Introduction To Human Factors

Introduction to Human
Factors
The Field of Human Factors
• Consider the following scenarios
• In a factory, a worker was required to reach to an awkward location and
position a heavy component for assembly. After grabbing the component, he
felt a pain in his lower back. Later, it turned out that the worker had suffered a
ruptured disc, and he was laid off from work for several days. A lawsuit was
brought against the company for requiring physical action that endangered
the worker.
• In a household, an elderly resident encountered two problems. Examining the

bottle of medicine she had been prescribed, she was unable to read the tiny
print that listed the recommended dosage and the red-printed safety warning
beneath it. A second difficulty prevented her from encountering harm caused
by the first difficulty. She was unable to exert the combination of fine motor
coordination and strength necessary to remove the "childproof" cap.
• In a hurry to get a phone message through to a business, an unfortunate

customer finds herself "talking" to an uncooperative electronic voice menu
system. After impatiently hearing a long list of "If you want ... , press #," she
realizes that she accidentally pressed the number of the wrong option and
now has no clue as to how to get back to the option she wanted, other than to
hang up and repeat the lengthy process.
• In 1987, U.S. navy cruiser Vincennes was on patrol in the Persian Gulf when it
received information regarding an approaching aircraft. Due to the
characteristics of the radar system displays, it was impossible for the crew to
know whether it is ascending or descending. A combination of short time to
act, breakdowns in communication, and crew expectancies against the hostile
environment, the captain decided to shoot the aircraft. Unfortunately, it was
actually an Iranian passenger airline, which was ascending right towards the
navy cruiser. 290 people died on board the aircraft.
• According to the Iranian government, Vincennes negligently shot down the civilian
aircraft. Some analysts blamed the captain of Vincennes, who had entered Iran's waters,
for reckless and aggressive behavior in a tense and dangerous environment.
• These scenarios illustrate the role of human factors,
• We observe breakdowns in the interaction between human and the
systems they work in.
• Most of the time, systems work well
• We notice when things go wrong more easily and solve issues after
• In general, the goal of human factors is to make the human
interaction with systems in such a manner that
• Enhances performance
• Increases safety
• Increases user satisfaction
• Human factors involves the study of factors and development of tools
that facilitate the achievement of these goals.
• In considering these goals, it is useful to realize that there may be
trade offs between them.
• For instance, enhanced performance may involve reduction of errors or an
increase in productivity (the speed of production). But increased speeds may
cause operator errors.
• Some companies may decide to cut on time-consuming safety procedures in
order to meet productivity goals.
• Human factors interventions can satisfy all goals at once.
• For instance, one company that improved its work station design reduced
worker’s compensation losses in the first year from $400,000 to $94,000.
Workers were more able to continue work (indreasing productivity), while
recusing the risk of injury (increasing safety)
• The three goals of human factors
are accomplished through several
procedures in the human factors
cycle, shown in the figure.
• Point A is where problems and
deficiencies in human-system
interaction are diagnosed
• and B is where human factors is
applied at the beginning of a design
cycle.
• Point A is where problems and
deficiencies in human-system interaction
are diagnosed. To do this, we need
• Knowledge of the nature of physical body
(size, shape, strength)
• Knowledge of the mind (its information
processing characteristicsand limits)
• Understanding of the physical and
information system
• Appropriate analysis tools to define the cause
of breakdowns (task analysis, statistical
analysis, incident/accident analysis)
• After the problem is identified five
different aproaches may be directed
toward implementing a solution:
• Equipment Design: changes the nature of the
physical equipment
• Task Design: changes what operators do
• Environmental Design: improved lighting,
temperature control,reduced noise
• Training: prepare worker for the conditions in
the job environment
• Selection: recognize the individual
differences and select operators that best
suit the job
• A good human factors application does not fix problems; it anticipates
problems.
• Hence the role of human factors can start at the beginning of the
design phase (point B in the figure).
• İf applied early, it can save money.
The Scope of Human Factors
• One way of understanding
what human factors
professionals do is
illustrated in the figure
• Any task environment may
impose on some subset of
human components
• Task analysis identifies this
mapping and defines the
scope of human factors for
any application.
• Figure lists various components
of the human user that are called
on by the system in question
• Is the information necessary to
perform the task visible? (elderly
woman example)
• What communication and
cognitive proceses are involved in
understanding the information and
deciding what to do? (U.S.
Vincennes example)
• How are actions to be carried out
and what are the physical and
muscular demands? (the worker)
• Any given task
environment listed across
the opt row may rely upon
some subset of the human
components listed down
the side.
• The relationship of human
factors with other domains
of science and engineering.
• Ergonomics focuses more on
factors related to physiology
and physical work (lifting,
reaching, stress and fatigue).
• But the domains of Human
Factors and Ergonomics are
blended.
• The ultimate goal of human
factors is toward system
design
• A discipline in engineering
• It accounts for psychological
and physical properties of
the human component
Human Factors as a Science
• An endeavor to seek generalization and prediction makes Human
factors a science
• Generalization implies that classes of problems may have common elements.
• Prediction implies that certain solutions will succeed when put into practice
• Observation is crucial element in achieving generalization and
prediction
• Laboratory environment (highly controlled experiments)
• Observation in the field
• Simulation ( a combination of the above)

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Introduction to Human

• In a household, an elderly resident encountered two problems. Examining the

• In a hurry to get a phone message through to a business, an unfortunate

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