ZAU CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN WITH NEWLY DEPLOYED 'USER REQUEST EVALUATION TOOL' (URET) AND ITS LIMITATIONS.

Narrative

IN THE SPRING OF 2002; CHICAGO CTR TRANSITIONED TO URET. DURING TRAINING WE WERE TOLD; OR LED TO BELIEVE; THAT THIS WOULD ONLY BE USED AS A D-SIDE TOOL AND USED AS A CONFLICT PROBE; AND THAT WE WOULD STILL RETAIN FLT PROGRESS STRIPS. AFTER IT WAS PUT IN; WE WERE TOLD THAT 'URET' WOULD REPLACE THE PAPER FLT PROGRESS STRIP; THIS IS A BIG PROB DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE DISPLAY IS NOT PROGRAMMED TO DO WHAT THE STRIPS DO. ONLY 1 PERSON CAN USE THE URET AT A TIME; AND THIS HAS INCREASED THE WORKLOAD ON THE RADAR -- D-SIDE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THEY MUST HAVE TO VERBALLY COORD ITEM NOW THAT COULD BE SHOWN ON STRIP; WHICH WAS USED AS A FORM OF NON-VERBAL COM. THE INFO IS TIME CONSUMING TO ENTER INTO IT; IF POINTED OUT; OR OTHER CTL INFO DUE TO ITS DESIGN. THE DISPLAY IS ALSO HARD TO READ AND FIND THE INFO DUE TO INFO BOTH PLACES ON A STRAIGHT LINE; INSTEAD OF THE FORM OF THE FLT PROGRESS STRIP; WHICH IS A LOGICAL LAYOUT. THE SYS IS SO BAD THAT PEOPLE WHO SAY THEY LIKE IT DON'T USE IT WHEN THEY ARE BUSY; DUE TO IT BEING VERY TIME CONSUMING. THIS HAS LED TO WHAT I BELIEVE IS AN INCREASE OF ERRORS IN ZAU. THIS SYS SHOULD NOT BE USED AS A STRIP REPLACEMENT UNTIL MOST OF THESE PROBS ARE ADDRESSED.