REDAC / Human Factors

Dan Herschler, ANG-C1

September 7, 2016

Air Traffic Control / Technical Operations Human Factors

BLI Number:  8BA000 (Core Program)

FY2016 Accomplishments

Federal Aviation

Administration

Federal Aviation

Administration

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ATC / Tech Ops Human Factors – Core Program Overview

Purpose:

To provide technical sponsors with timely and appropriate R&D products and consultation services that improve safety and efficiency of complex ATC systems

Methods used:

Measuring individual and team performance of air traffic controllers and technical operations specialists. 

Recommending and testing improvements to design, procedures, training, selection and placement; and mitigations to address human performance shortfalls.

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What are the benefits to the FAA:

Improving the safety and efficiency of complex ATC systems by application of R&D to address factors affecting human performance in air traffic control operations and ATC system maintenance.

Recommending and testing improvements to design, procedures, training, selection and placement; and mitigations to address human performance shortfalls.

What determines program success

R&D Sponsors and Stakeholders in the ATO are able to make important workforce policy and acquisition decisions based on the results of thorough, timely, and focused R&D efforts.

When programs embrace human factors processes and requirements during system acquisition, they reduce human factors risks.  This increases the likelihood for successful system implementation and operation, while reducing the likelihood for system design and engineering rework.

ATC / Tech Ops Human Factors Benefits

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ATO Sponsors:

AJG – Management Services

AJI – Safety and Technical Training

AJM – Program Management Office

ANG-C1 Program Management:

PM - Dan Herschler

Human Factors Integration Lead - Bill Kaliardos

FAA Research Performers:

FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute (CAMI)

Aerospace Human Factors Research Division (AAM-500)

AAM-520 – Carol Manning, Manager

FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center

Aviation Research Division (ANG-E2), Human Factors Branch 

ANG-E25 – Kenneth Allendoerfer, Manager

ATC / Tech Ops Human Factors – Core Program Team

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ATC / Tech Ops Human Factors Focus Areas

The program addresses R&D needs within five focus areas:

Human Factors Standards

Workforce Optimization – Human Factors Efforts

Improved Safety – Human Factors Efforts

Human Factors in NAS Technology Integration

Human Performance Enhancement

The program also supports Human Factors efforts for FAA acquisition programs through ISR Checklist human factors approval responsibility, and AMS Policy updates

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Administration

HF.1 Human Factors Standards

Develop and update human factors standards that convey:

Human factors design requirements for new and modified air traffic control systems.

Human factors practices and requirements for contractors who plan and execute human factors efforts to meet air traffic control acquisition program requirements.

Update AMS Policy and Guidance that PMO human factors specialists will reference and apply on FAA acquisition programs.

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HF.1 Human Factors Standards

FY2016 Accomplishments

HF-STD-001B – UPDATED Human Factors Design Standard 

This document is the main source of human engineering design requirements for new and modified systems that are developed or purchased COTS products.  

The updated standard will guide the PMO in defining SOW design requirements for air traffic control system acquisitions. 

HF-STD-004A – UPDATED Requirements for a Human Factors Program

Current standard published in June 2009 is based on MIL-STD-46855A and as such is more aligned to military procurement than with human factors acquisition contracting in the FAA.

Updated material addresses lessons learned and best practices from acquisition programs’ human factors efforts, guides the PMO in defining SOW requirements for the system acquisition contractors’ human factors program activities and deliverables.

HF-STD-010 (DRAFT) – ATC Display Color Standard

HF-STD-009 – Technical Operations Graphical User Interface Standard

Worked with SE2020 contracting officer and general counsel to address contractor’s use of copyrighted materials.

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HF.2 Human Factors in Workforce Optimization

Develop recommendations and guidance for ATO and FAA Academy sponsors who are responsible for policies affecting controller and technician recruitment, training, placement, staffing, and performance evaluation.

Maintain reliable and valid job/task analysis data that support application of FAA policies, and that will withstand potential legal challenges.

Upon sponsor request, conduct research to identify and recommend alternative approaches where current policies and methods result in adverse impact for employee selection, as required by EEOC Uniform Guidelines in 29 Code of Federal Regulations.

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HF.2 Human Factors in Workforce Optimization

FY2016 Accomplishments

Developed and implemented training certification standards at New York TRACON (N90)

Completed development of training standards

OJTIs and FLMs received skill enhancement and best practices training

Developmentals received learning styles and study skills training

Program Manager: Stephanie Kreseen

FAA Academy ATC On the job training instructor (OJTI) course

Provided guidance and input to contribute to improvements to OJTI initial Training at the FAA Academy

Delivered a supplemental resource, The Air Traffic Instructor’s Handbook, for use in all OJTI courses and for use by OJTIs and FLMs at ATC field facilities

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HF.3 Human Factors in Improved Safety

Identify and characterize safety-related aspects of human capabilities and limitations that impact performance of air traffic control and technical operations personnel in the NAS

Through analysis and research, support major FAA safety initiatives such as the Runway Safety Call to Action, by developing human factors recommendations and guidance that will improve procedures and training in operational domains where air traffic controllers and pilots interact

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HF.3 Human Factors in Improved Safety

FY2016 Accomplishments

Safety reporting and analysis for Aviation Technical System Specialists (ATSS)

Updated System Integrity Risk Analysis Process (SI-RAP) and Technical Operations Safety Action Program (T-SAP) event reporting and analysis taxonomies

Developing recommendations for improved visual scanning by tower controllers using low-fidelity simulation research and the output from a workgroup meeting.

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HF.4 Human Factors in NAS Technology Integration

Develop methods and tools to support air traffic control system acquisition program efforts to address human factors during concept development, including prototyping and scenario evaluations.

Improve human factors laboratory capabilities using state-of-the-art human performance and human factors measurement techniques, to support studies that more robustly evaluate and predict human performance with future NAS technologies and procedures.

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HF.4 Human Factors in NAS Technology Integration

FY2016 Accomplishments

Standardized Scenarios – 

Developed  twelve En Route and 6 TRACON scenarios for use in evaluation of new ATC technologies and procedures

Scenarios were developed through interviews with SMEs 

Placed scenarios in what analyses suggest are the most complex sectors in the NAS

In addition to baseline scenarios, more complex scenarios include off nominal events, such as pop up weather and aircraft emergencies

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HF.5 Human Performance Enhancement

Develop methods of measurement and assessment criteria supporting evaluation of air traffic controller and technician performance and application in workforce improvement policies.

Conduct focused research to identify minimum qualifications for specific air traffic control and technical operations jobs and performance in initial training.

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HF.5 Human Performance Enhancement

FY2016 Accomplishments

Recommend Use of Common Principles Course in ATSS Employment Decisions

Completed content validation of the Common Principles Course

Advise ATO Management Services (AJG) about why air traffic control specialists (ATCSs) fail field qualification training

Assessed trainees who came to the Academy to retrain in the tower option after failing field training at en route and higher level TRACON facilities using the Controller Transfer Questionnaire (CTQ)

To facilitate access, completing installation and configuration of the Job Analysis Information Database (JAIdB) on the FAA Cloud.

Supported ATO data-driven decision-making on ATC selection and training, for controllers who were unsuccessful in training at their first assigned facility and were allowed to transfer to a lower-level ATC facility.

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ATC / Tech Ops Human Factors – Core Program Future Plans

FY2017 – current research plans

FY2018 – emerging areas of research

Note: 

Very limited carryover PC&B funds are expected to be available for contractor support ($500K per year or less). Without funding for external contracts and grants, we will only be able to conduct projects for which we have suitable in-house (FAA) expertise at the RDHFL and CAMI.

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Anticipated Research in FY17

Human Factors Standards:

Develop and implement an air traffic control information display and control management design framework that is informed by the best practices and lessons learned from prior and current air traffic user team activities, and addresses the potential human performance risks of the current en route and terminal controller display design decisions

The initial effort is just getting underway and continues in FY2017.  The intent is to:

develop a multi-phase evaluation and plan for research on computer-human interface (CHI) integration in the NAS

assess the usability and effectiveness of current and planned air traffic control (ATC) user interfaces (UIs) and functions

evaluate the decisions made during the design, development, testing, and implementation processes for existing ATC UIs and functions.

empirically document human factors issues and risks and inform Program Management Offices of potential risk mitigations

Workforce Optimization:

Conduct research to provide data and targeted analyses to support data-driven decision-making at the FAA Academy Air Traffic Division, including documenting and improving the reliability of the raters who evaluate ATC student performance at the end of their initial courses 

Assess the Radar Vectoring Aptitude Test (RVAT) as a measure of vectoring aptitude and assist in determining its predictive validity, utility, and fairness use in the placement of newly hired air traffic developmental controllers.

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Anticipated Research in FY17 (cont.)

Improved Safety:

Continue efforts to support Runway Safety, including review of runway incursions and evaluation of factors related to controller recognition of  hazards in the airport traffic area (e.g., via visual scanning). Develop recommendations to improve safety in the airport environment.

Human Factors in NAS Technology Integration:

Develop a systematic analysis method for evaluating how well  the user community is adopting and taking advantage of Air Traffic automation systems' capabilities. 

Human Performance Enhancement:

Deliver prototype training standards and training performance measures to decrease the attrition rate at large and complex ATC facilities.

Develop recommendations for increasing the likelihood that controller trainees will succeed in field training to ensure that trainees are not lost due to factors other than their ability to control air traffic.

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Emerging FY18 Focal Areas

Human Factors Standards:

Complete development of an empirically-validated color palette for ATC displays to ensure that displayed information is recognizable, discriminable, and legible for personnel with normal color vision and color-vision deficient personnel

Workforce Optimization:

Develop and evaluate the suitability of objective assessments of electronics knowledge and skill levels of newly hired technical operations personnel and applicants (subject to availability of AJW funding)

Improved Safety:

Assess the effects of shift work on personnel fatigue and develop recommended mitigations for fatigue effects on performance

Mitigate runway incursions through informing air traffic control tower personnel about best practices and human factors guidance for visually scanning the movement area and use of memory aids

Human Factors in NAS Technology Integration:

Develop recommendations for a design strategy to optimize presentation of air traffic control information on controller workstation displays, to allow the controller to quickly and accurately process the information.

Human Performance Enhancement:

Complete development and validation of training performance measures and standards to reduce attrition of controllers-in-training at ATC facilities.

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