Human Systems Integration (HSI)

Overview

Systems engineering (SE) addresses the three major elements of each system: hardware, software and human. SE integrates human capability considerations with the other specialty engineering disciplines to achieve total system performance requirements by factoring into the system design the capabilities and limitations of the human operators, maintainers and users. Within the SE process, HSI involves both the technical and program management efforts that provide integrated and comprehensive analysis, design, and assessment of human performance requirements, concepts, and resources for the seven HSI domains. HSI supports enhanced operational effectiveness, optimal system design, and reduction in Total Ownership Cost (TOC).

DoDI 5000.95, Human Systems Integration in Defense Acquisition, describes planning considerations for seven HSI domains. It further states: ???The PM will plan for and implement HSI beginning early in the acquisition process and throughout the product life cycle. The goal will be to optimize total system performance and TOC, while ensuring that the system is designed, operated, and maintained to effectively provide the user with the ability to complete their mission. PMs will ensure that the DoD Component HSI staff is aware of and engaged with Working-level IPTs (WIPTs) tasked with the development and review of program planning documents that reflect HSI and that they inform program decisions.??? The HSI Guidebook covers HSI activities throughout concept development, design, test, production, deployment, operational use, and disposal and addresses HSI domain activities, trade-offs, and the integration of HSI with systems engineering and logistics. Execution of HSI activities should be tailored to the unique acquisition program.

Throughout the acquisition life cycle, the Systems Engineer should apply Human Systems Integration (HSI) design criteria, principles and practices described in MIL-STD-1472 (Human Engineering) and MIL-STD-46855 (Human Engineering Requirements for Military Systems, Equipment and Facilities).

The HSI effort assists the Systems Engineer to minimize ownership costs and ensure the system is built to accommodate the human performance characteristics of users who operate, maintain and support the total system. The total system includes not only the mission equipment but also the users, training and training devices and operational and support infrastructure.

Role of the PM and SE

The PM is responsible for integrating the HSI effort into the program (see HSI Guidebook).

The Systems Engineer supports the PM by leading HSI efforts aligned to the SE process. The Systems Engineer should work with the manpower, personnel, training, safety, health, habitability, personnel survivability and Human Factors Engineering (HFE) stakeholders to develop the HSI effort. The Systems Engineer translates and integrates those human capability considerations, as contained in the capabilities documents, into quantifiable system requirements. Requirements for conducting HSI efforts should be specified for inclusion in the Statement of Work and contract. HSI should also be addressed in the Systems Engineering Plan (SEP), specifications, Test and Evaluation Master Plan (TEMP), Software Development Plan (SDP), Life-Cycle Sustainment Plan (LCSP) and other appropriate program documentation. The SEP Outline requires that HSI be addressed as a design consideration.

Outcomes of Effective HSI

Elements of an effective HSI should (see HSI Guidebook):

Provide an optimized operational solution to the warfighters.

Lead to the development or improvement of all human interfaces.
Achieve required effectiveness of human performance during system testing, operation, maintenance, support, transport, demilitarization, and disposal.
Provide HSI input to Request for Proposal (RFP) effort and monitor contractor activities for human performance prototype engineering and testing at component- and system-levels where applicable (and allowable by contract).
Ensure the demands upon personnel resources, skills, training, and costs are planned and accounted for at every stage in the system life cycle.
Ensure that overall human performance is within the knowledge, skills, and abilities of the designated operators, maintainers, and users to support mission tasking.
The SEP should emphasize that the human is an essential element of the system and that human requirements and issues will be addressed in the design. The SEP should establish an HSI IPT or working group within the SE element of the program office to ensure provisions for human performance and accommodation to satisfy system requirements. The SEP should also state that HSI is an inherent component of SE and describe the specific HSI objectives, issues, risks, milestones, activities, products, and schedules. Summarizing the HSI role, planning, risks, and activities in the SEP ensures that HSI receives the required level of visibility and inclusion in the overall SE processes.
Consistent with the DoDI 5000.95, the SEP should address the following:
- Human aspects of architectures and interface control as appropriate.
- HSI staffing, resources, activities, tools, and schedules.
- HSI risk and issue management and tracking.
- HSI working group hierarchy and relationship with other SE IPTs and working groups.
- HSI related Technical Performance Measures (TPMs).
- HSI entrance and exit criteria for systems engineering technical reviews.

In the conduct of systems engineering technical reviews, emphasis is placed on assessing the following HSI attributes:

HSI requirements based on a top-down requirements analysis (including allocating an optimal crew concept and allocating system functions to automation and human performance).
Position descriptions based on functions for crew position, including duties, jobs, responsibilities, and levels of authority.
HSI inputs to acquisition documents and specifications.
HSI risk assessment and mitigation plans, identifying factors that affect manpower, human effectiveness, workload, survivability, and safety.

HSI domain experts should review the elements of the Analysis of Alternatives (AoA) devoted to HSI considerations (i.e., manpower, personnel, and training). In addition, HSI domain experts should ensure that the preferred solution considers the end user besides just the hardware and software components in the system. Defining the intended end user population through a Target Audience Description (TAD) provides boundary conditions for defining the required human performance parameters.

The Systems Engineer should review HSI requirements and determine if they have been implemented in the system design. HSI requirements should be specified in both the ICD and draft Capability Development Document (CDD).

System Integration (SI) practitioners and domain-level SMEs (e.g., HFEs) involvement should ensure that the functional baseline is compliant with human factors design guidance, and standards. Human performance and end user requirements should be sufficiently detailed and understood to enable system design to proceed. System requirements should be allocated among hardware, software, and human functions. The HSI Plan (HSIP) and other related acquisition documents are updated as required.

HSI design factors should be reviewed and included, where needed, in the overall system design up to this stage. HSI should ensure that safety analysis on Human Machine Interfaces (HMI) was conducted early in the system design, and training burdens are reduced by implementing user-centered design (UCD) methodologies. Software-related products are vetted with the target user population.

Some design decisions leading up to PDR may precipitate discussions with the operational requirements community and consultation with HSI practitioner because they could have an impact on the CDD, contributing to trade-off analyses. Critical Design Review (CDR) determines whether the hardware, human, and software final detail designs are complete. HSI should ensure that the detailed design satisfied known HFE and other HSI requirements.

The HSI practitioner has access to many tools to support the PM and SE, including HSI simulation tools (e.g., for task network modeling or digital human modeling), guidelines and standards, checklists, subjective assessments, and other resources. Models and simulations provide a mechanism to define, visualize, and adjust parameters for human contribution to implementing a Digital Engineering (DE) enterprise. Digital Human Modeling (DHM) provides a digital representation of a human (or set of humans) and a virtual environment that represents the system within which the user needs to fit, see, reach, or otherwise physically interact. Any HSI tool can be used to aid in the application of SE methods and complement the use of SE tools that ensure systems consider human limitations and capabilities across the spectrum of HSI domains, such as:

Simulations of human-out-of-the-loop that create virtual elements of a future situation characterizing impacts before they are readily available.
Simulations of human-in-the-loop of hardware and software that are configured to reproduce a set of circumstances or an environment under which a task or activity is performed by an end user.

For access to the HSI body of knowledge online repository, see HSI Guidebook.

Products and Tasks

Product	Tasks
10-10-1: Document human systems integration (HSI) activities incorporated into the SEP	Obtain the Concept of Operations/Operational Mode Summary/Mission Profile (CONOPS/OMS/MP), as well as requirements documents, the system specification (if available) and related acquisition documentation for the system. Determine how the program will address human factors engineering, manpower, personnel, training, habitability, and personnel survivability requirements and constraints. Document the human systems integration (HSI) requirements and constraint handling procedures, along with known HSI issues, and incorporate them into the overall design and design trade-offs in accordance with current guidance. Verify incorporation of the HSI activities into the program???s systems engineering plan.

Product

Tasks

10-10-1: Document human systems integration (HSI) activities incorporated into the SEP

Obtain the Concept of Operations/Operational Mode Summary/Mission Profile (CONOPS/OMS/MP), as well as requirements documents, the system specification (if available) and related acquisition documentation for the system.
Determine how the program will address human factors engineering, manpower, personnel, training, habitability, and personnel survivability requirements and constraints.
Document the human systems integration (HSI) requirements and constraint handling procedures, along with known HSI issues, and incorporate them into the overall design and design trade-offs in accordance with current guidance.
Verify incorporation of the HSI activities into the program???s systems engineering plan.

Source: AWQI eWorkbook

Resources

Key Terms

Human Factor Engineering (HFE)
Human Performance
Human Systems Integration (HSI)
Integrated Product Support Element - Manpower & Personnel
Integrated Product Support Element - Training & Training Support
Manpower Planning
Operational Mode Summary/Mission Profile (OMS/MP)
Programmatic Environment Safety and Occupational Health Evaluation (PESHE)
Survivability Key Performance Parameter
Technical Performance Measures (TPMs)
Working-Level Integrated Product Team (WIPT)

Source:
DAU ACQuipedia
DAU Glossary

Policy and Guidance

DoDI 5000.95Human Systems Integration in Defense Acquisition
Systems Engineering (SE) Guidebook, Section 5.9 Human Systems Integration
Human Systems Integration Guidebook
MIL-STD-1472, Human Engineering
MIL-STD-46855, , Human Engineering Requirements for Military Systems, Equipment and Facilities
OUSD(R&E) SE&A Human Systems Integration webpage
DI-HFAC-81743A Human Systems Integration Program Plan DID
DI-HFAC-81833 Human Systems Integration Report DID
DoD Systems Engineering Plan (SEP) Outline, Section 3.2.5 Human Systems Integration
Human Systems Integration Body of Knowledge Updates
Human Systems Integration Guidebook

DAU Training Courses

ETM 1050 Design Considerations Fundamentals, Lesson 10 Human Systems Integration
ENG 0620, Human Systems Integration
LOG 0530, Manpower & Personnel
LOG 0550, Training & Training Support

DAU Communities of Practice

Human Systems Integration