Human factors engineering
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Human Factors Engineering (HFE) is the discipline of applying what is known about human capabilities and limitations to the design of products, processes, systems, and work environments. It can be applied to the design of all systems having a human interface, including hardware and software. Its application to system design improves ease of use, system performance and reliability, and user satisfaction, while reducing operational errors, operator stress, training requirements, user fatigue, and product liability. HFE is distinctive in being the only discipline that relates humans to technology.
Human factors engineering focuses on how people interact with tasks, machines (or computers), and the environment with the consideration that humans have limitations and capabilities. Human factors engineers evaluate "Human to Human," "Human to Group," "Human to Organizational," and "Human to Machine (Computers)" interactions to better understand these interactions and to develop a framework for evaluation.
Human Factors engineering activities include:
- Usability assurance
- Determination of desired user profiles
- Development of user documentation
- Development of training programs.
[edit] Usability assurance
Usability assurance is a set procedure intended to enhance system usability, by integrating system engineering with Human Factors engineering methodologies. Usability assurance is achieved through the system or service requirement specification, user interface design, and validation throughout the system development, and by user and customer feedback following the system deployment.
- User interface design comprises physical (ergonomic) design, interaction design and layout design.
- Usability validation is a continuous process, starting with the operational requirements specification, through prototypes of the user interfaces, through usability alpha and beta testing, and through manual and automated feedback after the system has been deployed.
- Usability development comprises integration of human factors in project planning and management, including system specification documents: requirements, design and testing.
[edit] User interface design
Human-computer interaction is a discipline concerned with the design, evaluation and implementation of interactive computing systems for human use and with the study of major phenomena surrounding them. This is a well known subject of Human Factors within the Engineering field. There are many different ways to determine human computer interaction by usability testing.
