What is Human Factors and Ergonomics?
Human factors and ergonomics is a unique scientific discipline that systematically applies the knowledge of human abilities and limitations to the design of systems with the goal of optimizing the...
View ArticleA Short History of Human Factors and Ergonomics
In the United States, the discipline of human factors and ergonomics, is generally considered to have originated during World War II (Wickens & Hollands, 2000), although advances that contributed...
View ArticleHuman Factors and Ergonomics Initiatives Provide a Good ROI
The importance of the strategic use of capital cannot be overstated during an economic downturn. In lean times, companies are faced with tough decisions regarding what to cut and keep in an effort to...
View ArticleIntroductory Books on Human Factors and Ergonomics
Over the years I’ve been asked by family, friends, and business professionals to suggest books that provide the layperson with a general introduction to the discipline of human factors and ergonomics....
View ArticleU.S. Green Building Council, LEED and Ergonomics
The U.S. Green Building Council is a “non-profit organization committed to expanding sustainable building practices” with local chapters around the country, including one in Idaho. They are probably...
View ArticlePresident Obama Highlights Medical Error Issues
In his press conference earlier this week, President Obama highlighted, among other things, the need to bring the U.S. health care system into the 21st Century. Specifically, he stated: “The same...
View ArticleIntro Chapter on Human Factors and Ergonomics
A couple months ago, I posted an introduction to the discipline of human factors and ergonomics. While the post was short, its purpose was to lay the foundation for what I planned to discuss in this...
View ArticleThe Many Definitions of Human Factors and Ergonomics
Ever since I was in graduate school, I’ve been fascinated with the number of definitions that have been put forth to describe the discipline of human factors and ergonomics. About 5 years ago, I...
View ArticleErgonomics Covered in Metropolis Magazine
Last week, DESIGNING *for humans, the blog maintained by Rob Tannen, alerted readers that the March issue of Metropolis covered ergonomics in their “What is Good Design?” section. So this weekend I...
View ArticleEmerging Challenges to the Ergonomics Domain
This weekend I read the article “Emerging Challenges to the Ergonomics Domain” by David Caple. The author identifies several challenges for the human factors and ergonomics domain, including: “The...
View ArticleOctober is National Ergonomics Month
In 2003, the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES), of which I’m a full member, designated that each October would be National Ergonomics Month (NEM). According to their website, the goal is to...
View ArticleNovember Issue of the HFES Bulletin is Out
The November Issue of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society Bulletin is now available online. Some of the topics covered, include: Global HF/E Insights From My China Travels by Kathleen L. Mosier...
View ArticlePapers from the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 53rd Annual Meeting
I recently received, and started reviewing, the Proceedings of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 53rd Annual Meeting (2009). As always, there’s a wide variety of research topics covered. Some...
View ArticleHFES Technical Groups
The discipline of human factors and ergonomics is so broad and diverse, that at times, I find it challenging to adequately convey an overview to someone new to it in a timely manner. Thus, besides...
View ArticleCumulative Knowledge and Progress in Human Factors
The 2010 issue of the Annual Review of Psychology includes an article entitled, “Cumulative Knowledge and Progress in Human Factors.” It reviews the current state of the science of Human Factors. Eight...
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UGLee Pen Preliminary Review
Given that I’ve been using the UGLee Pen on a daily basis for the past couple weeks, now is the perfect time for a preliminary review. The pen was designed by James Lee, M.D. (full disclosure: Dr....
View ArticleA Glimpse into the Breadth of Human Factors and Ergonomics
One of the challenges I face when first introducing individuals to the discipline of human factors and ergonomics, in a casual setting, is being able to succinctly explain the breadth of work our...
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HFES 2010 Annual Meeting
Today marks the start of the 54th Annual Meeting of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society. The conference is being held in San Francisco and concludes on October 1st. You can learn more about it...
View Article23 Lessons Learned for Applying Ergonomics to Systems
On May 11, 2011, the human factors and ergonomics community lost a giant with the passing of Hal W. Hendrick. I had the pleasure of meeting and speaking with him on several occasions at the HFES Annual...
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Handbook of HFE in Health Care and Patient Safety, 2nd Ed
Later this month, the 2nd Edition of the Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics in Health Care and Patient Safety will be published by CRC Press. The book is edited by Pascale Carayon and includes...
View ArticleIntroduction to Macroergonomics
According to Hendrick and Kleiner (2002), macroergonomics is “the subdiscipline of ergonomics that focuses on the design of the overall work system. Conceptually, a top-down sociotechnical systems...
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