Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics Methods

Neville Anthony Stanton, Alan Hedge, Karel Brookhuis, Eduardo Salas, Hal W. Hendrick, Neville Anthony Stanton, Alan Hedge, Karel Brookhuis, Eduardo Salas, Hal W. Hendrick

• Publisher: CRC Press
• Year: 2004
• Print ISBN: 9780367864521
• eBook ISBN: 9781134446773
• Edition: 1
• Topic: Tecnología e ingeniería
• Subtopic: Ingeniería industrial

Research suggests that ergonomists tend to restrict themselves to two or three of their favorite methods in the design of systems, despite a multitude of variations in the problems that they face. Human Factors and Ergonomics Methods delivers an authoritative and practical account of methods that incorporate human capabilities and limitations, envi

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Human Factors and Ergonomics Methods

Neville A. Stanton

Brunei University

1.1Aims of the Handbook

1.2Layout of the Handbook

1.3Layout of Each Entry

1.4Other Methods Books

1.5Challenges for Human Factors and Ergonomics Methods

References

1.1Aims of the Handbook

The main aim of this handbook is to provide a comprehensive, authoritative, and practical account of human factors and ergonomics methods. It is intended to encourage people to make full use of human factors and ergonomics methods in system design. Research has suggested that even professional economists tend to restrict themselves to two or three of their favorite methods, despite variations in the problems that they address (Baber and Mirza, 1988; Stanton and Young, 1998). If this book leads people to explore human factors and ergonomics methods that are new to them, then it will have achieved its goal.

The page constraints of this handbook meant that coverage of the main areas of ergonomics had to be limited to some 83 methods. The scope of coverage, outlined in Table 1.1, was determined by what ergonomists do.

From these definitions, it can be gleaned that the domain of human factors and ergonomics includes:

• Human capabilities and limitations
• Human–machine interaction
• Teamwork
• Tools, machines, and material design
• Environmental factors
• Work and organizational design

These definitions also put an emphasis (sometimes implicit) on analysis of human performance, safety, and satisfaction. It is no wonder, then, that human factors and ergonomics is a discipline with a strong tradition in the development and application of methods.

Hancock and Diaz (2002) argue that, as a scientific discipline, ergonomics holds the moral high ground, with the aim of bettering the human condition. They suggest that this may be at conflict with other aims of improving system effectiveness and efficiency. No one would argue with the aims of improved comfort, satisfaction, and well-being, but the drawing of boundaries between the improvements for individuals and improvements for the whole system might cause some heated debate. Wilson (1995) suggests that the twin interdependent aims of ergonomics might not be easy to resolve, but ergonomists have a duty to both individual jobholders and the employing organization. Ethical concerns about the issue of divided responsibilities might only be dealt with satisfactorily by making it clear to all concerned where one’s loyalties lie.

TABLE 1.1Definitions of Human Factors and Ergonomics

Author	Definition of Human Factors and Ergonomics
Murrell, 1965	...the scientific study of the relationship between man and his working environment. In this sense, the term environment is taken to cover not only the ambient environment in which he may work but also his tools and materials, his methods of work and the organization of the work, either as an individual or within a working group. All these are related to the nature of man himself; to his abilities, capacities and limitations.
Grandjean, 1980	...is a study of man’s behavior in relation to his work. The object of this research is man at work in relation to his spatial environment...the most important principle of ergonomics: Fitting the task to the man. Ergonomics is interdisciplinarian: it bases its theories on physiology, psychology, anthropometry, and various aspects of engineering.
Meister, 1989	...is the study of how humans accomplish work-related tasks in the context of human-machine system operation and how behavioral and nonbehavioral variables affect that accomplishment.
Sanders and McCormick, 1993	...discovers and applies information about human behavior, abilities, limitations, and other characteristics to the design of tools, machines, tasks, jobs, and environments for productive, safe, comfortable, and effective human use.
Hancock, 1997	...is that branch of science which seeks to turn human–machine antagonism into human–machine synergy.

Source: Dempsey, P.G., Wolgalter, M.S., and Hancock, P.A. (2000), Theor. Issues Ergonomics Sci., 1, 3–10. With permission.

The International Encyclopedia of Human Factors and Ergonomics (Karwowski, 2001) has an entire section devoted to methods and techniques. Many of the other sections of the encyclopedia also provide references to, if not actual examples of, ergonomics methods. In short, the importance of human factors and ergonomics methods cannot be overstated. These methods offer the ergonomist a structured approach to the analysis and evaluation of design problems. The ergonomist’s approach can be described using the scientist-practitioner model. As a scientist, the ergonomist is:

• Extending the work of others
• Testing theories of human–machine performance
• Developing hypotheses
• Questioning everything
• Using rigorous data-collection and data-analysis techniques
• Ensuring repeatability of results
• Disseminating the finding of studies

As a practitioner, the ergonomist is:

• Addressing real-world problems
• Seeking the best compromise under difficult circumstances
• Looking to offer the most cost-effective solution
• Developing demonstrators and prototype solutions
• Analyzing and evaluating the effects of change
• Developing benchmarks for best practice
• Communicating findings to interested parties

Most ergonomists will work somewh...

Table of contents

• Cover
• Halftitle
• Title Page
• Copyright Page
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Editors
• Contributors
• Contents
• 1 Human Factors and Ergonomics Methods
• Physical Methods
• Psychophysiological Methods
• Behavioral and Cognitive Methods
• Team Methods
• Environmental Methods
• Macroergonomic Methods
• Index