Human Performance and Ergonomics

Book excerpt: Human Performance and Ergonomics brings together a comprehensive and modern account of how the context of performance is crucial to understanding behavior. Environment provides both constraints and opportunities to individuals, such that external conditions may have reciprocal or interactive effects on behavior.The book begins with an account of research in human factors and engineering, with application of research to real world environments, methodological concerns, and rumination on current and future trends. The book proceeds to how technology has moved from being designed to help human physical survival to helping humans achieve "quality of life" improvements. Real world examples are explored in detail including hearing technology, driving, and aviation. Issues of control, maneuvering, and planning are discussed in conjunction with how intention and expectancy affect behavior. The fit between human and environment is examined as a dynamic interaction, and many chapters address the all important human-machine communication, particularly that between humans and computers.The book closes with a reminder that even our technological environment is filled with other people, with whom we must interact personally or via technology, to achieve our larger goals. Teamwork is thus discussed for its integration of cognitive, behavioral, and affective components toward our achieving desired aims.* Includes the application of research in human factors in engineering to real world environments* Discussion of both current and future trends is included* Real-world examples of how technology is now helping humans to achieve "quality of life" improvements are explored in detail including hearing technology, driving and aviation* Many chapters examine the all important human/machine communication, particularly human-computer interaction (HCI)