Toward an improved method of HSI evaluation in Defense Acquisition

• Main Author: Simpson, Matthew A.
• Other Authors: Miller, Nita Lewis
• Format: Others
• Published: Monterey, California. Naval Postgraduate School 2012
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10945/2390

Human Systems Integration Report === Each of the domains of HSI is of itself a discipline with vast amounts of research, analytic techniques, educational programs, and methods for evaluating the effectiveness of the system with respect to the specific domain. Relatively recently, domains with a logical similarity have been the focus of interest for researchers studying the plausibility of creating evaluative tools which take into account the constraints of multiple domains. This interest has led to the creation of various tools with which acquisition professionals can more accurately determine the impact of design decisions on the system as a whole. However, no single tool has yet been created which takes into consideration the constraints of all the domains which HSI encompasses. The development of such a tool would give decision-makers the ability to quickly and accurately determine the system-wide trade-offs associated with changes in a single domain. In order for this to occur, an in-depth study of the current tools associated with each of the HSI domains must be conducted. The most accurate tools from each domain must be integrated with a single interface. However, this step will only be realized after a common language has been identified which can speak to the effectiveness of the system in each of the domains. Finally, the interface must be intuitive, and designed with the end-user in mind. This study identified the various resources currently available for evaluating each of the HSI domains. These resources were compiled in a searchable database for use by the HSI professional in the planning of HSI evaluations. Following a description of how HSI relates to the Department of Defense acquisition process, the design effort to produce an overarching interface was presented. This interface would allow the acquisition professional to evaluate the trade-offs between all relevant domains and make well-informed decisions with respect to the overall effectiveness of the human in the system. Next, a plan for insertion of the process and software into the acquisition community, making the tool available to all acquisition professionals, was discussed. Finally, as with all research, the limitations of the present study were discussed, as well as recommendations for future research.