Innovators: High-Impact Researchers at the Human Engineering Division, ArmstrongLaboratory

摘要

There are several ways to benefit from lessons learned. One is to ferret outmistakes and issue procedures to prevent future errors. This study used a different strategy. We examined Armstrong Laboratory projects performed by successful researchers to try to find common themes that could be used to encourage more successes. Interviews were conducted individually with eleven scientists and engineers at the Human Engineering Division Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The participants were selected as a representative sample of the type of work the division wants to encourage. The participants were asked to describe a project that had a clear operational benefit to the Air Force. We obtained accounts of fifteen projects. Each project is described as a separate incident account tracing the factors that contributed to the outcome. We identified several themes from the projects we examined. One theme was the skill of the researchers at problem finding; the researchers were adept at taking advantage of opportunities to pick challenging problems that were solvable. Another theme was the importance of colleagues and communities particularly partnerships with user communities. Recommendations are presented for encouraging the initiative of laboratory personnel and increasing the opportunities for success.