Decision Support Aiding for Human-Systems Acquisition

As the Navy continues to emphasize the Naval Capabilities Development Process for evaluating material and non-material solutions, the importance of quantifying the effects of Human Systems Integration (HSI) continues to increase. The objective of this Phase II SBIR is to provide Navy analysts comprehensive insight into the impact HSI factors have on system level performance and total ownership cost (TOC). The decision support tool will support a multi-step process that assesses the human performance requirements of new systems and technologies, compares that with existing systems, and estimates the manpower, personnel and training costs needed to operate and support the new system. The results will be displayed in a multi-dimensional trade space that considers the cost, schedule, performance, and risk. At the heart of the framework will be a Human Performance Assessment Tool that can be tailored based on the level of system design knowledge available at different stages in the acquisition life cycle. Existing cost systems and models will be leveraged and integrated with FTI"s affordability tool infrastructure to minimize development risks and costs. The Phase II program will verify the prototype design through extensive use case and scenario testing, and culminate in a complete demonstration on a Navy program.