Manprint Applications for Design of Advanced Armored Weapon Systems

Abstract

As military systems become more advanced, more capable, and more sophisticated, they often become more complex. Of primary concern to the human factors specialist is the development of advanced control and display concepts, and application of reasonable tradeoff studies which will guide, if not drive the assessment of these concepts. Similarly, when confronted with conflicting standards and specifications, the human factors engineer must be able to effectively reconcile these discrepancies. Generally the issues pit system constraints (i.e., complexity and development and/or life cycle costs) against operator performance requirements or criteria. The principal objective of this paper is to identify and detail human factors issues requiring consideration when developing command and control concepts for advanced armored military vehicles within the Army's MANPRINT initiative. This paper draws on the authors' experience and expertise in the design and development of armored vehicles to point out the tradeoff considerations and processes necessary in designing complex military systems.

Manpower and Personnel Integration (MANPRINT): Some Preliminary Observations and Lessons Learned

“…For example, DoD estimated that the cost of redesigning a system is at least twice the cost of designing it originally (e.g., Malone, Kirkpatrick, & Kopp, 1986). Other DoD sources have estimated that the costs of manning, training, and supporting systems personnel account for over 50 percent of the total life cycle cost of a large-scale system (e.g., Malone, Heasly, Waldeisen, & Hayes, 1986).…”