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Human-Systems Integration (HSI)

DEFINITION Human-Systems Integration (HSI) is a use-inspired discipline in which human capabilities and limitations across various dimensions are considered in the context of the design and evaluation of a dynamic system of people, technology, environment, tasks, and other systems with the ultimate goal of achieving system resilience and adaptation, approaching joint optimization. The human dimensions considered include human factors, manpower, training, personnel, safety, survivability, and habitability. Deliberate tradeoffs across these dimensions are required to address the needs of multiple system stakeholders. Consideration of human integration into the entire system is essential early and continually through the system engineering process. With such a broad array of human considerations coupled with their integration into complex and dynamic systems, it is essential that multiple disciplines collaboratively address HSI problems (including cognitive scientists, industrial engineers, system engineers, physicians, sociologists, organizational psychologists, etc.) Several of the related organizations below use a variation of the above definition in their real-world applications of HSI to the design and implementation process of system operations. The concept is often seen as an umbrella framework that provides an examination of a system at different levels of analysis reaching from the micro to macro levels.

APPROACH With respect to methodological areas different types of engineers, psychologists, sociologists, and designers are required. However, when developing systems for use in a particular domain such as healthcare, transportation, or surveillance/security, domain experts such as physicians, air traffic controllers, and security analysts may be required. Also when developing systems for use in a particular domain such as healthcare, transportation, or surveillance/security, professionals with synergistic expertise would be necessary such as mechanical engineers in the case of a novel blood pump, civil engineers in the case of automatic runway hazard detection technology, and computer scientists in the case of smart surveillance and automated recognition technologies (just to pick a few examples).

HISTORY As the discipline has evolved, several organizations have created HSI divisions or entities.

National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine The Committee on Human Factors was established in 1980 at the National Research Council at the request of the Army, Navy, and Air Force. In 2008, the group was renamed the Committee on Human-Systems Integration to better reflect the broader applicability of human factors issues, including non-military and health systems. In 2010, the Committee was repositioned as the Board on Human-Systems Integration. Since its inception, the Committee and the ad hoc study committees operating under the Board's oversight have issued more than 40 reports on such topics as scientific and technology challenges of virtual reality, research needs for human factors, mental models of human-computer interaction, nuclear safety, workplace safety, the future of air traffic control, the effects of musculoskeletal disorders in the workplace, human factors in the design of tactical displays, organizational linkages, the case for human factors in industry and government, modeling human and organizational behavior for military simulation, modeling social networks, human-system integration in the system development process, human factors and home health care, and disability and rehabilitation research.

NASA Human Systems Integration Division The Human Systems Integration Division advances human-centered design and operations of complex aerospace systems through analysis, experimentation, and modeling of human performance and human-automation interaction to make dramatic improvements in safety, efficiency, and mission success.

Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) Human Systems Integration Program The Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) is currently one school in the nation that grants a degree in Human Systems Integration (HSI). The HSI program at NPS advocates a human-centered approach in the design, acquisition, testing, and operation of human-machine interfaces. The NPS Master’s degree program in HSI was started in 2003 and is a rigorous two-year curriculum with coursework addressing the various domain of HSI. The degree culminates in a thesis that focuses on at least three of the HSI domains

FURTHER READING Human-System Integration in the System Development Process, A New Look, National Research Council, 2007

Human-Systems Integration: Human Factors in a Systems Context, By Thomas Malone, Pamela Savage-Knepshield, & Larry Avery, Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Bulletin, Vol 50, No. 12, December, 2007

Air Force Human Systems Integration Handbook

Research Needs for Human Factors, National Research Council, 1983

Emerging Needs and Opportunities for Human Factors Research, 1995

Ergonomic Design for People at Work, Eastman Kodak Company

Handbook of Human Factors, Gavriel Salvendy

Handbook of Human Systems Integration, Harold R. Booher

Handbook of Occupational Health and Safety, Lawrence Slote

Handbook of Training Evaluation and Measurement, 3rd Edition, Jack J. Philips, Ph.D

Human Factors in Engineering and Design, 7th Edition, Mark Sanders and Ernest J. McCormick

Human Performance Measures Handbook, Valerie J. Gawron

Level I Ergonomics Methodology Guide for Maintenance/Inspection Work Areas, AFIOH

Mosby’s Handbook of Physiology and Anatomy, Kevin T. Patton and Gary A. Thibodeau

System Safety Analysis Handbook, 2nd Edition, System Safety Society

System Safety for the 21st Century, Richard A. Stephans

Human Systems Integration

Engineering, Life Sciences, and Health/Medicine Synergy in Aerospace Human Systems Integration: The Rosetta Stone Project