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Human Factors & Ergonomics
"Human Factors" (HF) and "Ergonomics" are applied
engineering sciences that are the core of industrial design and
satisfying usability, accessibility and universal design needs. Human
Factors involves the study of all aspects of the way humans relate
to and interact with the world around them, with the aim of
improving operational performance, safety, usability and comfort, in
the experience of the end user.
Human Factors is the science of qualifying the properties
of human capability including both static and dynamic body
measurements (anthropometrics) and statistical analysis data on the
distribution of the dimensions in the population to optimize
products, tasks and environments.
Human
Factors includes the study of the
human body and product and environment interfaces: physical (how
they fit / size) and mental (how they react to performing specific
tasks) and the application of this information to the design and
development of products, systems and services.
Anthropometrics refers to the measurement of individuals for the
purposes of understanding physical variation.
Ergonomics is application and use of human factors
and anthropometrics to optimize how companies design commercial and
industrial occupational environments
to establish baselines and maximize the product and manufacturing efficiency and quality of
an employees’ work.
Areas of human factors and user-product interface services may include:
both personal and commercial product development including ergonomic
issues such as product sizing, adjustability, usability, localization
and universal design or "accessibility
for all".
These may include product - human factors analyses, and specific product
tasks such as training, communication analyses, task analyses,
functional and performance requirements analyses, schematic layout, task allocations,
task descriptions and functions, procedures and procedure use, learning
curve and user and abilities.
Human Factors
applied to product development objectives
include:
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Lower user - interface risk
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User-friendly – Universal Design (ADA)
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Compliant with industry standards
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Lowest possible training requirement - early adoption
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Use
of appropriate semantics – form / user controls
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Avoid the need for expensive redesign
Read on more... about Human Factors:
Fundamentals:
Human Factors & Ergonomics:
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