Explorer

• Introduction
• The Acquisition Lifecycle
  • HFI and the Acquisition Lifecycle
  • Concept Stage
    • HFI Baseline Strategy
    • Target Audience Description
    • Early Human Factors Analysis
    • Domains
    • Concept of Operations
    • Issues Log
    • Analysing Characteristics
    • Comparability Analysis
    • Workstation Design
    • Workload Analysis
  • Assessment Stage
    • HFI Plan
    • Allocation of Function
    • Task Analysis
    • Constraints and Assumptions
    • HFI Working Group
    • Style Guide
    • People Related Requirements
    • Safety Case
    • Health Hazard Assessment
    • Job Design
    • User Modelling
  • Demonstration Stage
    • Solution Providers
    • Through Life Management Plan
    • Manpower Plans and Policy
    • Combined Operational Effectiveness and Investment Appraisal
    • Human Machine Interface Philosophy
    • System Requirements Document
    • Human Reliability Assessment
    • Demonstration and Assessment Report
    • Integrated Test Evaluation and Acceptance Plan
    • Operability Trials
  • Manufacture, In-service and Disposal Stage
    • Lessons Learnt
    • Update People Related Requirements
    • Disposal
• Commercial Considerations
  • HFI COTS Considerations
• Human Factors Assurance
• HFI – Training and Competences
  • Training
  • Competences

Content

Operability Trials

What is an Operability Trial?

An Operability Trial is a test designed to evaluate the capability. The goal is to test that the intended users will be able to use the system in an operational environment and actually achieve the required standard of task performance.

Operability trials should be used for areas of uncertain task interaction, complexity and overall integrated task performance. They should also be used to test factors such as performance degradation over extended periods and skill retention during periods of non-use.

Operability tests must involve representative users. It is critical to allow adequate time for familiarisation and training on the new equipment before any data is gathered.

What should an HFI Operability Trial produce?

An Operability Trial should produce a document detailing the feasibility of the capability. This information will feed into the Integrated Test, Evaluation and Acceptance Plan (ITEAP).

The Operability trial will give an understanding of the following:

• Confidence that the equipment and human components will be integrated effectively
• Early warning of any failure to meet HFI requirements in the System Requirements Document (SRD) or User Requirements Document (URD)
• Objective information to guide any necessary design interventions
• Evidence to support HFI acceptance
• Determine shortfalls in the capability that need to be addressed.

What topics impact an Operability Trial?

The following topics impact an Operability Trial :

• Operability targets : The performance targets that the capability must meet
• Integrated Test, Evaluation and Acceptance Plan (ITEAP): A document that sets out the methodology of the operability trial.

Further Information can be found in the HFI Process booklet [PDF], People in Systems handbook [PDF], Def Stan 00-250 and the Human Factors Intranet site.

Change History

Change History

1 March 2010

Further Information amended to include a link to People in Systems handbook.

1 December 2009

Further Information added.

1 March 2009

Updated to include links to other HFI content.