Human Factors in Knowledge Management: Building Better Systems by Employing Human Systems Integration Methods

Abstract

This chapter presents an overview of key Human Systems Integration (HSI), Human Factors (HF), and Knowledge Management (KM) methods that support building user-centered systems. The chapter stresses that KM can benefit the systems design process by reducing rework and duplication of effort. In addition, tools aiding KM implementation within the HSI and Human Factors (HF) domains are discussed. HSI practices created and employed within the discipline of Systems Engineering (SE) have brought positive changes to the systems development lifecycle (SDLC) process, affording increasingly complex and smarter systems to be built. These increases in systems complexity have created a need for systems designers and program managers to apply KM principles to systematically create, share, retain, and transfer workforce skills, facts, processes, capabilities, and experiences in a systematic fashion. The authors describe the importance and benefits of integrating HSI and KM practices to build better and smarter systems.