Unit 3 Lesson 4

Human Factors Engineering

Big Idea:

• The objective of human factors engineering is to improve the fit between people and the designed environment so that performance, safety, comfort, and user satisfaction are maximized.

Purpose of Lesson:

• To enable students to apply the principles of human factors engineering to product design and use.

Selected Learning Objectives: Students will learn to:

• Define “human factors engineering” (HFE) as the study of human beings and their interactions with products, environments, and equipment in the performance of tasks and activities.

• Analyze and report on the design of a technology system based on human factors criteria.

• Identify ergonomic factors that must be addressed to facilitate human use.

• Research and report on how “human factors engineering” might be used to improve the lives of older people.

• Design, fabricate, and test a product using “human factors engineering” principles.

Engagement

• imagine that they are astronauts aboard NASA’s Orion crew exploration vehicle heading to the moon or out to Mars.

Assignment• NASA’s goal is to enable

safe, reliable, and productive human space exploration.

•working in pairs, will brainstorm and list areas of concern for astronauts’ well-being aboard NASA’s Orion crew exploration vehicle. Ex)Boredom

You may have said

• Isolation • Boredom • Confinement • Stress • Lack of exercise • Diet • Medical needs

Human Factors Engineering (HFE)

• is the study of human beings and their interactions with products, environments, and equipment in the performance of tasks and activities.

NASA’s Space Human Factors Engineering Project is concerned with: • Making sure that crews and spacecraft are as

compatible and complementary as possible. • Optimizing the mix of human and automated

operations. • Reconciling potentially conflicting

requirements for living and working. • Balancing comfort with efficiency and

productivity.

3.4.1 Assignment

• Students, working in pairs, will brainstorm one of the concerns listed above and develop a brief (one paragraph) scenario illustrating one concern.

Exploration: human factors engineering

• people on Earth face the same issues related to human factors engineering. For instance, as we drive in our cars, we are concerned with some of the same issues as the astronauts in the previous activity such as:

• Making sure that drivers and vehicles are as compatible and complementary as possible.

• Optimizing the mix of human and automated operations.

• Balancing comfort with efficiency and productivity.

Assignment 3.4.2• Students will analyze and report on the design of a

typical automobile based on the certain factors. Areas of analysis might include: (See Student Resource 3.4.2)

• Seats • Doorway• Handles• Knobs• Steering wheels • Navigation systems• Communication / Entertainment Systems• Seat Belts

Explanation

• Human Factors Engineering (HFE) is the study of human beings and their interactions with products, environments, and equipment in the performance of tasks and activities.

• HFE improves the fit between people and the designed environment so that performance, safety, comfort, and user satisfaction are maximized.

(HFE) Human Factors Engineering

• uses a systems approach to design• capabilities and limitations of the user are

evaluated relative to the demands generated by products and tasks.

• An example of this approach would be evaluating the force requirements necessary to operate a hand control, such as doorknob.

HFE

• For Example• The focus on user-centered design makes

human factors engineering a natural discipline to address the problems of older adults and help them retain and enjoy independence in their later years.

HFE for age related prodcuts

• it is possible to understand the impact of age-related changes in the following ways.

• in abilities on the performance of everyday tasks

• identify areas where problems and difficulties arise

• discover solutions to address them

Solutions to Age related products

• These solutions might include redesign of • equipment or environments• interface design solutions• training solutions• or suggestions for the development of new

products or technologies.

Assignment 3.4.3• Students, working in pairs, will research and

report on one of the following topics related to how human factors engineering might be used to improve the lives of older people. (See Student Resource 3.4.3)

• Mobility/ Transportation• Living Environments• Information Technology

Explanation Continued

• HFE is a generalist term used to describe a number of disciplines that study how users appreciate and interact with products.

• This may include the following:– product design and branding– product psychology– user-interface design– and education factoring.

Continued

• Human factors engineering is referred to in much of the world as ergonomics, and may occasionally be shortened to simply “human factors” or “human engineering.”

• HFE draws on experts from many different disciplines to paint a clearer picture of how a human will interact with a product.

HFE

• Of particular use in human factors engineering are :– Engineers– Designers– Psychologists– and computer programmers.

Goals of HFE

• At its heart, human factors engineering seeks to reduce the feeling of tension that arises in many people when they need to interact with a machine.

• Its ultimate goal is a completely natural feeling when using any product, either tangible or virtual.

Extension

• Students, working in pairs, will: • Apply human factors engineering principles

to the design of a desk and chair for high school classrooms. (See Student Resource 3.4.4 – Design Brief)