Integrating Human Factors into a system’s lifecycle
Todd Bentley• Manager – Risk and Safety Improvement Programs
• The issue
• What is HSI
• Benefits of HSI
• Example HSI Model
• Who is using HSI?
• Challenges to HSI
• RRL as a sample in V/Line
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• A system’s results are produced by the joint
behaviour of equipment and its users,
designers need to successfully account for
both.RSSB Understanding Human Factors –
a guide for the railway industry
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Designers, Users, and the System
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Actual
System
Designer’s
Model
User’s
Model
System
Specification
Procedures, Training
Manufacturing /
Construction
Variances
System
evolution and
change
Experience
Human Systems Integration(a.k.a. Human Factors Integration)
• Human Factors Integration (HFI) is a
systematic process for identifying, tracking,
and resolving human related issues ensuring a
balanced development of both technologies
and human aspects of capability.UK Ministry of Defence
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HSI Domains• Manpower – the human resources required to operate and
maintain the system (including provision of training)
• Personnel – the skills, aptitudes, and human characteristics
required
• Training – Specification of the competencies required and
analysis of the appropriate delivery methods to ensure that
personnel will be able to operate the systems under the full range
of operating conditions
• Human Factors Engineering – integration of human
characteristics into the system definition (e.g. requirements and
specifications)
• System Safety – process of applying human factors expertise to
minimise system risk
• Health hazards – identify and address inherent health risks in
using the system.
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Who is using HSI Approach?
• Formal HSI systems are found in:
-US Army (ManPrint) and Navy (SeaPrint)
-UK Ministry of Defence
-Australian Defence Forces
-NASA
-FAA
-Nuclear Regulations
-Railcorp
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Example: Military Combat Systems (DEF(AUST)5000–Vol 06 Pt 02 Sec 03)
Procurement Phase
Capability Needs Identification
Requirements Phase Acquisition Phase In-Service Disposal
Pre-1st Pass Pre 2
nd Pass Abbreviations
(for ease of reference)
Organisations Primary
Involvement
Strategy Group
Capability Development Executive (CDE) CDS - Capability Development Statement
DCP - Defence Capability Plan
FPS - Functional and Performance Specification
OCD - Operations Capability Document
PFPS - Preliminary Functional and Performance Specification
POCD - Preliminary Operations Capability Document
TCD – Test Concept Document
TNA - Training Needs Analysis
TRA - Technical Risk Assessment
Navy Systems Command (including NWSA)
DMO Emerging Project Team DMO Systems Program Office
DSTO DSTO DSTO
End-Users (e.g. SCFEG)
Industry / Suppliers
Key Project Document
Outputs
CDS DCP Concepts to meet
Capability
POCD PFPS Workforce Designs TRA
OCD FPS TCD TRA
Verification and Validation Plan
Related HSI Documents and
Processes
Identify Post 1
st
pass HSI Packages
Crew Estimation
Preliminary Schemes of Compliment
Early Hazard and Safety Analysis
Schemes of Compliment
Skills and TNA Hazard and Safety
Analysis
Training manuals and crew training
Key Human Factors
Processes and Outputs
Plan
Requirements Phase HF Process and HF work packages
Preliminary User Needs Analysis
Plan post 1st pass
HF Process and HF work packages
TRA (1st Pass)
Preliminary System Concepts
User Needs Analysis
Task Analysis Task and
Functional Decomposition
System Performance Criteria Development
Conceptual Design Validation of
Concepts against User Needs
TRA (2nd Pass)
Detailed Design and Construction
Revision of HMI concept document
Expert-Based Evaluation
Individual and Team Usability Evaluation
Verification of Design
Validation Testing Acceptance into
Service
In-use (in-context) Validation Testing
Operational Evaluation and Feedback (to refine and upgrade Requirements)
Manpower System SafetyPersonnel Training HFE Health
Benefits of a HSI Approach
• Improved Safety
• Decreased design costs
• Decreased ongoing costs
• Minimisation of project delays
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Published Benefits of HSI (Defence)
• HSI cost was 4% of $75m design project, and resulted
in cost avoidance of $3.29B (44:1 ROI) plus estimated
to save 91 fatalities and 116 disabling injuries. Booher
(1997)
• HSI process is typically 2-4.2% of an acquisition
budget, and average ROI is 40-60:1 (US Air Force, 2009)
• Canadian Defence: 8 projects used an HSI approach
at a cost of $3.3m. Immediate return (at conclusion of
design) was $3.5m. Long term return for one system
will be $131m (Greenley et al, 2006)
• Unmanned flying vehicle design – HSI elements were
not considered, leading to a series of costly mishaps (Tvaryanas, 2005)
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Other Published Benefits to HSI
• Beyond defence, HSI publications tend to say
“improved safety”
-Oil and gas (Cullen 2007, McSweeney
2008)
-Nuclear (Kirwan 2003)
-Intensive care (Becker 2008)
-Signal and Train control (Heape and Low,
2009) Victoria line upgrade for London Metro Rail
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Challenges to Implementation
• Acceptance that humans are part of the system, and
errors will occur… But we can mitigate this!
• Must convince people of the benefit of HSI
• Needs to integrate into existing Project and
Engineering design and lifecycle processes
• Appropriate personnel need to perform and inform
each activity
• Process must be tailorable and scalable.
• Expected inputs / outputs must be clearly defined
• Communication of outcomes and analyses must be
clear and in the right language
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Communication
• G. Rowe: Articulate Incompetent
• Consequences of Erudite Vernacular Utilized
Irrespective of Necessity: Problems with Using
Long Words Needlessly. (Oppenheimer, 2005)
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Example: Regional Rail Link
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HSI Requirements
• At both the project level and for each work
package in RRL, they must:
-Develop a HSI Plan (which integrates into
other plans)
-Identify the Human Factors professional
who will support the relevant HF activities
and their skill set
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HSI Approach:
Regional Rail Link
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Concluding Question
• You just bought a cricket bat and ball for a 5
year olds birthday.
• The total cost was $1.10. The bat cost $1
more than the ball.
• How much did the ball cost?
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Design is by far the cheapest and most effective way for a
system or organisation to benefit from paying attention to
human factors. If a system delivers exactly the results
required by an organisation, it represents a happy
convergence of user requirements, designers’ intentions
and practical implementationRSSB Understanding Human Factors –
a guide for the railway industry
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