Frank Hannigan

About Frank Hannigan

My work sits at the intersection of how people think, decide, and perform, and how technology can make them better at it. That thread runs from my graduate research in human factors at Embry-Riddle through two decades of applied work across defense, aviation, and simulation.As a systems engineer at Lockheed Martin, I contributed to programs that have had an impact on today\'s world; the FAA\'s En Route Automation Modernization (ERAM) and the human-computer interface for the Zumwalt-class destroyer. Later, at Sandia National Laboratories, I led human factors research on expertise in the electric grid control room and took on a special assignment for executive leadership on business process improvement. For the past decade, I\'ve served as Co-Owner and COO at Quantum Improvements Consulting, a defense-focused training & technology company, delivering AR/VR/XR platforms, game-based training systems, and human performance software to federal customers, owning the full operational picture from program delivery to P&L.More recently, I co-founded MagellanXR which brings the same immersive technology DNA into the commercial world. MagellanXR creates browser-based, place-based augmented reality experiences for museums, cultural sites, tour operators, and venues. No apps. No headsets. Just narrative, location, and a QR code.I\'m also a commercial pilot with a BS in Aeronautical Science. Aviation shapes how I think about systems, risk, and the gap between training and real-world execution. It\'s woven into everything.I\'ve published and presented research on decision-making under stress, augmented cognition, virtual environments, and adaptive training at venues including I/ITSEC, HFES, and HCI International. I served as President of the HFES Central Florida Chapter and co-authored a chapter in the Handbook of Virtual Environments.The domains I find most compelling push the edges of what\'s possible — advanced air mobility, immersive training, human performance systems, and the operational infrastructure that makes emerging technology work in the real world.

Experience

1. Owner and Chief Operating Officer

   Quantum Improvements Consulting

   Feb 2016 — Present

   Led all operational functions delivering simulation, AR/VR/XR, and game-based training platforms to DoD and federal customers.Managed program delivery, staffing, vendor relationships, and P&L across a portfolio of government human performance and training technology contracts.Oversaw development and deployment of immersive training software and SaaS platforms designed to close the gap between classroom instruction and real-world execution under stress.Built and scaled a cross-functional technical organization, establishing operational frameworks that maintained delivery performance in a complex federal contracting environment.Applied human factors principles to training system design and program strategy, drawing on 15+ years of research and applied experience in human performance.

Education

• Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University

  MS, Human Factors and Systems

  2006 — 2008

• Saint Louis University

  BS, Aeronautics

  1998 — 2003

Skills

• Data Analysis
• Microsoft Office
• Technical Writing
• Integration Testing
• Project Management
• Research
• Workflow Analysis
• Software Integration
• Human Computer Interaction
• Business Requirements
• Integration
• Systems Engineering
• Requirements Management
• Requirements Analysis
• Task Analysis
• Human Factors
• Cognitive Psychology
• Leadership
• Program Management
• System Architecture
• Proposal Writing
• Human Factors Engineering
• Usability
• Simulations
• User Experience
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Analysis