This book covers the application of the OCRA (Occupational Repetitive Actions) method. The methods make up a system dedicated to the analysis and management of the risk of biomechanical overload of the upper limbs. The book focuses on the OCRA checklist which presents various models from the most simplified, to the most complex. It describes methods, criteria, procedures and tools on how to perform such an assessment, in line with international standards. The book provides you with the correct methods and tools for prevention of upper limb work related musculoskeletal disorders no matter what the working environment is or what the international standards dictates.

Computer-Generated Images (CGIs) are widely used and accepted in the world of entertainment but the use of the very same visualization techniques in academic research in the Arts and Humanities remains controversial. The techniques and conceptual perspectives on heritage visualization are a subject of an ongoing interdisciplinary debate. By demonstrating scholarly excellence and best technical practice in this area, this volume is concerned with the challenge of providing intellectual transparency and accountability in visualization-based historical research. Addressing a range of cognitive and technological challenges, the authors make a strong case for a wider recognition of three-dimensional visualization as a constructive, intellectual process and valid methodology for historical research and its communication. Intellectual transparency of visualization-based research, the pervading theme of this volume, is addressed from different perspectives reflecting the theory and practice of respective disciplines. The contributors - archaeologists, cultural historians, computer scientists and ICT practitioners - emphasize the importance of reliable tools, in particular documenting the process of interpretation of historical material and hypotheses that arise in the course of research. The discussion of this issue refers to all aspects of the intellectual content of visualization and is centred around the concept of 'paradata'. Paradata document interpretative processes so that a degree of reliability of visualization outcomes can be understood. The disadvantages of not providing this kind of intellectual transparency in the communication of historical content may result in visual products that only convey a small percentage of the knowledge that they embody, thus making research findings not susceptible to peer review and rendering them closed to further discussion. It is argued, therefore, that paradata should be recorded alongside more tangible outcomes of research, preferably as an integral part of virtual models, and sustained beyond the life-span of the technology that underpins visualization.

Accidents are preventable, but only if they are correctly described and understood. Since the mid-1980s accidents have come to be seen as the consequence of complex interactions rather than simple threads of causes and effects. Yet progress in accident models has not been matched by advances in methods. The author's work in several fields (aviation, power production, traffic safety, healthcare) made it clear that there is a practical need for constructive methods and this book presents the experiences and the state-of-the-art. The focus of the book is on accident prevention rather than accident analysis and unlike other books, has a proactive rather than reactive approach. The emphasis on design rather than analysis is a trend also found in other fields. Features of the book include: -A classification of barrier functions and barrier systems that will enable the reader to appreciate the diversity of barriers and to make informed decisions for system changes. -A perspective on how the understanding of accidents (the accident model) largely determines how the analysis is done and what can be achieved. The book critically assesses three types of accident models (sequential, epidemiological, systemic) and compares their strengths and weaknesses. -A specific accident model that captures the full complexity of systemic accidents. One consequence is that accidents can be prevented through a combination of performance monitoring and barrier functions, rather than through the elimination or encapsulation of causes. -A clearly described methodology for barrier analysis and accident prevention. Written in an accessible style, Barriers and Accident Prevention is designed to provide a stimulating and practical guide for industry professionals familiar with the general ideas of accidents and human error. The book is directed at those involved with accident analysis and system safety, such as managers of safety departments, risk and safety consultants, human factors professionals, and accident investigators. It is applicable to all major application areas such as aviation, ground transportation, maritime, process industries, healthcare and hospitals, communication systems, and service providers.

The disproportionate aging of the population of working age in many nations around the world is a unique occurrence in the history of humankind. In the light of demographic change, it is becoming increasingly important to develop and use the potential of older employees. This edited volume Age-differentiated Work Systems provides a final report on a six-year priority program funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and presents selected research findings of 17 interdisciplinary project teams. The idea is that it will serve both as a reference book and overview of the current state of research in ergonomics, occupational psychology and related disciplines. It provides new models, methods, and procedures for analyzing and designing age-differentiated work systems with the aim of supporting subject matter experts from different areas in their decisions on labor and employment policies. Therefore over 40 laboratory experiments involving 2,000 participants and 50 field studies involving over 25,000 employees were conducted. Further objectives of the edited volume were to provide a pluridisciplinary compilation of the extensive information acquired over the six-year program period, to illustrate the range of the research field, and to convey an integrated understanding of age-differentiated work systems to readers.

Accident prevention is a common thread throughout every aspect of our society. However, even with the most current technological developments, keeping people safe and healthy, both at workplaces and at other daily activities, is still a continual challenge. When it comes to work environments, ergonomics and human factors knowledge can play an important role and, therefore, must be included in, or be a part of, the safety management as a cross-disciplinary area concerned with the understanding of actual work situations and potential variables. This multidisciplinary approach will ultimately ensure the safety, health, and well-being of all collaborators. The main goal of this book is to present theories and models, and to describe practices to foster and promote safer work and working environments. This book offers: * Examples of field practices that can be reproduced in other scenarios * Applications of new methods for risk assessment * Methods on how to apply and integrate human factors and ergonomics in accident prevention and safety management * Coverage of human factors and ergonomics in safety culture * New methods for accident analysis This book is a compilation of contributions from invited authors organized in three main topics from eleven countries and is intended to cover specific aspects of safety and human factors management ranging from case studies to the development of theoretical models. Hopefully, the works presented in the book can be an inspiration for translating research into useful actions and, ultimately, making a relevant and tangible contribution to the safety of our daily and work settings.

Technology is rapidly changing the field of human resources management (HRM), and propelling the field in some entirely new directions labeled eHR-electronic human resources. Thus, this volume focuses on technology, eHR, and virtual organizations. Well-known experts in eHR review the trends in the field including employee self-service, e-learning, strategies for implementing eHR, virtual work arrangements and their impact on human resources management. In addition, the volume focuses on the implications of using technology for HRM, and the functional and dysfunctional consequences of using technology to achieve HRM goals (such as privacy and employee customer satisfaction issues). The volume should be especially useful for researchers and practitioners in the fields of HRM and information technology.

The time has come to move into a more humanistic approach of technology and to understand where our world is moving to in the early twenty-first century. The design and development of our future products needs to be orchestrated, whether they be conceptual, technical or organizational. Orchestrating Human-Centered Design presents an Orchestra model that attempts to articulate technology, organizations and people. Human-centered design (HCD) should not be limited to local/short-term/linear engineering, but actively focus on global/long-term/non-linear design, and constantly identify emergent properties from the use of artifacts. Orchestrating Human-Centered Design results from incremental syntheses of courses the author has given at the Florida Institute of Technology in the HCD PhD program. It is focused on technological and philosophical concepts that high-level managers, technicians and all those interested in the design of artifacts should consider. Our growing software -intensive world imposes better knowledge on cognitive engineering, life-critical systems, complexity analysis, organizational design and management, modeling and simulation, and advanced interaction media, and this well-constructed and informative book provides a road map for this.

Handbook of Usability and User Experience: Methods and Techniques is concerned with emerging usability and user experience in design concepts, theories and applications of human factors knowledge focusing on the discovery, design and understanding of human interaction and usability issues with products and systems for their improvement. This volume presents methods and techniques to design products, systems and environments with good usability, accessibility and user satisfaction. It introduces the concepts of usability and its association with user experience, and discusses methods and models for usability and UX. It also introduces relevant cognitive, cultural, social and experiential individual differences, which are essential for understanding, measuring and utilizing these differences in the study of usability and interaction design. In addition, the book discusses the use of usability assessment to improve healthcare, the relationship between usability and user experience in the built environment, the state-of-the-art review of usability and UX in the digital world, usability and UX in the current context, and emerging technologies. We hope that this first of two volumes will be helpful to a large number of professionals, students and practitioners who strive to incorporate usability and user experience principles and knowledge in a variety of applications. We trust that the knowledge presented in this volume will ultimately lead to an increased appreciation of the benefits of usability and incorporate the principles of usability and user experience knowledge to improve the quality, effectiveness and efficiency of consumer products, systems and environments in which we live.

This volume presents world-leading ideas and research that explores some of the most prominent topics relevant to detecting terrorism. The book is divided into six key themes: conceptualising terrorism, deception and decision making, social and cultural factors in terrorism, modelling hostile intent, strategies for counter-terrorism, and future directions. Twenty two chapters cover the spectrum of detecting terrorist activities, hostile intent, crowded public spaces and suspicious behaviour. The work draws from high impact research findings and presents case-studies to help communicate concepts. Specific areas of interest include methodological issues in counter-terrorism, counter terrorism policy and its impact on end users, novel research methods and innovative technologies in counter-terrorism. A variety of disciplines are represented by this work, including: ergonomics/human factors, psychology, criminology, cognitive science, sociology, political theory, art/design, engineering and computer science. This book not only expands the knowledge base of the subject area and is therefore of prime relevance to researchers investigating counter-terrorism, but provides a valuable resource to security stakeholders at policy and practitioner levels.

In the ten years since the publication of the second edition of Human Thermal Environments: The Effects of Hot, Moderate, and Cold Environments on Human Health, Comfort, and Performance, Third Edition, the world has embraced electronic communications, making international collaboration almost instantaneous and global. However, there is still a need for a compilation of up-to-date information and best practices. Reflecting current changes in theory and applications, this third edition of a bestseller continues to be the standard text for the design of environments for humans to live and work safely, comfortably, and effectively, and for the design of materials that help people cope with their environments. See What's New in the Third Edition: All existing chapters significantly updated Five new chapters Testing and development of clothing Adaptive models Thermal comfort for special populations Thermal comfort for special environments Extreme environments Weather Outdoor environments and climate change Fun runs, cold snaps, and heat waves The book covers hot, moderate, and cold environments, and defines them in terms of six basic parameters: air temperature, radiant temperature, humidity, air velocity, clothing worn, and the person's activity. It focuses on the principles and practice of human response, which incorporates psychology, physiology, and environmental physics with applied ergonomics. The text then discusses water requirements, computer modeling, computer-aided design, and current standards. A systematic treatment of thermal environments and how they affect humans in real-world applications, the book links the health and engineering aspects of the built environment. It provides you with updated tools, techniques, and methods for the design of products and environments that achieve thermal comfort.

Virtual reality (VR) techniques are becoming increasingly popular. The use of computer modeling and visualization is no longer uncommon in the area of ergonomics and occupational health and safety. This book explains how studies conducted in a simulated virtual world are making it possible to test new solutions for designed workstations, offering a high degree of ease for introducing modifications and eliminating risk and work-related accidents. Virtual reality techniques offer a wide range of possibilities including increasing the cognitive abilities of the elderly, adapting workstations for people with disabilities and special needs, and remote control of machines using collaborative robots. Detailed discussions include: Testing protective devices, safety systems, and the numerical reconstruction of work accidents Using computer simulation in generic virtual environments On the one hand, it is a self-study book made so by well-crafted and numerous examples. On the other hand, through a detailed analysis of the virtual reality from a point of view of work safety and ergonomics and health improvement. Ewa Grabska, Jagiellonian University, Krakow, Poland Noteworthy is the broad scope and diversity of the addressed problems, ranging from training employees using VR environments with different degrees of perceived reality; training and rehabilitation of the elderly; to designing, testing, modifying, and adapting workplaces to various needs including those of disabled workers; to simulation and investigation of the cause of accidents at a workplace. Andrzej Krawiecki, Warsaw University of Technology, Warsaw, Poland

Do large cities grow more or less rapidly than small ones? Why should the relationship between city size and population growth vary so much from one period to another? This book studies the process of population growth in a national set of cities, relating its findings to the theoretical concepts of urban geography. To test his ideas, the author studies the growth of cities in England and Wales between 1801 and 1911. His explanations draw strongly on the connection between growth and the adoption of innovations. He develops a model of innovation diffusions in a set of cities and, in support of this model, looks at the way in which three particular innovations - the telephone, building societies and gaslighting - spread amongst English towns in the nineteenth century. This book was first published in 1973.

Incorporating Compass Computer Access Assessment software, Computer Access for People with Disabilities: A Human Factors Approach provides the information clinicians need to know in order to provide effective alternative computer access solutions to individuals with disabilities. Originally developed for a masters-level course on computer access for rehabilitation engineers and rehabilitation counselors, it provides practical guidance on how to provide computer access services and sufficient background knowledge to allow the reader to interpret the research literature. Presents technology for individuals with physical, cognitive, and sensory impairments, and for older adults Covers text entry devices, pointing devices, switch access, automatic speech recognition, and web accessibility Emphasizes fundamental concepts and principles that remain true regardless of which specific operating system or product is being used Draws on research from the fields of rehabilitation engineering, occupational therapy, and human-computer interaction (HCI)

Human factors and ergonomics have made considerable contributions to the research, design, development, operation and analysis of transportation systems and their complementary infrastructure. This volume focuses on the causations of road accidents, the function and design of roads and signs, the design of automobiles, and the training of the driver. It covers accident analyses, air traffic control, control rooms, intelligent transportation systems, and new systems and technologies.

Increasing technological sophistication in many countries and the resulting larger world trade has indicated a need to pay greater attention to the international aspects of user interfaces. Many American companies are approaching a situation where half of their sales are outside the United States, and companies in smaller countries often have a much larger proportion of their sales outside their own country. This means that software sales will increasingly depend on their international usability and not just their domestic usability. Seen from a user's perspective more than half of the world's software users will be using interfaces which were originally designed in a foreign country. Usability for this large market of users will depend upon increased awareness of the issues involved in designing user interfaces for international use.
As the European community aims to establish the so-called Single Market by the end of 1992, international software will become even more important in that part of the world. And as if it wasn't hard enough to design user interfaces for use in Europe, there are a further set of problems connected with user interfaces for Asia. Both of these issues are examined in depth.
This is the first publication of its kind to appear on the topic of international user interfaces, and presents both general guidelines and a number of detailed case studies on the many aspects entailed. The book will be of considerable interest to project managers, lecturers, students, developers of basic software and user interface designers.

Since 1981, the biennial International Symposium on Aviation Psychology (ISAP) has been convened for the purposes of (a) presenting the latest research on human performance problems and opportunities within aviation systems, (b) envisioning design solutions that best utilize human capabilities for creating safe and efficient aviation systems, and (c) bringing together scientists, research sponsors, and operators in an effort to bridge the gap between research and applications. Though rooted in the presentations of the 18th ISAP, held in 2015 in Dayton, Ohio, Advances in Aviation Psychology is not simply a collection of selected proceedings papers. Based upon the potential impact of emerging trends, current debates or enduring issues present in their work, select authors were invited to expand upon their work following the benefit of interactions at the symposium. Consequently the volume includes discussion of the most pressing research priorities and the latest scientific and technical priorities for addressing them. This book is the second in a series of volumes. The aim of each volume is not only to report the latest findings in aviation psychology but also to suggest new directions for advancing the field.

Human-Systems Integration: From Virtual to Tangible Subject Guide: Ergonomics and Human Factors This book is an attempt to better formalize a systemic approach to human-systems integration (HSI). Good HSI is a matter of maturity... it takes time to mature. It takes time for a human being to become autonomous, and then mature! HSI is a matter of human-machine teaming, where human-machine cooperation and coordination are crucial. We cannot think engineering design without considering people and organizations that go with it. We also cannot think new technology, new organizations, and new jobs without considering change management. More specifically, this book is a follow-up of previous contributions in human-centered design and practice in the development of virtual prototypes that requires progressive operational tangibility toward HSI. The book discusses flexibility in design and operations, tangibility of software-intensive systems, virtual human-centered design, increasingly autonomous complex systems, human factors and ergonomics of sociotechnical systems, systems integration, and changed management in digital organizations. The book will be of interest to industry, academia, those involved with systems engineering, human factors, and the broader public.

The extent of mental illness concerns in the workforce is becoming increasingly apparent. Stress, depression, anxiety, workplace bullying and other issues are costing businesses billions every year in lost productivity, poor treatments and employee retention. Unless appropriately addressed, issues related to mental illness difficulties will result in stiff financial, organizational, and human costs for organizations. Drawing on empirical evidence from North America, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand, the book provides a practical guide to identifying, understanding, treating and preventing individual and organizational mental health issues. The authors illustrate how organizations can save money and improve the health and wellbeing of their employees by using a psychological disability management approach in the treatment and accommodation of mental illness issues. This book will meet the needs of human resources professionals, administrators of employee assistance programs, industrial and organizational psychologists, mental health practitioners, those teaching or studying psychology and disability management, and more generally will serve to enlighten students of business management and practicing managers regarding a major workforce risk factor.

This book examines an emerging organizational form called multi-team systems (MTS). This type of aggregation is being increasingly adopted by organizations and agencies that need to respond to complex strategic problems. There has been increasing interest in MTSs over the last decade to the point where there is now a need to (a) describe these organizational forms more fully, (b) build conceptual frames that can guide research, and (c) begin developing tools to improve the study of MTSs. The purpose of this proposed book is to respond to these needs. The book will contain a series of chapters that expand prior conceptual frames of MTSs, defining in more detail the compositional and linkage attributes that characterize such units. The book will also explore how such systems emerge and develop, as well as the methods for studying MTSs. The intent of the book, therefore, is to establish and nurture a strong conceptual and methodological foundation that can guide research and practice with MTSs. Because the notion of MTSs cuts across multiple domains, we expect that this book will interest scholars in industrial/organizational psychology, organizational science, management and organizational theory, human factors, sociology, organization communications, and public administration.

In research and application of Human Factors in Air Traffic Management (ATM) systems design, development and operation, there remains a lack of clarity regarding the range and integration of activities associated with the need for greater attention to issues such as human error, interface design and teamwork, especially in systems with increased levels of automation. This book seeks to redress this situation by presenting case studies of human factors applications in which there is demonstrable success in terms of improvement in operational systems. Individual examples are used to outline how each human factors study evolved, what it entailed, how it was resourced and how the results contributed to operational performance. Case studies include training methods, human error, team resource management, situation assessment, terminal automation replacement systems, collaborative decision-making to improve the effectiveness of traffic-flow management and the role of human factors in ATM.

Increased concern for patient safety has put the issue at the top of the agenda of practitioners, hospitals, and even governments. The risks to patients are many and diverse, and the complexity of the healthcare system that delivers them is huge. Yet the discourse is often oversimplified and underdeveloped. Written from a scientific, human factors perspective, Patient Safety: A Human Factors Approach delineates a method that can enlighten and clarify this discourse as well as put us on a better path to correcting the issues. People often think, understandably, that safety lies mainly in the hands through which care ultimately flows to the patient-those who are closest to the patient, whose decisions can mean the difference between life and death, between health and morbidity. The human factors approach refuses to lay the responsibility for safety and risk solely at the feet of people at the sharp end. That is where we should intervene to make things safer, to tighten practice, to focus attention, to remind people to be careful, to impose rules and guidelines. The book defines an approach that looks relentlessly for sources of safety and risk everywhere in the system-the designs of devices; the teamwork and coordination between different practitioners; their communication across hierarchical and gender boundaries; the cognitive processes of individuals; the organization that surrounds, constrains, and empowers them; the economic and human resources offered; the technology available; the political landscape; and even the culture of the place. The breadth of the human factors approach is itself testimony to the realization that there are no easy answers or silver bullets for resolving the issues in patient safety. A user-friendly introduction to the approach, this book takes the complexity of health care seriously and doesn't over simplify the problem. It demonstrates what the approach does do, that is offer the substance and guidance to consider the issues in all their nuance and complexity.

Although work furniture has had so much more attention recently there is a long way to go before this is translated into action in the wider world. Increased international concern for the health and safety of people at work is one of the driving forces behind this book.; The Science of Seating brings together researchers in ergonomics and posture with industrial designers, to review and assess the current state of chair design, with implications for cultural, behavioural and occupational aspects of health. The contributions are a significant step in the science of seating and should lead to a better understanding of the mechanics, dynamics and the effects of seating on the sitter.; They point to ways in which seats might become easier-to-use and adjust, offering both comfort and postural support without compromising freedom of movement: and in the not-too-distant furture, "the intelligent chair" will "remember" the sitter's preferences for position, cushiness and so on.; Topics covered include: Adjustability, Anthropometics, Posture, Back Pain, Biomechanics, Seat Pressure Distributions, School children, Special Needs of Users, Design Applications, Industry Perspectives, VDT Standards.; It is aimed at researchers and practising seating designers, ergonomists, design engineers, occupational health workers and physiotherapists and furniture manufacturers.

The 13th International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, HCI Inter- tional 2009, was held in San Diego, California, USA, July 19-24, 2009, jointly with the Symposium on Human Interface (Japan) 2009, the 8th International Conference on Engineering Psychology and Cognitive Ergonomics, the 5th International Conference on Universal Access in Human-Computer Interaction, the Third International Conf- ence on Virtual and Mixed Reality, the Third International Conference on Internati- alization, Design and Global Development, the Third International Conference on Online Communities and Social Computing, the 5th International Conference on Augmented Cognition, the Second International Conference on Digital Human Mod- ing, and the First International Conference on Human Centered Design. A total of 4,348 individuals from academia, research institutes, industry and gove- mental agencies from 73 countries submitted contributions, and 1,397 papers that were judged to be of high scientific quality were included in the program. These papers - dress the latest research and development efforts and highlight the human aspects of the design and use of computing systems. The papers accepted for presentation thoroughly cover the entire field of human-computer interaction, addressing major advances in knowledge and effective use of computers in a variety of application areas.

A collection of works authored by leading scientists from the US and Russia, Human-Computer Interaction and Operators' Performance: Optimizing Work Design with Activity Theory describes applied and systemic-structural activity theory as it is used to study human-computer interaction, aviation, design, and training. Important from a theoretical and practical perspective, the book describes new analytical and experimental methods in the study of human work. The book facilitates the exchange of ideas between scientists working in ergonomics, human factors, human-computer interaction, industrial/organizational psychology, economics, management training, and other related areas. Drawing on their theoretical perspectives, the authors provide a comparative analysis of the various schools working in activity theory and a new approach to the study of human work derived from applied and systemic-structural activity theory. They cover special topics such as functional analysis of attention and classification of professions developed utilizing applied activity theory methods. In addition the book presents comparative analysis of work activity theory and applications. Representing the next significant step in the development of applied and systemic-structural activity theory, the book offers a balanced picture of theoretical and applied issues in the study of human work from general, applied, and systemic-structural activity theory points of view. It provides state-of-the art information and emphasizes its application to the study of human work while interacting with advanced technology.

The ubiquitous nature of transport signs on roadways, railways, and in airports can lead to an overload of visual information, yet little research has been done to understand the design and use of such signs from a driver's perspective. The Human Factors of Transport Signs explores key transport sign research and examines new technologies that are revolutionizing signaling. While concentrating largely on the road environment and general signing issues, the authors also address specific railway and other transport modality topics. International contributors discuss driver psychology and interaction with transport signs as well as the strengths and weaknesses of different types of signs. This text is designed to be an easily-accessible information source for professionals in transportation design, highway engineering, applied psychology, and human factors, as well as for students preparing to enter these fields. Features: Summarizes the main findings about transport signs into an easily-accessible resource Covers transport signs in the road, rail, and aviation fields Reviews new technology in the field, including Variable Message Signs and Intelligent Transport Systems Discusses the main evidence detailing the interaction of transport signs and driver behavior