Creating alignment through immersive end-user testing to inform design decisions1
Tracks
Room 1
| Wednesday, December 2, 2026 |
| 1:30 PM - 1:50 PM |
| Plenary Room - Grand Central |
Overview
Andrew Wright
Speaker
Andrew Wright
Creating alignment through immersive end-user testing to inform design decisions
Abstract
Context
This study reflects on the application of high-fidelity end-user testing to support design decision-making during the detailed design phases of the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport (WSA) project, within the Stations, Systems, Trains, Operations and Maintenance (SSTOM) package.
The WSA Metro presented a highly complex and human-system environment, with diverse operational contexts. This presentation focuses on the operational control rooms and station environments. End users included passengers, station staff, operators, maintenance personnel. Integrating meaningful user input across this range of end users posed a significant challenge, due to system complexity and managing trade-offs between different end user requirements.
Aim
Two key strategies were adopted to address such challenges. Firstly, early low-fidelity assessments to refine design options and manage competing end-user requirements. Secondly, progressively building the fidelity of end-user testing prototyping techniques.
Approach
As part of the first strategy, a targeted engagement with project stakeholder groups including design and system safety engineers, maintenance representatives, operator representatives, was used to develop a detailed understanding of task requirements, plant, and operational constraints. This enabled the development of scenario-based testing that moved beyond generic usability assessments to focus on critical actions and context-specific risks.
Results
This was followed up by the second strategy, where immersive high fidelity virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) environments were used to enable dynamic interaction with design concepts. The testing approach allowed end users to navigate and interact with proposed designs, within realistic simulations of operational tasks and environments. Targeted questionnaires, ergonomic assessments of participant’s movements, and application of a “thinking aloud” user testing protocol were applied. This integrated approach significantly improved the quality and specificity of feedback, particularly in identifying operational, maintainability, and safety-related issues.
Implications
The approach improved alignment between operational requirements, stakeholder expectations, and design decision-making within a complex rail infrastructure environment.
This study reflects on the application of high-fidelity end-user testing to support design decision-making during the detailed design phases of the Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport (WSA) project, within the Stations, Systems, Trains, Operations and Maintenance (SSTOM) package.
The WSA Metro presented a highly complex and human-system environment, with diverse operational contexts. This presentation focuses on the operational control rooms and station environments. End users included passengers, station staff, operators, maintenance personnel. Integrating meaningful user input across this range of end users posed a significant challenge, due to system complexity and managing trade-offs between different end user requirements.
Aim
Two key strategies were adopted to address such challenges. Firstly, early low-fidelity assessments to refine design options and manage competing end-user requirements. Secondly, progressively building the fidelity of end-user testing prototyping techniques.
Approach
As part of the first strategy, a targeted engagement with project stakeholder groups including design and system safety engineers, maintenance representatives, operator representatives, was used to develop a detailed understanding of task requirements, plant, and operational constraints. This enabled the development of scenario-based testing that moved beyond generic usability assessments to focus on critical actions and context-specific risks.
Results
This was followed up by the second strategy, where immersive high fidelity virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) environments were used to enable dynamic interaction with design concepts. The testing approach allowed end users to navigate and interact with proposed designs, within realistic simulations of operational tasks and environments. Targeted questionnaires, ergonomic assessments of participant’s movements, and application of a “thinking aloud” user testing protocol were applied. This integrated approach significantly improved the quality and specificity of feedback, particularly in identifying operational, maintainability, and safety-related issues.
Implications
The approach improved alignment between operational requirements, stakeholder expectations, and design decision-making within a complex rail infrastructure environment.
Biography
Andrew Wright is a Human Factors and Human Systems Integration (HSI) specialist with over 20 years’ experience across rail, nuclear, healthcare, infrastructure, and digital design environments. He is the founder of WrightMoves Consulting and has held senior Human Factors roles with Segula Technologies, Tactix and Sener, supporting major Australian transport and infrastructure programs.
In 2024, Andrew served as Principal Human Factors Specialist on the SSTOM Sydney Metro – Western Sydney Airport (SSTOM) project during the detailed design phase, where he led high-fidelity end-user testing programs using immersive virtual and augmented reality environments to support operational and station design development. He managed Human Factors activities across multiple work packages and stakeholder groups, including operations, safety assurance, and customer-centred design.
His broader rail experience includes leadership roles across Sydney Metro West, Western Sydney Airport, NSW and Queensland regional rail projects, and multiple Sydney and Melbourne light rail systems, where he managed Human Factors integration plans, HF issue registers, design assurance activities, and VR-based end-user testing processes.
Andrew also supports Human Factors programs within the Australian nuclear sector, including projects for ANSTO and the Australian Radioactive Waste Agency (ARWA). His work has included operational Human Factors assessments, regulator-facing safety assurance activities, Human Factors training, development of HF governance and assessment frameworks, and integration of Human Factors into operational readiness and lifecycle safety processes within complex safety-critical environments. He is also Co-Chair of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society of Australia (HFESA) Human Systems Integration Special Interest Group.
