HUMAN FACTORS POLICY

12/01/05 9550.8

Appendix 5

SUBJ: HUMAN FACTORS POLICY

Purpose. This order establishes policy and responsibilities for incorporating and coordinating human factors considerations in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) programs, facilities, and activities to enhance aviation safety, capability, efficiency, and productivity.

Distribution. This order is distributed to the division level in Washington, regions, and centers with a limited distribution to all field offices and facilities. All personnel will have access to this order electronically through the FAA’s Directive Management Information System (DMIS) website: http://dmis.faa.gov.

Cancellation. This order supersedes FAA Order 9550.8 dated October 27, 1993, which is canceled.

Background.

a. The human factor has been widely recognized as critical to aviation safety and effectiveness. In the July 1988 report entitled “Safe Skies for Tomorrow,” the U.S. Congress Office of Technology Assessment concluded that long-term improvements in aviation safety will come primarily from human factors solutions. Further, such solutions will be established through consistent, long-term support for human factors research and development, analysis, and the application of human factors information. Subsequent to the Office of Technology Assessment report, Congress enacted the Aviation Safety Research Act of 1988 (PL 100-591) calling for the FAA to augment its research effort in human factors and ensure coordination with other agencies performing such research. These assessments and directions resulted in new FAA emphasis on human factors and coordination with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Department of Defense, and a multitude of professional aviation and technical groups whose members include pilot and controller unions, airframe and parts manufacturers, as well as major airlines. One product of such efforts includes the “National Plan for Civil Aviation Human Factors” which outlined a coherent national agenda aimed at achieving progress toward safety and productivity goals, increased coordination, funding, and long-term, high level management support in government and industry. Subsequent to establishing the National Plan, the application of human factors research and engineering has gained continued attention and emphasis in aviation certification, regulation, operations, and acquisitions.

b. Benefits derived from this systematic approach to human factors research and engineering include:

Increased personnel efficiency, effectiveness, and productivity;

Improved mission capability, system performance, and usability;

Reduced operations and maintenance costs;

Increased availability of objective data in formulating FAA policies, standards, regulations, and business case and investment decisions; and

Enhanced aviation safety.

Explanation of Changes. This order clarifies the meaning of human factors considerations, provides the background for the human factors approach, and establishes basic policy and responsibilities for incorporating human factors in agency functions.

Definitions.

a. Human Factors. Within the FAA, human factors entails a multidisciplinary effort to generate and compile information about human capabilities and limitations and apply that information to equipment, systems, facilities, procedures, jobs, environments, training, staffing, and personnel management for safe, comfortable, and effective human performance.

b. Appendix 1, DEFINITIONS, provides descriptions of other key terms used in this order.

c. Appendix 2, Human Factors Technical Areas, provides a list of elements that further identify the scope of human factors considerations for analysis, evaluation, and resolution.

Scope. This order establishes a policy to foster an integrated human factors program that meets FAA long and short range needs covering both research and engineering applications. The FAA Human Factors Policy Order supports operation of the National Airspace System by providing an agenda for the conduct and institutionalization of human factors activities relative to achieving regulatory goals and objectives, executing research and development programs, facilitating Capital Investment Plan acquisitions, and responding to operational mission performance requirements.

Objectives. The human factors-oriented approach is to:

a. Conduct the planning, reviewing, prioritization, coordination, generation, and updating of valid and timely human factors information to support agency needs;

b. Develop and institutionalize formal procedures that systematically incorporate human factors considerations into agency activities; and

c. Establish and maintain organizational infrastructure that provides the necessary human factors expertise to agency programs and activities.

Human Factors Policy. Human factors shall be systematically integrated into the planning and execution of the functions of all FAA organizational elements and activities associated with National Airspace System acquisitions and operations.

FAA organizations shall emphasize human factors, productivity, and usability considerations to enhance mission capability and performance and to capitalize upon the relative strengths of people and automation. The FAA's Human Factors Policy Order is achieved through a human-centered emphasis in research, applications, operations, and infrastructure support resulting in safe and effective human-system interfaces.

Human performance shall be integrated into procedure development, system performance evaluation, system acquisitions (including business and administrative systems), architecture engineering, and other activities within the agency.

Program managers shall employ human factors research and engineering best practices to acquire systems that minimize human error, require minimal staffing, provide cost-effective training, allow efficient operation and maintenance, and are operationally suitable within the intended environment. These considerations shall be integrated at the earliest phases of FAA projects and incorporated within the processes for fulfilling OMB Exhibit 300 requirements.

Human factors considerations and human-system performance data shall be an integral element of and incorporated into activities and decisions related to mission analyses and mission need statements, performance baselines and measures, safety risk management analyses, investment analyses and reports, requirements

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