MAP-01-011 HFI Technical Guide - Human Factors Integration ...

Annex 3 – HF Techniques, Methods and Tools• Advantages• Potentially a user trial can be used to assess multiple aspects ofperformance using a system design concept, including error, workload,situation awareness and performance time.• When using user trials, the system is evaluated based upon the potentialend-users’ performance.• End-user opinions and advice are elicited during the user trial.• Design recommendations are based upon interviews with the system endusers.• A user trial gives the designers a powerful insight into how the systemunder analysis will be used.• If used throughout the design process, user trials ensure that the end-usersof the system under analysis are considered.• Once the appropriate personnel are gathered, the user trial is simple toconduct.• Disadvantages• Time consuming to conduct.• Large amounts of data are collected, ensuring a lengthy data analysisprocess.• It may be difficult to gain access to the required personnel or end-users.For example, when conducting a user trial for military applications, it mayprove difficult to gain access to the appropriate military personnel for therequired duration.• Often the end-users may be biased towards the old system or procedure.May 2006 Page A3-123 Issue 4