Function allocation: optimising the automation boundary

Two topics are currently generating debate in the human factors literature. One is the importance of function allocation, and the second is the issue of improving the integration of human factors inputs to system design. The DERA Centre for Human Sciences has been conducting research into function allocation and methods of optimising the automation boundary in future military systems for a number of years. We suggest that the process of function allocation forms a critical part of the design process that impacts upon the overall system design and the human operators´ roles within that system. This paper suggests a number of reasons why the process of function allocation requires greater attention during system design than has so far been the case. It also provides an overview of work being carried out to address the need for human factors methods to support the process of function allocation that are compatible with system design practice