Integrated Cognitive Analysis for Human–Autonomy Function Allocation and System Design

This paper describes a methodology for determining function allocation and work distributions that facilitate human–machine performance by supporting human expertise, leveraging sophisticated autonomy, and facilitating the joint cognitive team. The integrated cognitive analysis (ICA) methodology addresses concerns with traditional approaches to function allocation that have often yielded systems that capitalize on the strengths of the machine but not the strengths of humans, exhibit brittleness, and underestimate the work necessary to supervise automation or autonomy. The ICA incorporates multiple cognitive engineering methods organized as interrelated foundational and evaluative activities. Foundational activities are as follows: 1) represent the envisioned world, 2) identify cognitive requirements, and 3) identify demands of the envisioned world. These yield design concepts, which are refined through evaluative activities: 4) explore interdependencies, 5) model and simulate, and 6) analyze the tradespace. This paper describes the methodology and a case study application of ICA conducted as part of the U.S. Army’s Future Vertical Lift program that examined crewing concepts and function allocations for the Future Attack Reconnaissance Aircraft conducting an attack mission.