P-8 Poseidon - Human Systems Integration (HSI),
Naval Air Systems Command's (NAVAIR) Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (PMA-290) program office's Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) program took a dynamic and unique approach to an area that had been historically overlooked in the acquisition process: the human element.
The program created a comprehensive plan for Human Systems Integration (HSI), documented in MMA's Human System Integration Plan (HSIP). The goal of the HSIP was to optimize total system performance, minimize total ownership cost, and ensure that the system meets the needs of the users.
Human-related constraints and goals would hopefully be identified early in any good acquisition process. MMA took a lead in HSI by quickly developing an HSIP that was implemented at the system engineering level.
HSI is a process that ensures human performance constraints, manpower, personnel and training, and safety/health aspects are considered throughout the design, development, fielding, and sustainment of a weapon system. A Department of Defense Instruction identified seven specific areas that make up HIS: human factors, manpower, personnel, training, safety, habitability, and survivability.
The MMA Training Integrated Product Team initiated a front-end analysis (FEA) to ensure HSI aspects of the training system development were addressed early in the acquisition life cycle.
As the MMA design was further refined, the FEA processes developed to support HSI was expected to provide the program office with recommendations on manpower. Results of HSI implementation would also be considered regarding the design of facilities, and safety requirements for both government and commercial support.
Selecting the right number of people and determining that they have the proper knowledge, skills and abilities (KSAs) were vital to ensuring the MMA could operate in a safe and effective manner. Since HSI was designed to look at more than the immediate operator-machine interface, it had been expected to also help ensure the people who work on and near the aircraft were safe and qualified.
When aircrew and maintainers can efficiently and effectively manage a system, errors and costly training systems can be reduced. Manpower (aircrew and maintenance) and training are two of the biggest factors in total life cost for most weapon systems. Experts in HSI said there are cost savings associated with implementing this concept.
HSI was developed to save programs money by identifying and solving human engineering issues. When the human elements of the weapon systems are considered early in development, the training can then be developed to match the KSAs of the skill sets that will operate the aircraft.
One of Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Vern Clark's initiatives was the Human Capital Strategy (HCS). MMA quickly became known as one of the cornerstones of HCS. The MMA team crafted a very forward leaning acquisition strategy that was tied to the Navy leadership's vision for the future, incorporating critical HSI concepts into the formal requirements. MMA was one of the Navy's most important programs. It was seen as transforming and setting the standard for Navy acquisition.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
| Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list |
|
|
|
