IE research paper study

NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING

PGDIE 42

                                                                         

INDUSTRIAL ENGINEERING ASSIGNMENT

SUMMARY ON

FUNDAMENTALS OF ERGONOMICS IN THEORY AND PRACTICE

AUTHOR: John R. Wilson

                   ---School of Mechanical, Materials, Manufacturing Engineering and Management, University of Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, UK

SOURCE: Science Direct--- Received 23 May 2000; accepted 10 July 2000

INTRODUCTION

                       Ergonomics is defined as a discipline in its own right, as the theoretical and fundamental understanding of human behaviour and performance in purposeful interacting socio-technical systems, and the application of that understanding to design of interactions in the context of real settings. This definition is justified in the financial, technical, legal, organisational, social, political and professional contexts in which ergonomists work. On the basis of the history of ergonomics and contemporary contributions, it is proposed that it is one of the modern sciences, drawing as much from the field as from the laboratory, and including elements of an art and a craft as well. Justification for the new definition is provided by examining the interacting systems which are prevalent in the modern world and which are the domain best understood through the holistic approach of ergonomics. Finally a number of challenges for ergonomics are identified.

·         The need to position ergonomics as a unique discipline of theory and practice,

·          A broad view of ergonomics as an applied and a social science, and as craft and art,

·         The need for ergonomics to be context sensitive and to embrace qualitative approaches and methods as well as more traditional quantitative ones,

·         The role of ergonomics as the holistic approach to understanding complex interacting systems involving people,

·          The use of such understanding to improve people's well-being and performance

There are number of issues and problems facing the discipline of ergonomics. Such problems may reflect inadequacies but the day when we cannot identify ways to strengthen ergonomics will be the day when the discipline will have become sterile. The following are five particular challenges facing ergonomics now.

1.    First and foremost, we need to agree on a view of ergonomics that embraces the richness of its different traditions whilst clearly representing it as a distinct discipline, with its own theories, models and practices.

2.    Such a distinct identity is important to establish the place of ergonomics in the family of disciplines contributing to the improvement of human life and productive efforts, and to embed ergonomics within teaching programmes in secondary and, particularly, tertiary education. Various quality initiatives in higher education across the world may lead to a retreat to core activities within long-established disciplines. Ergonomics, will find itself in difficulty if evaluation criteria are based solely upon traditional values and certainties, so we must seek to influence the various quality and assessment systems from a position of strength, given agreement about our discipline.

3.    Ergonomics needs to achieve a sustainable critical mass worldwide, within its federated (national) societies and within the international body (the International Ergonomics Association). It must "nd a way to represent and promote its trained and experienced practitioners and researchers (via certification and chartered status), whilst at the same time providing a home to many other interested professions such as medicine and engineering. International consistency on the balance between professionalism and protection on the one hand, and growth and spread on the other, will be difficult to achieve, but vital.

4.    No ergonomics research can ignore context, whether this is accounted for in thoughtful laboratory research and its interpretation, or as it affects the conduct of field research. Transfer of experimental or field research into everyday practical settings will mean we need to be sure of the validity of findings and explanations. Growth in influence of ergonomics will be greater if its practitioners better understand the international, national and organisational political contexts in which it is applied.

5.    Ergonomics must achieve a balance between its valuable, but retrospective, problem-driven activities and its prospective life-enhancing contributions. As Fulton Suri and Marsh (2000) put it, the `role of ergonomics police has won ergonomists few friends [amongst designers]a. Woods (1999) also suggests we must move from living in the age of ergonomics problems to a world where ergonomics is a central and fundamental requirement for all systems development. A way out of the dilemma is proposed by Francois Daniellou. Based around the ideas of reflective practice and reflective (ergonomics) team management, hehas proposed a `theory of ergonomics practice which `opens up new ways for epistemological debates about ergonomics [far] from being only a consumer of knowledge produced by other disciplines, ergonomics may turn to produce genuine knowledge (Daniellou, 1999).

CONCLUSION

                          The role of ergonomists is two-fold, albeit two parts that at their best make a seamless whole. First is to fundamentally understand purposive interactions between people and artefacts and especially to consider the capabilities, needs, desires and limitations of people in such interactions. In this role we are scientists, a science that embraces qualitative enquiry in the "eld as much as controlled laboratory experimentation.

The second role comprises a contribution to the design of interacting systems, maximising the capabilities, minimising the limitations, and trying to satisfy the needs and desires of the human race. In this role we are craftspeople, using judgement, vision, experience and even trial and error to develop and test concepts and prototypes.

A study on Fundamentals Of Ergonomics In Theory And Practice

Author: John R. Wilson

Source: Science Direct

Applied Ergonomics 31 (2000) 557-567

Ø  Ergonomics is defined as a discipline in its own right, as the theoretical and fundamental understanding of human behaviour and performance in purposeful interacting socio-technical systems, and the application of that understanding to design of interactions in the context of real settings.

Ø  This definition is justified in the financial, technical, legal, organisational, social, political and professional contexts in which ergonomists work.

Ø  There are number of issues and problems facing the discipline of ergonomics. Such problems may reflect inadequacies but the day when we cannot identify ways to strengthen ergonomics will be the day when the discipline will have become sterile. The following are five particular challenges facing ergonomics now:

1.     The need to position ergonomics as a unique discipline of theory and practice

2.    A broad view of ergonomics as an applied and a social science, and as craft and art

3.    The need for ergonomics to be context sensitive and to embrace qualitative approaches and methods as well as more traditional quantitative ones

4.    The role of ergonomics as the holistic approach to understanding complex interacting systems involving people

5.    The use of such understanding to improve people's well-being and performance

Ø  The role of ergonomists is two-fold. First is to fundamentally understand purposive interactions between people and artefacts and especially to consider the capabilities,  needs, desires and limitations of people in such interactions. The second role comprises a contribution to the design of interacting systems, maximising the capabilities, minimising the limitations, and trying to satisfy the needs and desires of the human race