What
is Human Factors Anyway?
Human factors engineering
is the application of what we know about human capabilities and limitations to
the design of equipment and devices in order to enable more productive, safe,
and effective use. Known also as usability engineering,
cognitive ergonomics, or user-centered design, human factors is a marriage of
psychology and engineering: the application of a scientific body of knowledge
about human strengths and weaknesses to the design of technology. An
Historical Perspective Human factors has its roots in the
early efforts of industrial engineers, psychologists, and efficiency experts to
streamline manufacturing operations and equipment for better worker efficiency.
During World War II, human factors experts were enlisted by the military to help
determine why bombs missed their targets, planes were crashing, and friendly ships
were being sunk. Aircraft cockpit design received special focus, as the rather
poor design of cockpit controls and displays were found to induce deadly pilot
errors. Since then, human factors analysis has become
a notable part of the design of many safety critical systems, especially in regulated
industries such as transportation and nuclear energy production. In
recent years, human factors has found a calling in the development of main stream
commercial products, as consumers demand more "user-friendly" products.
Human Factors In Medicine In
medicine, rising concerns over the safety of anesthesia gas machines triggered
interest in the application of human factors (to the considerable benefit of patients),
in the late '70s. In the late 90's, medical error emerged as a serious issue in
the delivery of healthcare, spawning new interest in
human factors as a means of reducing error. And like their counterparts in
non-medical industries, medical software and device manufacturers have turned
to human factors as a tool for shortening time-to-market, managing development
costs, reducing product support costs, reducing the risk of product recalls, and
improving customer satisfaction with their products. Human factors makes good
business sense.
Scope Both
a body of knowledge and a methodology (or at least, a collection of empirical
and analytical techniques) human factors concerns itself with the interaction
between an user, environment, and device:
| | User | Abilities,
behaviors, and physical characteristics of people that impact how they use technology; |
| | Environment | Characteristics
of the environment that affect people when they use technology; |
| | Device | Characteristics
of the device that affect how people use it (the "human interface"). |
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