Human Factors Engineering

GUIDANCE

System Process Flowcharts / Human Factors Engineering

Human Factors Engineering is a multi-faceted discipline that generates information about human requirements and capabilities, and applies it to the design and acquisition of complex systems. Human factors engineering provides the opportunity to: (1) develop or improve all human interfaces with the system; (2) optimize human / product performance during system operation, maintenance, and support; and (3) make economical decisions on personnel resources, skills, training, and costs. Embedding and integrating human engineering activities into the acquisition of systems and equipment lowers lifecycle costs, improves overall performance, and reduces technical risk. Failure to apply the disciplines of human engineering has consistently resulted in the development of systems that do not satisfy the needs of the workforce, and often result in costly delays owing extensive re-work.

The Human Factors Job-Aid Guidelines are found in the FAA Acquisition System Toolset (FAST). These guidelines contain extensive information regarding the integration of human engineering activities into the acquisition management process. IPTs should be familiar with this information and should embed human engineering principles into their acquisition programs. The Table of Contents provides a quick look at the scope of information available in the Human Factors Job-Aid Guidelines. The Human Performance Interfaces in System Acquisition identify and define the many classes of human interfaces the IPT will need to consider as it plans and implements equipment / system acquisition programs.

The task descriptions in this process flow are intended to identify critical human engineering activities and point the practitioner to the appropriate location in the Human Factors Job-Aid Guidelines for additional information. While these tasks are limited to the Solution Implementation and In-Service Management phases of the acquisition lifecycle, the Guidelines contain equally important activities that take place during Mission Analysis and Investment Analysis.

Human engineering must be active in the following key areas of program planning and implementation:

Planning: Human engineering concepts, tasks, completion dates, levels of effort, methods to be used, test and evaluation, and implementation integrated with other program planning.
Analysis: Best allocation of function to personnel, equipment, software, or combinations thereof; dissection of functions to specific tasks; analysis of tasks to determine human performance parameters; quantification of task parameters to permit evaluation of human-system interfaces in relation to total system operation; identification of high-risk human engineering areas.
Design and Development: Conversion of mission, system, and task analyses data into (a) detail design and (b) development plans to create human-system interface that operates within human performance capabilities, meets system functional requirements, and accomplishes mission objectives.
Test and Evaluation: Verification that systems, equipment, software, and facilities can be operated and maintained within intended user performance capabilities, and is compatible with overall system requirements and resource constraints.
Management and Coordination: Human engineering activities coordinated with reliability, availability, maintainability (RMA) engineering: system safety; risk management; facilities systems engineering; integrated logistic support; and other human engineering functions including biomedical, personnel, and training.

Activity: Designate Human Factors Coordinator HF-1
Responsible Agent	Product	Approval Authority	Tools and Aids
PT leader	Human Factors Coordinator		Guidance on developing a human factors program
Description: The Product Team leader designates a Human Factors Coordinator to develop, direct, and monitor human engineering activities during system acquisition. This designation should occur as early as during Investment Analysis to ensure human considerations are an integral element of market surveys, trade-off analyses, and the definition of requirements for candidate solutions to mission need. The Human Factors Coordinator has the following responsibilities: Define human impacts and constraints during Investment Analysis and the determination of requirements Evaluate human-system interfaces during market surveys, trade-off analyses, and prototypes Prepare and update human engineering portions of program planning documents, procurement packages, performance criteria and measures, and data collection efforts Develop and analyze operational scenarios and human-system modeling for operators and maintainers Review and assess human engineering concepts and designs Coordinate human engineering efforts and work group activities Coordinate human engineering with other disciplines
Activity: Establish Human Factor Working Group HF-2
Responsible Agent	Product	Approval Authority	Tools and Aids
Human Factors Coordinator	Human Factors Working Group
Description: The Human Factors Coordinator may establish and chair a Human Factors Working Group (HFWG) to facilitate accomplishment of human engineering tasks and activities. The composition of the HFWG is tailored to the needs of the acquisition program. Membership typically consists of Product Team members with outside members participating as needed.
Activity: Incorporate Human Factors Strategy into the ASP HF-3
Responsible Agent	Product	Approval Authority	Tools and Aids
PT systems engineering specialist with assistance from the Human Factors Working Group	Human factors strategy in the ASP		Guidance for developing HF strategy for the ASP
Description: The human factors strategy depends on the size, cost, and complexity of the system to be acquired, and on the nature and complexity of the human-product interface. The human engineering strategy should address such factors as: the scope and level of human engineering required from the systems contractor, the human engineering roles and responsibilities of organizations and contractors, the means for evaluating the human-machine interface and achieving user buy-in, the data sources and facilities that will be needed, the distribution of funding and resources, the timing and scope of human engineering activities, the relationship of human engineering with other program elements. The Human Factors Working Group can assist in developing strategies appropriate for different types of acquisition programs such as those that procure non-developmental items, commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products, or fully develop new systems.
Activity: Incorporate Human Factors Tasks into the IPP HF-4
Responsible Agent	Product	Approval Authority	Tools and Aids
PT systems engineering specialist with assistance from the Human Factors Working Group	Human factors tasks in the Integrated Program Plan		Guidance for developing HF tasks for the IPP
Description: The human factors section of the Integrated Program Plan defines the individual human engineering work tasks that must be done during implementation of the program. For each task, the IPP assigns the responsible person and organization, identifies any output and the approval authority, specifies when the task should be completed, and allocates resources. As the program progresses through Solution Implementation, the human factors section of the IPP is updated to reflect changes in program strategy or execution, and to provide more planning detail as it is developed.
Activity: Develop Human Factors Engineering Plan HF-5
Responsible Agent	Product	Approval Authority	Tools and Aids
Human Factors Coordinator	Human Factors Engineering Plan		Template for Human Factors Engineering Plan
Description: For complex system acquisition programs, the Product Team may wish to prepare a Human Factors Engineering Plan. Tasks associated with this plan include: Defining the operational concept and support concept Describing the target population Defining human / system interfaces Defining human impacts of the system Defining the human engineering strategy Defining human engineering implementation activities
Activity: Incorporate Human Requirements into System Specification and Statement of Work HF-6
Responsible Agent	Product	Approval Authority	Tools and Aids
PT systems engineering specialist and human factors specialist	Human factors requirements in the System Specification Human factors tasking in the Statement of Work Human factors data items in the CDRL Human factors data item descriptions		Guidance on formulating human factors requirements in the System Specification Guidance on defining human factors tasking in the Statement of Work
Description: The System Specification and Statement of Work are the mechanisms for translating human performance requirements and appropriate human engineering work tasks to the contractor in a clear, unambiguous, and contractually binding document. The System Specification addresses the following elements to ensure required human performance will influence system design effectively: staffing constraints; required operator and maintainer skills; training time and cost for formal, informal, and on-the-job skill development; and acceptable levels of human and system performance when operated and maintained by the target population. The Statement of Work must contain all human factors tasking to be imposed on the contractor, as well as define data deliverables in the Contractor Deliverable Requirements List (CDRL) and associated Data Item Descriptions (DIDs).
Activity: Include Human Factors in Source Evaluation Criteria HF-7
Responsible Agent	Product	Approval Authority	Tools and Aids
PT systems engineering specialist with assistance from the Human Factors Working Group	Human factors source evaluation criteria		Guidance for specifying human factors in source selection
Description: Human performance should be a candidate as a major evaluation factor in source selection. By providing vendors a clear indication that the government attributes significant weight to how operators and maintainers will perform with the system, the agency sends a strong message that operational suitability and effectiveness are of utmost importance.
Activity: Conduct Human Engineering Analyses HF-8
Responsible Agent	Product	Approval Authority	Tools and Aids
Contractor (or other performing agent) conducts analyses	Appropriate data as specified in the CDRL and DIDs (or other designated documentation)	Appropriate official as designated in the CDRL (or other designated documentation)
Description: The Product Team oversees, monitors, and reviews human engineering analyses by the system contractor or other performing agent. These analyses may involve: Defining and allocating system functions; Analyzing information flow and processing; Estimating operator and maintainer capabilities; Defining and analyzing tasks and workloads.
Activity: Apply Human Engineering to System Design HF-9
Responsible Agent	Product	Approval Authority	Tools and Aids
Contractor designs system PT Human Factors Coordinator oversees and reviews	Human factors requirements integrated into system design		Guidance for integrating human engineering during detailed design
Description: Human engineering is applied to system design activities to optimize human-system interfaces and ensure human performance requirements are satisfied. Human engineering is applied to the full scope of system design including experiments, tests, and studies; engineering drawings; work environment, crew station, and facility design; performance and design specifications; procedure development; software development; and manuals. The following have proven effective when defining human-product interfaces during system design: Prototypes and computer models; Three-dimensional mockups; Scale models; Dynamic simulation.
Activity: Test System Against Human Performance Requirements HF-10
Responsible Agent	Product	Approval Authority	Tools and Aids
Contractor and government conduct testing PT human Factors Specialist oversees and evaluates	Test results on human performance requirements		Guidance on human engineering activities during test and evaluation
Description: Compliance of the system with human performance requirements is tested as early as possible in system development. Human engineering findings from design reviews, prototype reviews, mockup inspections, demonstrations, and other early engineering tests are used in planning and conducting later tests. Human engineering testing is directed toward verifying the system can be operated, maintained, supported, and controlled by user personnel in the intended operational environment.
Activity: Conduct In-Service Review for Human Factors HF-11
Responsible Agent	Product	Approval Authority	Tools and Aids
Human Factors Coordinator	Assessment of the acceptability of the human-machine interface
Description: Operational suitability and effectiveness are major evaluation factors in the decision to place a new capability into operational service. Satisfactory human performance is an integral element of operational suitability and effectiveness.

HUMAN PERFORMANCE INTERFACES IN SYSTEMS ACQUISITION^*

Human Interface Class	Performance Dimension	Performance Objective
Functional Interfaces: For operations and maintenance - role of the human vs. automation; functions and tasks; manning levels; skills and training	Task Performance	Ability to perform tasks within time and accuracy constraints
Information Interfaces: Information media, electronic or hardcopy, information characteristics, and the information itself	Information handling / processing performance	Ability to identify, obtain, integrate, understand, interpret, apply, and disseminate information
Environmental Interfaces: Physical, psychological, and tactical environments	Performance under environmental stress	Ability to perform under adverse environmental stress, including heat / cold, vibration, clothing, illumination, reduced visibility, weather, constrained time, and psychological stress
Operational Interfaces: Procedures, job aids, embedded or organic training and on-line help	Sustained performance	Ability to maintain performance over time
Organizational Interfaces: Job design, policies, lines of authority, management structure, organizational infrastructure	Job performance	Ability to perform jobs, tasks, and functions within the management and organizational structure
Cooperation Interfaces: Communications, inter- personal relations, team performance	Team performance	Ability to collectively achieve mission objectives
Cognitive Interfaces: Cognitive aspects of human-computer interfaces (HCI), situational awareness, decision-making, information integration, short-term memory	Cognitive performance	Ability to perform cognitive operations (e.g. problem solving, decision-making, information integration, situational awareness)
Physical Interfaces: Physical aspects of the system with which the human interacts, e.g., HCI, controls and displays, workstations, and facilities	Operations and maintenance performance	Ability to perform operations and maintenance at work stations and work sites, and in facilities using controls, displays, equipment, tools, etc.

*Adapted from Carlow International Incorporated

Human Factors Engineering Plan Content and Format
Headings		Content
Background	Program Summary	Brief description of the program Concept of operation and maintenance
	Program Schedule	Overview of system acquisition schedule
	Target Population	Identify the operator and maintainer Demographics Biographical data Previous training Aptitudes Task-related experience Anthropometric data Physical qualifications Organizational relationships Work space requirements
	Guidance	Summarize any guidance received
	Constraints	State if additional staffing is required by the new system State whether an existing job series will be used or a new one created Post limits on the amount of time that can be afforded for training Establish standards on the working conditions that will be acceptable when the new system is fielded Limitations imposed by maintenance policy Requirements as a result of union agreements
Issues and Enhancements	Issue Description	Describe the issue or problem background, importance, and consequences or task to be done to support the acquisition
	Objectives	Identify Human Factors Program objectives Provide performance measures and criteria in terms of time and accuracy to perform tasks to evaluate resolution of issue When human performance thresholds are known, identify tasks for the developer to be done early enough in the acquisition to influence requirements and system engineering Identify the actions to be taken to resolve each issue Show the current status of each issue
	Actions	Identify actions to be taken to resolve issues Show current status of each action
Activities	Activity Description	Identify any tasks, studies, or analyses that must be performed to resolve the issues (e.g., Human Factors Program Plan per MIL-HDBK-46855, Functional Analysis to support equipment vs. people allocation of functions, Task Analysis to produce a specific operator and maintainer task list)
	Activity Schedule	By acquisition phase, describe the human factors tasks in terms of who, what, when, and how (resources) Identify feeds to and dependencies on ILS, training, and test and evaluation programs
Strategy	Goals and Requirements	Strategy is derived from the major concerns, issues, schedule, tasks, guidance, constraints, objectives, and approach for the Human Factors Program Answer the question, "What objectives does the government wish to achieve?" Answer the question, "How will the government accomplish these objectives?"
	Approach	Define who will be responsible for the Human Factors Program Set out the extent of contractor support required Define how human factors resources will be organized and managed to support the system acquisition
	References	Identify relevant references needed for a full understanding of the Human Factors Program
Review	Review	Identify administrative handling procedures Identify update schedule and procedure Identify review procedures