HFC HUMAN-FACTORS-CONSULT GMBH

Their core work

HFC is a Berlin-based human factors consultancy that applies behavioral science, ergonomics, and user research to the design of complex digital systems. Their work has spanned two distinct technology domains: accessible broadcast media (designing personalised content pipelines for deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences using HbbTV standards) and safety-critical autonomous systems (evaluating human-machine interaction in drone and automated vehicle contexts). In EU consortia, they typically contribute usability analysis, requirements elicitation, and human-centered design guidelines — translating technical system specifications into criteria that make technology safe and usable for real people. As a small consultancy, their value is methodological depth in human factors rather than technology development itself.

What they specialise in

How they've shifted over time

In their first H2020 project (2017–2020), HFC was embedded in the digital media and broadcast space — specifically the accessibility dimension of HbbTV and personalised content for the deaf community, a niche where human factors meets media technology standards. Their second project (2020–2023) marked a clear pivot toward safety-critical autonomous systems: drones and automated vehicles, where resilient architectures and reliable human-machine interaction are high-stakes concerns. This shift suggests HFC is actively expanding beyond media accessibility into the autonomous mobility and UAV domain, where demand for qualified human factors input is growing rapidly.

HFC appears to be repositioning from consumer media accessibility toward the higher-stakes domain of autonomous mobility and aerial systems, where human factors expertise is increasingly required by regulators and system integrators.

How they like to work

HFC has participated in both projects exclusively as a partner — never as coordinator — which is consistent with a specialist consultancy that brings a defined methodological contribution rather than overall project management. Their two projects involved an average of roughly 27 consortium partners each, meaning they are accustomed to operating in large, multi-actor European consortia. This suggests they are experienced at carving out a clear specialist role within complex multi-partner environments, though their appetite or capacity for consortium leadership remains untested.

Through just two projects, HFC has connected with 55 unique partners across 16 countries — an unusually broad network for such limited project volume, reflecting the large consortium structures of both ICT RIA and IA projects. Their partnerships span digital media, broadcasting, aeronautics, and autonomous transport sectors, giving them cross-domain connectivity that exceeds what their project count alone would suggest.

What sets them apart

HFC occupies a rare intersection: a human factors consultancy with documented EU project experience in both consumer media accessibility and safety-critical autonomous systems — two domains that almost never share the same partner. For consortium builders in the autonomous vehicles, UAV, or smart mobility space, HFC offers a credentialed human factors partner that already understands the EU project environment. As a Berlin-based SME, they bring specialist depth without the overhead of a large research institute, making them an efficient choice when human-centered design input is needed without full team integration.

Highlights from their portfolio

• Content4All
  Their largest project by EC contribution (EUR 278,600), addressing an underserved area — personalised broadcast content for the deaf community — that sits at the intersection of digital inclusion policy and HbbTV technical standards.
• ADACORSA
  Signals HFC's entry into the autonomous systems and UAV domain, a fast-growing area where human factors expertise is increasingly mandated, despite the modest funding received (EUR 27,562) indicating a targeted specialist role.