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Decision Support Aiding for Human-Systems Acquisition
Navy SBIR 2009.2 - Topic N092-150 ONR - Mrs. Tracy Frost - [email protected] Opens: May 18, 2009 - Closes: June 17, 2009 N092-150 TITLE: Decision Support Aiding for Human-Systems Acquisition TECHNOLOGY AREAS: Information Systems, Materials/Processes, Human Systems OBJECTIVE: To develop a decision support tool that will allow system acquisition decision makers the ability to assess whether a proposed system addresses relevant Human-Systems Integration elements and how these elements impact Total Ownership Costs. DESCRIPTION: Given the increasing importance of considering sound and principled Human Systems Integration (HSI) methods in all DoD projects (NRC, 2007), there is a need to support systems acquisition decision makers who are not formally trained in low-level HSI practices. The DoD defines HSI elements as a) Human Factors Engineering, b) Manpower, c) Personnel, d) Training, e) Safety and Occupational Health, f) Survivability, and g) Habitability (DAU, 2004). For the decision maker, considering all of these elements that affect total ownership costs, such as the trade space between Key Performance Parameters, Cost, Schedule, and Performance. Although solutions and tools to address this problem have been developed (e.g., typical spreadsheet approaches including traditional visualizations), there still is no standard definition of Total Ownership Cost. Furthermore, metrics are often incomplete and vague, and rarely address a comprehensive and integrated approach that develops process and design solutions that retain platform system operability, reliability and availability while minimizing the total life-cycle manpower costs. A valid and reliable computerized information system is needed to ensure HSI elements are adequately considered in the acquisition process, as well as considered appropriately in context of a larger system. This interactive software-based system should help decision makers compile useful information from HSI data to identify and solve problems and make decisions across the Acquisition & Life Cycle Management Framework. Novel visualizations and interaction techniques are strongly encouraged in this effort, and the resultant decision support tool should promote user interaction for both skilled HSI practitioners, as well as higher-level decision makers with no or little formal HSI training. In addition to the need is to consider typical systems engineering measures such as Total Ownership Costs, Life Cycle Costs, schedule, and performance in acquisition decisions, other meta-level metrics, e.g., system quality attributes (a.k.a. -ilities) that have a human-related component should also be considered. In addition to promoting more intuitive interaction that is transparent and targets a diverse population, the decision support tool should enable trade space analyses, analyzing complex resources, costs and provisioning with multiple stakeholders and multiple objectives both within HSI functions as well as across other system functions. Such trade space tools should allow for examination of requirements, performance, costs, schedules, ilities, and any other system(s) attributes deemed critical in the system acquisition process. Such a decision support package should allow for analysis of a single system, as well as for comparison across systems. PHASE I: Develop the requirements for a decision support tool for HSI acquisition decisions that address the issues detailed above. Validate these requirements, and demonstrate how this proposed tool would fit into typical DoD systems engineering processes. PHASE II: Build a prototype decision support interface and test it on a relevant user population. The use of previously existing project data is highly encouraged, as well as partnerships with relevant agencies (government laboratories, companies with large systems engineering projects with HSI components, etc.) PHASE III: Integrate the Phase II implementation into an appropriate Navy or related DoD system. Conduct human-performance evaluations. PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIAL POTENTIAL/DUAL-USE APPLICATIONS: The decision support tool will aid military, government, and commercial decision makers as to whether any proposed system addresses relevant HSI elements. Potential commercial areas that would benefit from this decision support tool include manufacturing, end user training, and maintenance procedures development. REFERENCES: 2. Defense Acquisition University. (2004) Chapter 6: Human Systems Integration, in Defense Acquisition Guidebook. Fort Belvoir, Virginia. 3. Harrison, J. A., & Forster, M. J. (2003). Human Systems Integration Requirements in Systems Acquisition. In H. R. Booher (Ed.), Handbook of Human Systems Integration. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley-Interscience. 4. Massie, A.E., Kopylov, I., & Cummings, M.L. (2009) Supporting System Acquisition Decisions through Ecological Perception, AIAA Annual Meeting. Orlando, FL. 5. National Research Council (2007) Human-System Integration in the System Development Process: A New Look Committee on Human-System Design Support for Changing Technology, Richard W. Pew and Anne S. Mavor, Editors, Committee on Human Factors. KEYWORDS: Total Ownership Cost; human systems integration; manning; performance, acquisition costs
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