Human factors and ergonomics

Definition and Terminology

  • Human factors and ergonomics is the application of psychological and physiological principles to the engineering and design of products, processes, and systems.
  • The primary goals of human factors engineering are to reduce human error, increase productivity and system availability, and enhance safety, health, and comfort.
  • It focuses on the interaction between humans and equipment.
  • Human factors research combines disciplines such as psychology, sociology, engineering, biomechanics, and industrial design.
  • The terms 'human factors' and 'ergonomics' are essentially synonymous.
  • The term 'ergonomics' was first used by Polish scientist Wojciech Jastrzębowski in 1857 and French scholar Jean-Gustave Courcelle-Seneuil in 1858.
  • The term 'human factors' is predominantly used in North America and emphasizes the application of the same methods to non-work-related situations.

Domains of Specialization

  • Within the discipline of ergonomics, there are three main fields of research: physical, cognitive, and organizational ergonomics.
  • Physical ergonomics may include specializations such as visual ergonomics.
  • Cognitive ergonomics focuses on mental processes, such as perception, attention, and decision-making.
  • Organizational ergonomics examines the optimization of socio-technical systems.
  • There are many specializations within these broad categories.

Goals of Human Factors Engineering

  • The primary goals of human factors engineering are to reduce human error.
  • It aims to increase productivity and system availability.
  • Human factors engineering seeks to enhance safety, health, and comfort.
  • It focuses on the interaction between humans and equipment.
  • The field combines various disciplines to achieve these goals.

Importance of Human Factors and Ergonomics

  • Human factors and ergonomics help design products, processes, and systems that fit the human body and its cognitive abilities.
  • It improves safety by reducing human error.
  • Human factors engineering increases productivity and system availability.
  • It enhances user experience and comfort.
  • The field draws on various disciplines to study human behavior and generate relevant data.

Terminology (repeated for emphasis)

  • The terms 'human factors' and 'ergonomics' are essentially synonymous.

Human factors and ergonomics Data Sources

Reference URL
Glossary https://www.alternix.com/blogs/glossary-of-terms/human-factors-and-ergonomics
Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_factors_and_ergonomics
Wikidata https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1750812
Knowledge Graph https://www.google.com/search?kgmid=/m/02m8q
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