Lesson 02: Human Factors

Lesson Objectives

Human factors work is critical for the successful implementation of information technologies. Unless human characteristics are considered when designing systems, the results can be loss of productivity and resources. Poorly designed interfaces impact performance. Human cognitive capabilities should be considered in the design of a system. Ergonomics and anthropometrics issues appear everyday in the media. The consequences of human factors work are profound.

After reading this lesson, you should be able to:

• Identify the characteristics of human factors and human-centered design.
• Describe anthropometric user characteristics.
• Identify the characteristics of ergonomics.

Human Factors

Information technologies are used in the real world in offices, homes, factories, and industries. Human factors work is concerned with the design, usability, learnability, and functionality of systems designed for human use. Unless human characteristics are considered when designing or implementing technologies, the consequences can be errors and a lack of human productivity. Human factors workers are concerned with important health and safety issues in work environments that include technology.

Human factors work involves assessing how something is used to see if it can be made quicker, safer, and more productive, looking at mistakes that are made when using technologies to see how they could be prevented, and assessing which tasks can effectively be performed by humans or machines.

Historically, many technologies have not been designed with users in mind. Many technologies do not fit users' tasks. Technology systems need to be built to effectively support human tasks. Failing to design and develop information technologies with user characteristics in mind can lead to a lack of system functionality, increase in user dissatisfaction, and increase in ineffective work practices. For example, poorly designed and inappropriately placed interfaces in fast-food restaurants, such as McDonald's and Wendy's, can decrease worker efficiency, increase poor customer service, and increase costs for the company.

Human factors workers examine individual differences in a technology-user's behavior and performance that have design implications. Workers with human factors training understand the importance of looking at both people and systems, as they work together. Information technology must account for human levels of attention, learning, communication styles, and memory. For example, in fast food restaurants, workers enter the customer orders into the computer. Direct customer ordering through touch screen can lead to more accurate orders and fewer errors. Examples of this are the MTO (Made-To-Order) screens in Sheetz convenience stores and the self-checkout screens at some supermarkets.

Human factors workers integrate knowledge from multiple disciplines to design better technologies. Research from engineering, anthropology, sociology, social psychology, mathematics, cognitive psychology, and linguistics is used in human factors work. Human factors work and research involves the collection of the data and the evaluation of different designs. The following factors affect design - physical, perceptual, cognitive, social, and historical. The results of human factors work are important and applied in many different industries and work environments, such as the design of computers, cars, airplanes, industrial machinery, military vehicles, office environments, consumer products design, and manufacturing. An example is designing a car for safety with the goal of limiting passenger injury in a crash. These designs need to be tested. How human factors work is used in organizations depends upon the available time and resources, the system that is being designed, and the intended users.

Some related links:

• Human Factors and Ergonomics Society - This international society promotes the discovery and exchange of information about the characteristics of humans that apply to the design of systems.
• Centre for HCI Design - An independent HCI-related research group within the School of Informatics at London's City University.
• University of Maryland HCIL - Human Computer Interaction Lab.
• NASA - Human Factors Research and Technology Division.
• Car Interface: Cadillac interior - Take a look at a Cadillac interface

Human Cognitive Capabilities

Human factors workers must also take account of human cognitive capabilities, such as memory, attention, and learning ability that vary between users. Humans have four types of memory: iconic, short-term, working, and long-term.

1. Iconic memory: This very short term memory includes images left in memory when a user closes their eyes.
2. Short-term memory: A temporary memory store where information decays over time.
3. Working memory: A temporary memory store that includes refreshing or reusing the information.
4. Long-term memory: A memory that is permanently encoded with longer more permanent memories.
5. In addition, memory can be classified as declarative memories that include facts or statements about the world and procedural memories that are used to perform procedures. More specifically, implicit memories are not reportable and explicit memories can be reported. Human factors workers must also consider human learning abilities and how to design information technologies to support different learning styles.

Human factors workers must keep human limitations in mind when they are designing technologies. For example, if a person needs to enter a phone number in their Contacts, they store the number in short term memory. The short term memory limitation is generally "five plus or minus two" items, just enough for the typical US phone number.

Human cognitive capabilities should be considered in the design of a system. For example, human cognitive capabilities should be considered in the design of a web search history application, so that when the user is searching the web and they use the search history to help them remember what they previously had searched, the results are successful. Human factors work influences the design of systems. An example is the navigation system in a car assisting the user in successfully reaching their destination.

Human factors workers are concerned with vital issues in the technology workplace. Human limitations, the shape of the human body, and how the shape of the human body influences the design of systems must be considered. If industries, including airlines and nuclear power plants, do not consider human factors issues, then the public's safety is jeopardized.

Wrap-Up

Now that you have completed this lesson, you should be able to:

• Identify the characteristics of human factors and human-centered design.
• Describe anthropometric user characteristics.
• Identify the characteristics of ergonomics.

Additional Human Factors Reading:

Norman, D. (1988). The psychology of everyday things. NY: Basic Books.