Abstract
A demanding task in procuring complex military platforms is determining whether proposed designs will function effectively in the relevant work context. Conventional evaluation methods offer a limited perspective that focuses on the technical performance of designs in a small range of predictable mission scenarios. In this paper, we advocate Work Domain Analysis, a technique which describes the functions, priorities and values, and purposes of a work domain independently of particular scenarios. This framework focuses the evaluation of designs on functional properties that are relevant to a wide variety of situations, including unanticipated contingencies. Work Domain Analysis also offers a useful framework for examining human-system integration solutions. We illustrate how these concepts were used by the Australian Defence Force for the procurement of an Airborne Early Warning and Control system.
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