: Poster

7. 3rd Mode: Video Video

8. Procedure Receive Instructions Give papers to operator Fingerprint Collection

9. Who were the participants? 300 Adults • 151 women and149 men • Age ranged from 18 years to 75 years old • 265 right handed, 31 left handed, 2 ambidextrous • Height ranged from 4’ 6” to 6’ 9” • Fingerprint experience: • 70 % inked • 9.7% electronically

10. Event Timeline P articipant enters room Instructions are presented Inst r u c tions p M ean M edian P articipant is ready P os t er 31.27 29.60 p < .01 p < .01 < .01 65.34 58.84 V erbal Capture initiated. Light goes on. p < .01 V ideo 86.93 P articipant places hand down 81.05 Scanner detects hand down First image is captured. Light goes of f . Scanner looks, for hand u p . P articipant rem o v es hand Capture repeated if needed (error) 1st Hand D o wn t o T ask End Next Hand (3X) p M ean M edian P os t er 64.13 58.50 < .01 48.21 45.00 V erbal p > .05 V ideo P a r ticipa n t R ea d y t o S ession End 50.87 46.00 p M ean M edian Time P os t er 114.40 91.50 ( A ll times measu r ed in se c onds) < .01 86.39 65.00 V erbal p > .05 V ideo 76.29 65.00 T otal T ime p M ean M edian P os t er 145.67 126.85 p < .01 p > .05 < .01 151.73 129.32 V erbal p < .01 V ideo 163.22 152.18

11. Results : Efficiency Time for Successful Trials

12. Results : Effectiveness Number of Errors per Instructional Method

13. Results : Satisfaction Survey Questions included: • The information provided was effective in helping me complete the fingerprint process. • The information provided clearly described the fingerprint process. • The information provided was confusing. • It was clear which hand was to be scanned first. • The order of fingerprint capture was clear. • It was clear how to position your hand on the sensor • It was clear when to remove your hand.

14. Instructions are significant factors for performance and quality • Poster Participants: • took significantly longer to complete the 10-print collection process • made significantly more errors • only 54% were able to successfully complete the fingerprinting process • left the poorest quality images using NFIQ.

15. Verbal and video instructions performed equally well • Verbal instructions were rated highest • Poster was rated the lowest

16. Observations on methods "initially lights did not mean anything" Poster: • Felt poster offered too much information              • Common problem: removed their hand before capture had taken place • Spent less time viewing the instructions than other 2 methods Verbal: • Overwhelmingly stated that clearly described the tasks • Problems were due to lack of visual preparation and difficulty with hand placement • Implied that the operator would assist them through the process Video: • Generally performed well • Difficult to judge the timing of the lights • Encouraged subjects to pay attention “label the lights on the machine. Left and Right” Should fingers be centered on the scanner? The less you have to think the better.

17. Operators are critical to the acquisition process Operators were able to assist: • Individuals to overcome the deficits of the instructional materials On a second try with operators help: • 98% of the participants who received the poster were able to successfully complete the fingerprint process

18. Language Independence is Key In the Operational Environment Video my be more conducive to the operational environment • Poster is error prone and impacts quality • Verbal instructions are delivered to visitors individually • Video instructions can be presented to visitors all at once • Provides optimum capture times • Low-error incidence • Reasonable quality

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