Naturalistic Decision Making

#52: The Power of Asking “What Might Go Wrong?” with Tandi Bagian

Oct 3, 2024

Tandi Bagian, a NASA veteran and expert in human factors, shares her insights from high-stakes environments. She discusses her journey as a woman in engineering and the vital role of curiosity in problem-solving. Tandi emphasizes the need for collaboration between humans and automation, especially in healthcare. She reflects on her experiences during the COVID vaccine rollout, advocating for proactive safety measures. The conversation also delves into the importance of open dialogue and adaptive decision-making in overcoming uncertainties in both life and science.

51:00

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Episode guests

Tandi Bagian

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Quick takeaways

Tandi Bajen highlights the necessity of understanding human factors in complex systems, stressing the importance of tailored training for effective astronaut performance.

Her innovative methods in monitoring astronaut workload, such as correlating physical indicators to cognitive strain, showcase the significance of data-driven approaches for high-pressure environments.

Bajen advocates for fostering a collaborative culture within healthcare organizations to effectively integrate advanced technologies like AI, emphasizing trust and communication among team members.

Deep dives

Tandi Bajen's Impressive Career Journey

Tandi Bajen has built an impressive career spanning over four decades, starting with her engineering degree from the University of Washington in 1979. She played a pivotal role at NASA, serving as lead instructor for astronaut crew training and managing multiple human factors laboratories that supported key space missions. Her transition to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency involved significant contributions in vehicle and fuel emissions research and later, she became the director of the Human Factors Division at the VA National Center for Patient Safety. This journey showcases her commitment to improving safety and efficiency in both aerospace and healthcare sectors, demonstrating a multi-faceted approach to human factors engineering.

Intro

3min

Navigating Engineering: A Woman's Journey

7min

Navigating Human Load in High-Stakes Environments

27min

Proactive Approaches in Healthcare Management

2min

The Fulfillment of Collaborative Inquiry and Continuous Improvement

4min

Navigating Uncertainties and Perspectives

7min

Tandi Bagian earned a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from the University of Washington in 1979. She was employed by NASA’s Johnson Space Center and served as Lead Instructor for Astronaut Crew Training; Flight Projects Manager for the Space Biomedical Research Institute; and Head of the Crew Interface Analysis Section. This last position involved supervising six Human Factors Laboratories to support NASA’s Space Shuttle and Space Station missions. She also was a Principal Science Coordinator for Exploration Human Factors, and in that capacity informed the Agency’s Advanced Human Support Technology roadmap in preparation for Mars Exploration mission definition. In 1995, Tandi transferred from NASA to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and worked at the EPA’s National Vehicle and Fuel Emissions Laboratory in Ann Arbor. Along the way, she earned a Master of Science in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1999.

In 2012, Tandi joined the Department of Veteran Affairs as Director, Human Factors Division for the VA National Center for Patient Safety. That team created an award-winning Patient Safety Boot Camp’ training for Biomedical Engineers across the entire VHA. With a vision to make sure patient safety is everyone’s business’, NCPS created strong technical partners across the over 170 VA Medical Centers, as well as with industry partners, to assist Healthcare professionals in providing ‘safer systems, safer care'.

With 46 years of Federal Service, Ms. Bagian retired in 2022 and quickly became Associated with the NASA Engineering and Safety Center’s Human Factors Technical Discipline Team. And this is where we met. This HF team is responsible for responding to requests for analysis and review of human factors issues across the NASA Centers and Commercial/International Partners committed to NASA’s Moon2Mars mission.

Learn more about Tandi:

NESC Academy

Where to find the hosts:

Brian Moon

Laura Militello