human system integration (HSI)
What It Means
Human system integration (HSI) is the practice of designing and testing technology systems with people as a central consideration from the very beginning. It ensures that humans can effectively operate, maintain, and work alongside complex systems by optimizing the entire human-machine relationship rather than treating people as an afterthought.
Why Chief AI Officers Care
Poor HSI leads to costly system failures, safety incidents, reduced productivity, and user rejection of new technologies. Good HSI reduces training costs, minimizes human error, accelerates adoption, and maximizes return on technology investments by ensuring systems actually work well with the people who use them.
Real-World Example
An airline implementing a new flight management system tests not just the software, but how pilots interact with it under stress, how maintenance crews access diagnostic information, and how the system affects coordination between cockpit and ground staff - optimizing the entire human-aircraft ecosystem.
Common Confusion
People often think HSI is just user interface design or ergonomics, when it's actually a comprehensive approach that considers all human factors across an entire system - including operators, maintainers, trainers, and decision-makers at every level.
Industry-Specific Applications
See how this term applies to healthcare, finance, manufacturing, government, tech, and insurance.
Healthcare: In healthcare, HSI is critical for designing medical devices, health IT systems, and AI tools that integrate seamlessly ...
Finance: In finance, HSI is critical for designing trading platforms, risk management systems, and AI-driven decision tools that ...
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Includes:
- 6 industry-specific applications
- Relevant regulations by sector
- Real compliance scenarios
- Implementation guidance
Technical Definitions
NISTNational Institute of Standards and Technology
"methods and approaches for testing and optimizing all human-related considerations from a “whole-system” or “system-of-systems” level."Source: Poore_Lawrence_ARLIS_2023-01
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