30-07-2012, 12:19 PM
Developing Effective Organizational Systems
ergonomics-051.ppt (Size: 101 KB / Downloads: 42)
Introduction
Ergonomics has been at the heart of human factors engineering. The word was coined in 1949 from two Greek words, ergos, which means work, and nomos, which means natural laws.
It has come to mean "the fit between man and machine". The group that coined the word, ergonomics, was interdisciplinary and included psychologists, design engineers, work study engineers, industrial medical officers, and others with an interest in human performance.
Human Performance and Limitations
Ergonomic engineering is concerned with the physical interfaces between the human user and the computer and has three main categories: analysis, design, and assessment (Bullinger, 1988). The analysis category focuses on human attributes and capabilities, the tasks to be performed, and the technology that is being used to aid in task performance. The performance-related goals of ergonomics are to improve:
The human ability to handle physical load or demands of the work situation,
Performance (reduce errors, improve quality, reduce time required to complete task), and
End user acceptance of the system.
Human Limitations
Human Limitations: human limitations which are physical in nature and include such aspects as levels of hearing, arm reach, muscular strength, visual distance and others.
Sensory Limits
Human sight, hearing, smell, touch, and taste have thresholds and deficiencies.
Fitt’s Law
Fitts’ Law: measures the time it takes for a human to move a certain distance.
Fitts’ Law provides much of the theory underpinning our understanding of human performance and limitations. Fitts' law is a robust model of human psychomotor behavior developed in 1954. The model is based on time and distance. It enables the prediction of human movement and human motion based on rapid, aimed movement, not drawing or writing.
Health Problems associated with HCI
Emissions: electronic radiation waves emitted by visual display terminals.
Repetitive Motion Problems: Physical discomfort and inflammation of tendons and tendon sheaths caused by frequent use of keyboards and other input devices.
Vision Problems: Blurred visions and degraded ability to see brought on by frequent use of computers.
Summary
Physical engineering combines the study of human body mechanics and physical limitations with industrial psychology to achieve a fit between human and machine and thereby improve performance and the user’s well-being.
The ergonomics of information systems deals with topics such as the physical workstation and furniture design, lighting, noise, and keyboard height and arrangement. These are all physical aspects of human engineering within an information systems context.