2-3 Why Integrate Human Factors?

HF Benefits. To help ensure that acquisitions will be useful, usable and actually used, it is important to integrate input from human factors specialists and users, starting with the initial stages when a shortfall is being defined and an Operational Needs Assessment (ONA) is being developed and continuing this HF input throughout the Acquisition Management System (AMS) process.

The FAA Human Factors Acquisition Job Aid indicates that the funding necessary to conduct a comprehensive HF engineering program for a solution has been estimated to be between 0.5% and 6% of developmental costs (depending upon the sensitivity of the solution to HF issues). The benefit from conducting a comprehensive HF program has been estimated at between 20% to 30% of total acquisition costs. 

Thus, early integration of HF helps focus on performance considerations in a cost effective manner to ensure a useful, usable product that will be actually be used.