Whilst most texts in this area cater for marketing, political and social science research, this book sets out the way focus groups can be applied particularly to ergonomics (human factors) and design-related projects, and compares their use with other methods. Examples from a wide range of subject areas including IT systems, product design and health and safety research are included.
The book demystifies the subject and includes practical guidance on setting up and running focus group sessions, to enable and encourage the professional (and novice) to employ these techniques usefully and with confidence.
An ideal book for the professional to the undergraduate student. It is written for ergonomists, designers and anyone running product related focus groups or involved in product research.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203302745

This book explains how social psychology, sociology and anthropology can provide valuable techniques for investigating the relationship between people and design. Designers can use these techniques to assess the role that products and the built environment play in peoples' lives and apply this knowledge in the setting of product requirements, for example ergonomic user requirements, such as usability and accessibility and functional and aesthetic issues. The resulting products will not only be functional and ergonomically sound, they will also accord much better with the lifestyle and aspirations of those who experience them.
Design and the Social Sciences is written not only by designers and applied theorists, but also by specialists working at the front line in the consumer product industries. The contributors critically discuss the existing realities and the benefits that an interdisciplinary approach could bring to research, practice and education. They also identify and define possible directions for interdisciplinary work connecting design and the social sciences.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203301307

The last five years have seen a major paradigm shift in the role of Human Factors in product design. Previously this was seen as pertaining almost exclusively to product usability, but new recognition is being given to "pleasure-based" human factors. This emphasises the holistic nature of the experience of person-product interaction. Whilst traditional human factors approaches tended to characterise the user in terms of his or her physical or cognitive processing capabilities, new human factors approaches are concerned with wider lifestyle issues. The quality of a design is judged not only on it's fit with a persons cognitive and physical abilities but also depends on how it fits the person's lifestyle and self image - their hopes, dreams, values and aspirations. Under the new paradigm, human factors specialists are concerned not only with the interaction design of products, but also with the products sensorial and aesthetic qualities.
Usability may once have been a seen as an added bonus, but consumers now tend to expect a product to be usable and are disappointed if they have difficulties in use. If human factors specialists are to continue to add value to a product, then their contribution must extend beyond traditional usability issues to capture the essence of what makes a product a real joy to use.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203302273

This important new volume brings together recent research by leading international ergonomists and sport and exercise scientists. The book presents a wide range of studies in occupational ergonomics, each utilizing techniques that are also employed by sports and exercise science research groups, and therefore breaks new ground in the interface between sport and industry. Arranged into sections examining environment, special populations, human factors interface, sports technology and occupational health, this book will be an essential purchase for all those involved in sports science or ergonomics research.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203166639

Like the first edition, the revision of this successful "Handbook" responds to the growing need for specific tools and methods for testing and evaluating human-system interfaces. Indications are that the market for information on these tools and applications will continue to grow in the 21st century. One of the goals of offering a second edition is to expand and emphasize the application chapters, providing contemporary examples of human factors test and evaluation (HFTE) enterprises across a range of systems and environments. Coverage of the standard tools and techniques used in HFTE have been updated as well.
New features of the "Handbook of Human Factors Testing and Evaluation" include:
*new chapters covering human performance testing, manufacturing ergonomics, anthropometry, generative design methods, and usability testing;
*updated tools and techniques for modeling, simulation, embedded testing, training assessment, and psychophysiological measurement;
*new applications chapters presenting human factors testing examples in aviation and avionics, forestry, road safety, and software systems; and
*more examples, illustrations, graphics and tables have been added.
The orientation of the current work has been toward breadth of coverage rather than in-depth treatment of a few issues or techniques. Experienced testers will find much that is familiar, as well as new tools, creative approaches, and a rekindled enthusiasm. Newcomers will discover the diversity of issues, methods, and creative approaches that make up the field. In addition, the book is written in such a way that individuals outside the profession should learn the intrinsic value and pleasure in ensuring safe, efficient, and effective operation, as well as increased user satisfaction through HFTE.

Written by Dan MacLeod, one of the most experienced practitioners in the field, The Ergonomics Kit for General Industry, Second Edition contains everything you need to set up or improve your workplace ergonomics process. MacLeod describes the financial benefits of workplace ergonomics and ways to think about these tools that make good business sense. He uses case studies that illustrate positive bottom-line results and the actions that led to these results. Down to earth and practical, the information in this book is rooted in what has actually succeeded on the workplace floor. See what's new in the Second Edition: Additional material on the actual process of solving problems Success stories illustrate how the process works under various circumstances and organizational cultures to improve workplace conditions and maximize employee well being and productivity Emphasizes simple, low tech, and low cost approaches Guidance on how to create change and implement new processes Electronic copies of forms and worksheets, PowerPoint presentation, and guide for conducting basic training sessions available on the Internet The book provides practical guidance on the process of identifying good, low cost improvements. It describes best practices from major corporations on setting up committees, establishing priorities, and developing written plans and also covers controversial issues such as job rotation and back belts. The kit includes a multitude of forms: worksheets, checklists, planning guides, employee feedback forms, and a program audit, as well as training handouts, train-the-trainer background, and basic PowerPoint presentations. Drawing on more than 30 years of experience, the author delineates how to set up an effective and successful ergonomics program.

This simple and manageable guide to user interface design is written for the professional in industry working on product development and the decision process. It is directed not only to the human factors specialists, but also to technicians, designers, marketing and product managers and students.
The book presents guidelines for user interface design including a catalogue of input and output devices for electronic appliances, adding material on the design process, interaction design, advanced input, speech interfaces, evaluation, standards, the move from usability to pleasure and cultural differences.
Each chapter stands alone, so the book can be used as a reference handbook. Contributions come from several human factors specialists working in industry and in academia. The text is extensively illustrated by product examples showing good user interface design.

eBook available with sample pages: 0203471334

Now more than ever, the design of systems and devices for effective and safe healthcare delivery has taken center stage. And the importance of human factors and ergonomics in achieving this goal can't be ignored. Underlining the utility of research in achieving effective design, Advances in Human Aspects of Healthcare discusses how human factors and ergonomics principles can be applied to improve quality, safety, efficiency, and effectiveness in patient care. Topics include the design of work environments to improve satisfaction and well-being of patients, healthcare providers, and professionals. The book explores new approaches for improving healthcare devices such as portable ultrasound systems, better work design, and effective communications and systems support. It also examines healthcare informatics for the public and usability for patient users, building on results from usability studies for medical personnel. Several chapters explore quality and safety while others examine medical error for risk factors and information transfer in error reduction. The book provides an integrated review of physical, cognitive, and organizational aspects that facilitates a systems approach to implementation. These features and more allow practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of the issues in healthcare delivery and the role ergonomics and human factors can play in solving them.

With the increase of globalization of business and industry, IT products and services are often produced and marketed across geographical cultural boundaries without adequate consideration of culture. There is a high probability that IT products and services developed in one country may not be effectively used in another country, which may hinder their market penetration, sales, and use. Based on research and practice, Cross-Cultural Design for IT Products and Services provides a resource for human factors engineers, designers, and marketing professionals who define and develop IT products and services for the global market. With its extensive review of cross-cultural theory and cross-cultural design literature, it is also a resource for those who are interested in research on cross-cultural design. The book presents an overview of the dimensions of culture that have implications for human information processing and affective response. It examines a set of user interface design guidelines grouped into five areas: language, use of color, icons and images, navigation, and information architecture. Also, it addresses physical ergonomics and anthropometry issues. The text translates theory and guidelines into a practical methodology and discusses how to integrate methods of cross-cultural design into a standard engineering process for product development. The authors review and reappraise theories, models, principles, and techniques for design of IT products and services that will be marketed globally. They provide guidelines for user interface design across North American, Asian, and other cultures. Applying the guidelines within the methodological framework provided will enhance the usability and effectiveness of the IT product or service, and contribute to greater user satisfaction, increased productivity, higher sales, and lower product support costs.

An exploration of how ergonomics can contribute to the solution of important societal and engineering challenges, Advances in Social and Organizational Factors discusses the optimization of sociotechnical systems, including their organizational structures, policies, and processes. It includes coverage of communication, crew resource management, work design, design of working times, teamwork, participatory design, community ergonomics, cooperative work, new work paradigms, organizational culture, virtual organizations, telework, and quality management. The book provides research on urban infrastructures and how to shape urban spaces, including stadiums and museums. It covers warning systems in cars, voice-based interfaces, and the positive effects on manufacturing processes available from health informatics and management systems. Several chapters examine the role human factors can play in counter-terrorism efforts and in interpreting deceptive behaviors. They provide suggestions on how to improve enterprise resource planning systems and stress the importance of lifelong learning, personalized learning, and work-life balance. The book also highlights issues with special populations, detailing how to design and adapt products and work situations for these groups. In addition to exploring the challenges faced in optimizing sociotechnical systems, the book underlines themes that play a role in all the challenges and how they are linked to each other. It concludes with an exploration of emotional ergonomics and the important positive effects of making people happy and healthy. With chapter authors from around the globe, the book supplies a broad look at current challenges and possible solutions.

An examination of the various types of human-modeled technology, Advances in Applied Human Modeling and Simulation not only covers the type of models available, but how they can be applied to solve specific problems. These models provide a representation of some human aspects that can be inserted into simulations or virtual environments and facilitate prediction of safety, satisfaction, usability, performance, and sustainability. Topics include: Anthropometry and human functional data Biomechanics, occupational safety, comfort and discomfort Biometric authentications Driving safety and human performance Enhancing human capabilities through aids or training Fuzzy systems and neural computing Human behavior and risk assessment modeling Integrating software with humans and systems International cooperation in education and engineering research Intelligent agents in decision training Intelligent data and text mining Machine learning and human factors Modeling physical aspects of work Monitoring systems and human decision Psychophysiological indicators of emotion Resilience engineering and human reliability Scenario-based performance in distributed enterprises Special populations Sustainability, earth sciences and engineering System-of-systems architecting and engineering Verification and validation Virtual interactive design and assessment The math and science provides a foundation for visualizations that can facilitate decision making by technical experts, management or those responsible for public policy. In considering a systems perspective and decisions that affect performance, these models provide opportunities for an expanded role of engineers and HF/E specialist

Successful interaction with products, tools, and technologies depends on usable designs, accommodating the needs of potential users and does not require costly training. In this context, Advances in Usability Evaluation Part I discusses emerging concepts, theories, and applications of human factors knowledge focusing on the discovery and understanding of human interaction with products and systems for their improvement. The book covers devices and their interfaces, focusing on optimization of user devices and emphasizing visual and haptic feedback. It then discusses user studies, exploring the limits and capabilities of special populations, particularly the elderly, which can influence the design. It also examines the effect of changes in force and kinematics, physiology, cognitive performance, in the design of consumer products, tools and workplaces. Examining a variety of user-centered evaluation approaches, the concluding chapters details methods for developing products that can improve safety and human performance and at same time, the efficiency of the system. It reports on usability evaluations for different kinds of products and technologies, particularly for cellular phones, earphones, earphone controls, mattresses and pillows, package and professional tools, and service systems. The book provides new methods that enhance performance, expand capabilities, and optimize the fit between people and technology.

This book examines recent advances in theories, models, and methods relevant to automated and autonomous systems. The following chapters provide perspectives on modern autonomous systems, such as self-driving cars and unmanned aerial systems, directly from the professionals working with and studying them. Current theories surrounding topics such as vigilance, trust, and fatigue are examined throughout as predictors of human performance in the operation of automated systems. The challenges related to attention and effort in autonomous vehicles described within give credence to still-developing methods of training and selecting operators of such unmanned systems. The book further recognizes the need for human-centered approaches to design; a carefully crafted automated technology that places the "human user" in the center of that design process. Features Combines scientific theories with real-world applications where automated technologies are implemented Disseminates new understanding as to how automation is now transitioning to autonomy Highlights the role of individual and team characteristics in the piloting of unmanned systems and how models of human performance are applied in system design Discusses methods for selecting and training individuals to succeed in an age of increasingly complex human-machine systems Provides explicit benchmark comparisons of progress across the last few decades, and identifies future prognostications and the constraints that impinge upon these lines of progress Human Performance in Automated and Autonomous Systems: Current Theory and Methods illustrates the modern scientific theories and methods to be applied in real-world automated technologies.

This book is devoted to the examination of emerging practical issues related to automated and autonomous systems. The book highlights the significance of these emergent technologies that determine the course of our daily lives. Each unique chapter highlights human factors and engineering concerns across real-world applications, including matters related to aviation and healthcare, human-robot interaction, transportation systems, cybersecurity and cyber defense. This book also depicts the boundaries that separate humans from machine as we continue to become ever more immersed in and symbiotic with these fast-emerging technologies. Automation, across many occupations, has transitioned the human to a role of monitoring machines, presenting challenges related to vigilance and workload. This book identifies the importance of an approach to automated technology that emphasizes the "human user" at the center of the design process. Features Provides perspectives on the role of the individual and teams in complex technical systems such as aviation, healthcare, and medicine Presents the development of highly autonomous systems related to human safety and performance Examines solutions to human factors challenges presented by modern threats to data privacy and cybersecurity Discusses human perceptual and cognitive capabilities underwriting to the design of automated and autonomous systems * Provides in-depth, expert reviews of context-related developments in automation and human-robot teaming Human Performance in Automated and Autonomous Systems: Emerging Issues and Practical Perspectives applies scientific theory directly to real-world systems where automation and autonomous technology is implemented.

This book compiles the papers presented at the Annual Conference of the Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors held in April 2010. It embraces a wide range of issues related to ergonomics, reflecting the name change of the Ergonomics Society to the Institute of Ergonomics & Human Factors.

Already a significant human factor issue, trust is an especially hot topic in today's business world where so much of the contact is virtual. Providing the first elaboration on this subject, the authors conduct an interdisciplinary investigation into the many facets of trust as they relate to the design and management of virtual business environments. They explore trust between organizations, between business partners, as well as trust between employer and employee. Involving theory and practice, this work provides the first scientific and systematic evaluation of global trends and practices regarding trust between people in all aspects of their professional lives.

A ground-breaking new book, Beyond Human Error: Taxonomies and Safety Science deconstructs the conventional concept of "human error" and provides a whole new way of looking at accidents and how they might be prevented. Based on research carried out in the rail, nuclear, and defense industries, the authors show how, by concentrating solely on "human error," systems and sociological factors are frequently ignored in contemporary safety science. They also argue that the "information processing" view of human cognition, the foundation of the majority of safety science and ergonomics, is hopelessly simplistic and leads to ineffective or even misguided intervention strategies. Wallace and Ross explore how what they call the "technically rational" view of science can hamper the process of creating a taxonomy of error events, and the implications this has for the current orthodoxy. In laying out the limitations of the "technically rational" viewpoint, they clearly define their own alternative approach. They begin by demonstrating that the creation of reliable taxonomies is crucial and provide examples of how they created such taxonomies in the nuclear and rail industries. They go on to offer a critique of conventional "frequentist" statistics and provide coherent, easy to use alternatives. They conclude by re-analyzing infamous disasters such as theSpace Shuttle Challenger accident to demonstrate how the "standard" view of these events ignores social and distributed factors. The book concludes with a stimulating and provocative description of the implications of this new approach for safety science, and the social sciences as a whole. While providing a clear and intelligible introduction to the theory of human error and contemporary thinking in safety science, Wallace and Ross mount a challenge to the old orthodoxy and provide a practical alternative paradigm.

Contents:
PART ONE: Introduction to Hierarchical Task Analysis 1. Introduction 2. Hierarchical Task Analysis - A Description of Method 3. Plans - The Key to Describing Task Complexity 4. How to Analyze Tasks Using HTA 5. HTA in Different Work Domains 6. Recording the Analysis PART TWO: Application 7. Articulating the Task 8. Team and Job Design 9. Human Resource Issues 10. Interface Design 11. Developing Documentation 12. Training Design and Development 13. Human Error Analysis 14. Integrating Solutions 15. Evaluating the System 16. Managing a Task Analysis Project 17. HTA as a Human Factors Framework Description of Method

Contents:
PART ONE: Introduction to Hierarchical Task Analysis 1. Introduction 2. HTA- A Description of Method 3. Plans the Key to Describing Task Complexity 4. How to Analyse Tasks Using HTA 5. HTA in Different Work Domains 6. Recording the Analysis
PART TWO: Application 7. Articulating the Task 8. Team and Job Design 9. Human Resource Issues 10. Interface Design 11. Developing Documentation 12. Training Design and Development 13. Human Error Analysis 14. Integrating Solutions 15. Evaluating the System 16. Managing a Task Analysis Project 17. HTA as a Human Factors Framework Description of Method

Human factors considerations are increasingly being incorporated into the product design process. Users are seen more as being important factors in the overall look and usability of products than just as passive users. We are now treated as cognitive and physical components of the person/product system. The author, who is one of the leading lights in the field of cognitive ergonomics, looks at approaches that assume that if a task can be accomplished with a reasonable degree of efficiency and within acceptable levels of comfort, then the product can be seen as fitting to the user. In this book it is argued that in practice these approaches can be dehumanising. People are more than merely physical and cognitive processors. They have hopes, fears, dreams, values and aspirations, indeed these are the very things that make us human.
Designing Pleasurable Products looks both at and beyond usability, considering how products can appeal to use holistically, leading to products that are a joy to own.

eBook available with sample pages: 020330568X

The 2000 edition of this long running and highly respected series, contains the best papers from the Ergonomics Society Annual Conference in 2000. The individual papers provide insight into current practice, presents new research findings, and forms an invaluable reference source.
In addition to mainstream ergonomists and human factors specialists, Contemporary Ergonomics 2000 will appeal to all those who have an interest in peoples' interaction with their working and leisure environment - including designers, manufacturing and production engineers, health and safety specialists, occupational, applied and industrial psychologists and applied physiologists.

Contents:
Introduction 1. History and Evolution 2. Building-Associated Illness 3. Building Design and Air Quality 4. Volatile Organic Compounds 5. Microbial Contamination 6. Pyschosocial and Other Factors 7. Diagnosing IAQ Problems 8. Pro-active Ways of Reducing IAQ Problems

Marine accidents can occur at any time and everywhere in the world, resulting in loss of life, property, environment and reputation of the companies involved. Preventing accidents and establishing a safer world without accidents is an important agenda for the maritime industry. Since the enforcement of the International Safety Management Code in 1998, companies have taken various kinds of measures to prevent accidents. Unfortunately, measures have been undertaken in a disorganized manner, and have not been effective. Experts of risk management, the safety management system, and accident models have each undertaken accident preventive measures within the scope of their specific fields, but have not looked beyond the realm of their own fields. This book discusses systematic accident prevention by integrating multi-disciplinary expertise based on academic research, the quality management system which has already proved its effectiveness in other fields, and findings of the author's research. In systematic accident prevention, the weaknesses of a system within which accidents and incidents have occurred are viewed by combining scientific accident investigation data based on the International Maritime Organization model and the accident model. The nature of every type of marine accident, such as collisions, groundings, occupational casualties, etc., are derived by combining the accident model and statistical data. System weaknesses are rectified by the risk reduction method of risk management, and the rectified performance is incorporated in improvement in the system by the PDCA cycle, which is the core of the Safety Management System. We can see the weakness in the system and reduce the number of accidents and incidents while utilizing limited resources optimally to prevent accidents and incidents.

Manufacturers are becoming more aware of human factors in product design as a major competitive issue. In many product areas manufacturers have reached a technology ceiling making it increasingly difficult to get ahead of the competition in terms of, for example, functionality, technical reliability or manufacturing costs. As a consequence, design has become a major battleground for manufacturers, and usability is recognised as being a central tenet of good design.
The book provides a unique snapshot of current practice in human factors, identifying methods and techniques that work well under tight constraints and providing case study evidence of their effectiveness. The commercial implications of usability are discussed and special attention is paid to two very important trends-inclusive design and smart products. Inclusive design is about meeting the needs of all users within one design, which includes the increasing elderly population and the disabled. Smart products, meanwhile, are multi-functional products with electronic interfaces containing a vast array of `helpful' functions.

Ergonomics often seems to be involved too late in commercial project development processes to have substantive impact on design and usability. However, in the automotive industry, and specifically in relation to In-Vehicle Information Systems (IVIS), a lack of attention to usability can not only lead to poor customer satisfaction, it can also present a significant risk to safe and efficient driving. Usability Evaluation for In-Vehicle Systems describes how to apply a range of usability evaluation methods for IVIS. The authors explore the driving context and the range of driver-IVIS interactions, using case studies that show how Ergonomics methods can add considerable value throughout the product development process. They emphasize practical approaches that can be used to predict and analyze driver behavior with IVIS. The authors also present validation evidence for the methods covered. The book has three key objectives: Define and understand usability in the context of IVIS. This guides the specification of criteria against which usability can be successfully evaluated. Develop a multi-method framework to support designers in the evaluation of IVIS usability. The underlying motivations for the framework are a need for early-stage evaluation to support proactive redesign and a practical and realistic approach which can be used successfully by automotive manufacturers. Develop an analytic usability evaluation method which enables useful predictions of task interaction, whilst accounting for the specific context-of-use of IVIS. The major challenge of this particular context-of-use is the dual-task environment created by interacting with secondary tasks via an IVIS at the same time as driving. Written for students, researchers, designers, and engineers, the book is not only a guide to the practical application of evaluation methods, it also presents important th