Application of Taguchi methods to NextGen integrated safety risk management

NextGen, the Next Generation Air Traffic Management system, is a complex system of systems that will be comprised of numerous advanced technology concepts being designed and tested independently both for performance and safety. Recent concern has been expressed regarding potential hazards that may be introduced through interaction effects associated with implementation of these integrated systems. With safety identified as the Federal Aviation Administration's number one priority, a requirement for developing an integrated safety risk management capability has been defined. This paper suggests application of a proven technique for satisfying this requirement: Taguchi Methods. Background information and an example of Design of Experiment theory is provided along with a literature review citing documents describing integrated risk management concerns and published articles suggesting methods for addressing this risk. The paper concludes by demonstrating application of the Taguchi method using notional safety data to identify interaction effects and optimize configuration of four systems proposed for NextGen air traffic control towers.