Human Factors and Ergonomics

Human factors refers to ergonomics (from Greek "work" plus "economics," meaning efficient work), the proper design of keyboards, workstations, and mice so that they are "user friendly" to eye and mind—and physically less stressful on the user's body. The design process is generally carried out through usability tests during product development.

The discipline of human factors originated in training and development efforts during World War II. Submarine navigation and weapons systems were called "man-machine systems," meaning they involved human as well as machine "factors." For example, human factors referred to how navigators operated dials, levers, dashboards, and instrument panels, and machine factors referred to how switchboards, in turn, controlled submarines, planes, and computerized anti-aircraft gunnery. Today ergonomics is an important part of computer manufacturing as well as of the design of work stations. By extension it sometimes refers to interface design as well.

Fastpaths

1949	Alphonse Chapanis et al.: Applied Experimental Psychology: Human Factors in Engineering Design.
1957	"Human Factors Society of America" founded; later renamed "Human Factors and Ergonomics Society." See: www.HFES.org.
1981	Wesley Woodson: Human Factors Design Handbook.
1987	Gavriel Salvendy (ed.): Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics.
1989	Jack Adams: Human Factors Engineering.
1996	Thomas O'Brien and S. Charlton (editors): Handbook of Human Factors Testing and Evaluation.
1997	Christopher Wickens, Sallie Gordon, and Yili Liu: An Introduction to Human Factors Engineering.