Narrative:

While using uret at sector 73 -- I fell behind significantly while working moderate traffic. Once I got busy -- uret became a hindrance -- I could not find the flight plan information necessary to know where each aircraft was going (its route of flight); type aircraft and requested altitude. As I look over at the uret screen -- the print is so small that it takes a moment to find the flight plan -- then you have to try to stay focused on this flight plan's line of information and follow across to find the rest of the information as the screen is always changing and moving these flight plans -- this is very distracting -- as I got busier and tried to work with the uret screen -- I eventually fell so far behind that I had to rely on my flight plan readout feature on my crd on the radar scope -- this was faster and allowed me to stay focused on the radar scope instead of being distracted by uret. Also; there are no times available on the uret screen to get an estimate of when this aircraft might enter my airspace. The flight data strips that we have been using are much better; they put all the information needed in an easy to read spot with legible print. Also when using uret; it is hard (if not impossible) to make information visible to the r-person when necessary for coordination (ie; control given to another sector; pointout information; routing changes; etc). Uret is a distraction and if we use it exclusively -- I cannot work nearly as many aircraft as I could with flight data strips.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: ZNY CTLR EXPRESSED CONCERN REGARDING URET FUNCTIONALITY.

Narrative: WHILE USING URET AT SECTOR 73 -- I FELL BEHIND SIGNIFICANTLY WHILE WORKING MODERATE TFC. ONCE I GOT BUSY -- URET BECAME A HINDRANCE -- I COULD NOT FIND THE FLT PLAN INFO NECESSARY TO KNOW WHERE EACH ACFT WAS GOING (ITS RTE OF FLT); TYPE ACFT AND REQUESTED ALT. AS I LOOK OVER AT THE URET SCREEN -- THE PRINT IS SO SMALL THAT IT TAKES A MOMENT TO FIND THE FLT PLAN -- THEN YOU HAVE TO TRY TO STAY FOCUSED ON THIS FLT PLAN'S LINE OF INFO AND FOLLOW ACROSS TO FIND THE REST OF THE INFO AS THE SCREEN IS ALWAYS CHANGING AND MOVING THESE FLT PLANS -- THIS IS VERY DISTRACTING -- AS I GOT BUSIER AND TRIED TO WORK WITH THE URET SCREEN -- I EVENTUALLY FELL SO FAR BEHIND THAT I HAD TO RELY ON MY FLT PLAN READOUT FEATURE ON MY CRD ON THE RADAR SCOPE -- THIS WAS FASTER AND ALLOWED ME TO STAY FOCUSED ON THE RADAR SCOPE INSTEAD OF BEING DISTRACTED BY URET. ALSO; THERE ARE NO TIMES AVAILABLE ON THE URET SCREEN TO GET AN ESTIMATE OF WHEN THIS ACFT MIGHT ENTER MY AIRSPACE. THE FLT DATA STRIPS THAT WE HAVE BEEN USING ARE MUCH BETTER; THEY PUT ALL THE INFO NEEDED IN AN EASY TO READ SPOT WITH LEGIBLE PRINT. ALSO WHEN USING URET; IT IS HARD (IF NOT IMPOSSIBLE) TO MAKE INFO VISIBLE TO THE R-PERSON WHEN NECESSARY FOR COORDINATION (IE; CTL GIVEN TO ANOTHER SECTOR; POINTOUT INFO; ROUTING CHANGES; ETC). URET IS A DISTRACTION AND IF WE USE IT EXCLUSIVELY -- I CANNOT WORK NEARLY AS MANY ACFT AS I COULD WITH FLT DATA STRIPS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.