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Portfolio

United States Air Force

Over the course of 15 years performing Defense work, Peter provided consulting services to over 100 different projects and programs. The programs were both hardware and software based. In each case, the work as focused on the analyzing and defining the end-user roles and requirements and integrating them into the overall system design.

Tasking often included detailed engineering analysis, front-end user requirements analysis and definition, system simulation and modeling, proposal generation, and determination of project staffing requirements. Systems ranged from small hand held Global Positioning System (GPS) units to Command Center design and large scale image exploitation and reporting facilities.

A sample of representative projects included the following efforts:

• Numerous UNIX based, distributed Command Center information management systems: Work included directing front-end task, workload and training analyses. Minimizing the client long term program life-cycle costs. In many cases, the business area grown to greater than 10 times initial goals and profitability while increasing command center efficiency.
• ASOC - Air Support Operations Center: Work included directing task and workload analyses for a large-scale UNIX-based distributed information management system. This front-end analysis served to guide the assessment of the effectiveness of current training courses and to identify areas for improvement for future training activities. Results of the analysis helped to minimize the long-term client program life cycle costs.
• Developed VB front-end to Lotus Notes tracking tool: Used simplicity of interface design to secure a company position on a key proposal team. This early collaborative tool saved the development team on communications time and served to clarify communications more efficiently.
• AI Related Expert distributed database query system:Initiated the first usability efforts at a defense consulting company by developing the user interface specification for the natural language front-end of an expert distributed database query system. Performed periodic heuristic analyses and usability evaluations on the interface as the product matured.
• UH-60a MANPRINT HELLFIRE Integration Program: Work performed involved the review and generation of a modified Statement of Work for adapting the HELLFIRE Missile System to the Sikorsky UH-60a "Blackhawk" helicopter. Specific goals were to assure that all future modifications and engineering change proposals would meet the new Army directives to integrate manpower and personnel integration (MANPRINT) constraints into all future program designs.
• MIL-STD-1472c Expert System Design Aid:Provided all program management activities for the design, development, and implementation of an internal R&D, PC based Artificial Intelligence/Expert System. A self-initiated program, the purpose of which was to design an expert system capable of applying the design criteria and philosophies of MIL-STD-1472C to system front-end analysis and system test and evaluation requirements. Development remained on-schedule and ahead of budget through the use of user centered design methodologies.
• TEMS TEAM LEADER: Responsible for the timely performance and execution of all technical human engineering tasks performed under the TEMS (Technical, Engineering and Management Support) Contracting Vehicle. Supervised the technical direction of five senior engineers on a variety of programs. Participated as the senior technical lead on many of those projects. Representative past work has included involvement in the following contracts and tasks:
• TEMS OTH-B (Over the Horizon-Backscatter) Radar Program: Responsibilities included the evaluation of prime and subcontractor design for conformance to specification and design standards; evaluation of the impact of Engineering Change Proposals and contractor deliverable data items on overall systems design; supervision of the human factors test and evaluation program; and generation of RFP acquisition documents (SOWs, Specifications, etc.). Significant degree of customer interface at Electronic Systems Division, Hanscom field and contractor administration were keystones of this task. All deliverables were on time and within budget.
• TEMS MILSTAR: The MILSTAR program represented the newest generation of UHF/EHF satellite communications for the Air Force. Functioned as team leader responsible for all phases of Human Factors Engineering interaction with the Contractor and Program Office. This involved work with the design contractor, its subcontractors, and all supplemental integration contractors. Program efforts were similar to those performed for the above OTH-B system.
• TEMS Combat Identification System - Independent Subsystem (CIS-ISS): Performed Human Engineering studies and evaluations of the user-system interface for this C3I system. Work centered on the data entry and information display techniques as well as development of training program and training aids and devices for future system operators. All efforts completed on time and ahead of budget.
• TEMS Force Management / Air Support Operations Center Program: Human Engineering Program manager. Tasking involved the dissection, evaluation, and restructuring of the Operations Center functional requirements and operational procedures so they would meet the 21st Century Tactical Command and Control (TC2-21) operation requirements of the Tactical Air Command. Developed and applied a subjective workload evaluation tool to identify those tasks most suited for upgrade with minimal cost impact.
• TEMS/SDAS: Generated the Acquisition Program Master Plan for and served as the system integration and test manager for the OFFUTT Processing and Correlation Center communications node upgrade program.
• NDP Exploitation and Reporting System (classified): Multi-phased program involving all aspects of user-system and user computer interface design, large scale systems analysis, and extensive application of skilled operator performance evaluation criteria. General Purpose System Simulation (GPSS) modeling techniques were used extensively in the development of a unique Image Analyst Work Station. Also performed preliminary hazard analyses in support of custom computer hardware being developed for the system.
• VDES (Voice Data Entry System): Application and implementation of a dedicated Voice Data Entry Terminal to a population of relatively novice computer users. Emphasis was on the engineering problems associated with the design of the human-computer interface, especially the areas of vocabulary selection, syntactic grammar parsing techniques, training program derivation, multilingual user populations, and high ambient environmental noise constraints.
• G/AIT (Ground/Airborne Integrated/Operational Nuclear Detonation / Detection System Terminal): Tasking included the specification, development, integration, and testing of a Natural Language Database Query System for use on the EC-135 Airborne Command Post and integration into the Cheyenne Mountain NORAD command facility. Simplicity of operation and accuracy under adverse stress and environmental conditions were critical design parameters.
• TI-4100 NAVSTAR GPS: A man-portable navigation aid requiring work with complex hand held controls and displays, restrictive information interchange modalities, and detailed front panel layout and design. Extensive evaluation of software interfaces were also performed.