Effective Integration of Human Factors Engineering into System Development Acquisition Programs

This is a research effort that will support improved understanding and application of human factors by Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) acquisition program personnel in order to improve compliance with FAA Order 9550.8 and AMS policy and guidance. This research focus is on the identification of potential areas for improvement and on the documentation of best practices regarding the effective integration of human factors engineering into the acquisition process. The potential for technology transfer is high, in that the study recommendations will apply generally to organizations with safety critical functions, including private sector companies supporting aviation. As one input, this work will consider the adequacy of the FAA Human Factors Acquisition Job Aid, which was designed as a reference to help ensure the successful integration of human factors over the lifecycle of the FAA acquisition process. However, it also will look more broadly at how other organizations with missions to support safety-critical operations achieve this goal of effectively integrating human factors engineering into the acquisition process. It will also incorporate recent advances in relevant human factors engineering methods and the research will illustrate how they can be integrated into training materials for the personnel responsible for different stages of the acquisition process.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • From FAA Air Traffic Organization (ATO) Research Requirement AJM-FY20-7 (July 28, 2019): Program-level human factors team members have identified a need for guidance to inform their selection of human factors tools and techniques based on current industry best practices and standards. In particular, they have requested a set of standard instruments and measures of usability suitable for the evaluation air traffic control systems that will streamline the selection of evaluation tools and allow for comparison of results across similar systems. Research required to support the revision of the job aid includes a survey of the current use and needed improvements of the job aid; a literature review and market survey to identify suitable instruments and techniques; and the actual revision of the job aid.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $449532
• Contract Numbers:

  Cooperative Agreement Award 692M152140002

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Federal Aviation Administration

  800 Independence Avenue, SW
  Washington, DC  United States  20591
• Project Managers:

  Herschler, Dan

• Performing Organizations:

  The Ohio State University Research Foundation

  1960 Kenny Rd. Columbus, OH 43210-1063
  , OH   
• Principal Investigators:

  Smith, Phil

• Start Date: 20201230
• Expected Completion Date: 20231229
• Actual Completion Date: 0
• USDOT Program: Air Traffic Control/Technical Operations Human Factors
• Subprogram: Human Factors Design Standards, Guidance, and Studies Supporting NAS Technology Integration
• Source Data: Funding: $449,532.00

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air traffic control; Best practices; Human factors engineering; Literature reviews; Procurement; Surveys; Training
• Identifier Terms: U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
• Subject Areas: Aviation; Operations and Traffic Management; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01761936
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Federal Aviation Administration
• Contract Numbers: Cooperative Agreement Award 692M152140002
• Files: RIP, USDOT
• Created Date: Jan 4 2021 3:12PM