Integrating Human Readiness Levels
Fort Hill Group brings deep expertise in human factors and system safety to some of the most complex challenges facing aviation and other high-reliability industries. A key component of this work has been advancing the use of Human Readiness Levels (HRLs)—a structured framework for assessing whether systems, technologies, and procedures are ready for safe and effective human use.
Building on the ANSI/HFES 400-2021 Human Readiness Level standard, Fort Hill Group is working with the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to adapt and integrate HRLs within the agency’s acquisition processes. This pioneering work establishes the FAA as the first civil aviation authority in the world to integrate HRLs into large-scale acquisition and system development.
What are HRLs?
HRLs provide 9-level framework that rates a technology or system based on its readiness for human use. By systematically aligning human factors activities with HRL milestones, decision-makers gain traceable evidence that technology is not just functional, but also usable, safe, and sustainable in real-world operations.
Impact of Integrating HRLs
Integrating HRLs into your system development or acquisition process provides several benefits:
Increased visibility into human factors data, decisions, and outcomes across all phases of acquisition.
Stronger alignment between system design, operational safety, and regulatory expectations.
Reduced rework and post-implementation modifications by identifying risks earlier in the lifecycle.
A repeatable, transparent framework to track the progression of human readiness alongside technology readiness.
HRL Publications
Austrian, E., Sawyer, M., Siragusa, K., & Gibson, T. (2024). Human Readiness Level [Workshop]. In ICRAT 2024: 11th International Conference on Research in Air Transportation, 1–4 July 2024, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore.
Austrian, E., Sawyer, M., Kring, J., Siragusa, K., & Gibson, T. (2023). Systematic approach to assessing the readiness of a technology for safe and effective human use: Opportunities to integrate Human Readiness Levels (HRLs) in Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) research, acquisition, and system development processes. Fort Hill Group & Federal Aviation Administration. Full Paper
Austrian, E., & Sawyer, M. (2023). Introduction to human readiness levels (HRLs) and status of in-progress research [Presentation]. Technical Interchange Meeting “Human-Systems Integration”, EUROCONTROL Innovation Hub, Brétigny-sur-Orge, France. In Technical Interchange Meeting “Human-Systems Integration” proceedings. EUROCONTROL.
Learn More
Fort Hill Group continues to lead in adapting and applying HRLs across industries where safety, performance, and human decision-making are critical. To explore how HRLs can support your organization’s acquisition or system development process, reach out to us at:
