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What is human factors?
Human Factors (Ergonomics) is the application of
scientific knowledge about human capabilities and limitations to the design of
objects, systems and environments to maximise performance, reduce error and
improve safety.
Human Factors (HF) science is composed of aspects of
anatomy, physiology and psychology and underlying all HF work is careful
analysis of human activity and interaction between people, objects and
environments.
Human Factors applies what is known about
human capabilities and limitations to the design of products, processes,
systems, and environments. It may be applied to the design of all
systems having a human interface. Its application to system design
improves ease of use, system performance and reliability, and user
satisfaction, while reducing human errors, operator stress,
training requirements & cost, user fatigue, and product liability. HF is
distinctive in being the only engineering discipline that specifically
relates humans to technology.
The origins of human factors as a formal discipline
dates back to the Second World War when designers of military equipment fielded
newly designed equipment without adequate consideration given during the design
process to the needs and abilities of the fighting men who would use them, with
severe consequences for both human life and military success.
Human factors issued have
been central to some of the highest profile accidents in modern memory including
Chernobyl, Pyper Alpha, Challenger space shuttle, and the Paddington rail crash.
There are now a great number of
standards and guidelines
available to help designers and engineers apply human factors to their
programmes, and in the UK, the Institute of Ergonomics and Human Factors provide
registered status for professionals in this field. We are an
IEHF Registered Consultancy.
Many engineers still think that human factors
is just 'applied common sense', and that human factors on a project is a 'nice
to have', rather than a 'must have'. The reality is that Human factors is
a rigorous engineering discipline, empirical, data based, with many
comprehensive methodologies and tools that add genuine value, both qualitative
and quantitative, to a design. A good human factors engineer will work
integrally with engineers from other disciplines to ensure an end product,
system or environment that will be easier, safer, more effective and more
efficient.
MBarron Consulting Ltd are specialists in
application of human
factors standards, principles and methodologies on a huge range of
projects across many
market sectors. We have
worked in oil and gas, defence, rail, logistics, police, local government and
retail. Our associate programme adds real
breadth to our service offering both in the depth and breadth of human factors
competency at our disposal, but also in the number of additional market sectors
our associates have worked in, including nuclear and medical.
Find out more about the types of
human factors consultancy services offered by MBarron Consulting Ltd.
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