Dr. Reinerman-Jones will facilitate a panel discussion regarding the important considerations of human factors in Front-End Analysis.

The Department of Defense (DoD) defines Front End Analysis (FEA) as a systematic and structured process used to identify and analyze the training and performance requirements for a specific task or job. The primary goal of FEA within the DoD context is to ensure that technologies, capabilities, and training programs are developed and delivered effectively to meet the operational needs of the military. For this course, panelists will be discussing the importance of and approaches to Human Centered (HC) FEA. HC-FEA is an approach that emphasizes a deep understanding of human capabilities, needs, and preferences when conducting FEA in the context of design and development projects. HC-FEA is particularly valuable in industries where user experience, usability, and human-computer interaction are critical and systems directly impact the end-users' daily activities. Prioritizing the user's perspective from the outset, HC-FEA drives products and systems that are more intuitive, efficient, and ultimately more successful in meeting requirements and user needs. Panelists from across the services will share their experience of evaluating new technologies with particular attention to the human. The emphasis will be on the importance of upfront human factors assessment and methods (qualitative vs. quantitative, subjective vs. objective, simulation vs live, Technology Capability Assessment, Training Effectiveness Evaluation, cognitive task analysis, etc.). The benefits and need for HC-FEA in the research through acquisition life cycle will be discussed.