Introduction to the Field of Human Factors
What is the field of human factors concerned with?
- User-centered design
- Fitting the task and tools to the human
- Improving safety, comfort, efficiency and enjoyment of the human operator
- Serving as the spokesperson for the consumer during the design process
History
- Earliest design of tools (i.e., stone age) one person was designer,
manufacturer, user and maintainer.
- During industrial revolution (1800s) jobs became much more specialized.
Emphasis on increased production effieiency = birth of the field of industiral
engineering.
- Women move into work force during World War II (physical fit in manufacturing
workplaces originally designed for men)
- Men in high-speed aircraft (human perceptual and cognitive capabilities
= weak link in human-machine system)
Intersection of fields
- Industrial engineering
- Psychology
- Medicine
- Physiology
- Anthropology
- Anthropometry (the measurment of human physical dimensions)
- Biomechanics (the assessment of human strength and related mechanical
factors)
- Etc.
Is it a science?
- Big debate!
- Collection and analysis of data about human capabilities and limitations
using scientific research tools.
- Application of this data is more akin to engineering.
What's in a name?
- Ergonomics - almost synonymous, but has connotation of physical factors.
- Human engineering
- Engineering psychology - focus on psychological or mental factors.
- Human factors engineering
- "Engineering" implying application
What do human factors professionals do?
- Research - collecting data about human capabilities and limitations.
- Design - applying these data to design of products, systems, environments
- Testing - evaluation of user-in-the-loop system performance
- Iterative design, test and redesign - critical to good design
- Work with interdisciplinary teams
With whom do human factors professionals work
- Industrial designers
- Market planners
- Graphic designers
- Technical writers
- Engineers (software, mechanical, electrical, aerospace,....)
Where do human factors professionals work?
- Sectors of employment (government, industry, academics, consulting)
- Industries (aviation, nuclear power, consumer products, transportation
systems, computer systems, communication systems, medical systems)
- Employment trends (HCI^, aviation & aerospace V, consulting ^,
government V.)
Related professional organizations
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Last Modified: 2/6/96
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