1. Human Factors An Overview
Dr. Beth Lyall
Research Integrations, Inc.

2. Multiple Disciplines Psychology Engineering Biomechanics
Exercise Science
Cognitive Science
Sociology

3. Terminology Human factors Ergonomics Cognitive engineering
Cognitive science
Engineering psychology
Human performance engineering
Human engineering
Aviation psychology
Usability
User centered
Human centered
Systems Engineering
Cognitive Psychology
User experience design
Interaction design

4. Focus of Human Factors
Understanding and affecting the functioning or operation of a system that includes humans
Quality of system performance
Productivity
Safety
“system” must be defined
National airspace system
Terminal area
Airport
Airplane
Flight deck

5. Measures of system performance are needed

6. technologies and equipment
System
humans
tasks and procedures
technologies and equipment
Environment

7. Technologies and equipment
Environment
Technologies and equipment
Understand qualities and characteristics
Affect design and capabilities
Consider interdependencies
tasks and procedures
humans

8. Technologies and equipment
Environment
Technologies and equipment
Time pressure
Workload
Stressors
tasks and procedures
humans

9. Technologies and equipment
Intended function
Interface
controls
displays
system logic
tasks and procedures
humans

10. Technologies and equipment
tasks and procedures
humans
Availability
Understandability
Compatibility

11. Technologies and equipment
Capabilities and limitations
anthropometrics
perception
memory
attention
strength
Training and experience
knowledge
psychomotor skills
perceptual skills
cognitive skills
tasks and procedures
humans

12. Skills Examples Manual handling Use of automated systems
Psychomotor skill
Use of automated systems
Cognitive skill
Problem identification
Perceptual skill
The type of skills being developed affects the type and amount of practice required

13. Measurement
Have to be able to define and measure the important elements of the system
Accomplishment of intended function
Reliability
Accomplishment of tasks
Speed
Accuracy

14. CRM History
NASA 1979 workshop “Resource management in the flight deck”
Focused on prevalence of human error in accidents
Developed “cockpit resource management” training ideas
Interpersonal communications
Decision making
Leadership

15. Line oriented approach Training topics have expanded and varied
Crew concept approach
Line oriented approach
Training topics have expanded and varied
Both knowledge and skills
CRM vs technical skills
Threat and error management
humans

16. Example of human factors approach: Fatigue
Understanding of how fatigue affects human performance
Understanding about elements of technology design that can result in fatigue
Understanding about how environment characteristics can result in fatigue
Understanding about how task and procedures design can result in fatigue
Training for knowledge of fatigue countermeasures and skill in applying them

17. Technologies and equipment
Environment
Technologies and equipment
Effective human factors work knows the system elements of focus
And understands the other elements and their interdependencies
tasks and procedures
humans