ME 5211 / IE 5511 ME 5211 / IE 5511

Human Factors and Work Human Factors and Work AnalysisAnalysis

Instructor: Prof. Caroline C. Hayes

Goals of Human FactorsGoals of Human Factors

To increase humans’:– Effectiveness– Health– Safety– Well-being

What are “Human Factors”?What are “Human Factors”?

Human Factors (ergonomics) is the study of helping people to work more efficiently through design of their: – Tools (products)– Work process– Work environment– Organizational structure

Tools(Products)

Work Process

Work environmen

t

What ?

Where ?

How ?

Ergonomics Ergonomics (European term for Human Factors)(European term for Human Factors)

Ergonomics comes from the Greek words: ergo + nomos

Companies like Human Factors not only because it increases: – Safety/ health/ well-being of workersBut also:– Profitability

Work Laws

Human Factors is InterdisciplinaryHuman Factors is Interdisciplinary A collection of disciplines concerned with creating effective

interactions between people and technological systems. Those systems could be:

– products, – Processes– Policies– a combination.

Examples of disciplines concerned with human factors:– Engineering,– Computer Science– Psychology– Business

- Psychology- Kinesiology, sports

- Medicine,

Mechanical Engineering

Biomedical EngineeringAerospace EngineeringStatisticsEnvironmental Health

Computer Science

Industrial and Sys. Eng.

Electrical Engineering

Disciplines represented in our Disciplines represented in our 2010 Human Factors class:2010 Human Factors class:

Most products today involve both:Physical components Physical ErgonomicsComputer component Cognitive Ergonomics

Human Factors: Body and MindHuman Factors: Body and Mind

HF involves the design to make human interaction in both physical and cognitive aspects effective (Such as cell phones, cameras, car (dashboard displays))

Designers of things and processes need to understand:

HF may impact all parts of the designNeed to communicate with HF expertsBig need: Designers should be able to span

disciplines/work with other disciplines

Goals of the course: IE 5511Goals of the course: IE 5511

To identify:– Human constraints and needs (physical and

cognitive)– Methods for understanding human needs in a

situation, or when using a product– Methods for assessing effectiveness of a

product or system, (such as time studies) – Approaches for improving productivity,

health and safety, – The value of standards.

Who will be teaching you? Who will be teaching you? Course Website:Course Website: ((www.me.umn.edu\education\courses\ie5511)

• Instructor: Prof. Hayes• Email: hayes@me.umn.edu• Phone: 612- 626-8391• Office: ME 2110• Office Hours: Right after class

• Teaching Assistant: Jacques Dolan

My BackgroundMy Background Position: Professor, Mechanical Engineering,

University of Minnesota. Education: PhD, Carnegie Mellon University, 1990;

Robotics Appointments: Director of Graduate studies for Human Factors graduate minor program: http://www.education.umn.edu/kin/kinesiology/HFminor.html Faculty Legislative Liaison Research: computer supported decision making Consulting for local and international firms: make

human/technology systems more efficient and effective.

ExpectationsExpectations

Homework most weeks, usually due Wed.One quiz, two tests, final exam.A semester-long project on a human factors

topic, in teams.

Grade BreakdownsGrade Breakdowns

Quiz 10 %  Exams 1& 2 40 % Homework 5 % Project 15 % Final Exam 30 %

PoliciesPolicies

Students may discuss homework problems, but they are expected to solve problems on their own.

Make up quizzes and exams will not be given except in the case of documented medical emergencies.

Homework is considered late after the end of class.

Late homework will be accepted for 24 hr after due date for 50% credit.

Human Factors:Human Factors: Re-engineering Systems forRe-engineering Systems for

Efficiency and SafetyEfficiency and Safety

Tools(Products)

Work Process

Work environment

Organizationalstructure, roles

Motivation:Incentives/rewards

Why do Companies Care about Why do Companies Care about Human Factors?Human Factors?

• To make products more competitive and appealing to consumers:

• Easier to use

• Easier to understand

• Safer

• Higher quality at same or lower cost,

• For a customer, there is always someone else who can make

• A more acceptable product

• Better, faster, cheaper

Why do designers and managers need Why do designers and managers need to know about Human Factors?to know about Human Factors?

Because all products are used by people at some point in their lifecycle

Designers must design these products and process by which they are made.

Marketing

Engineering Manufacturing

Packaging

DeliveryUseServiceRecycle

Product Life Cycle

We must design products and We must design products and processes thatprocesses that

Fulfill their functions,

But also:Can easily be used and understood by

people, Can be manufactured, assembled, handled

by people, in all part of their life cycle.Are enjoyable to use (Don Norman),

Examples of Human Factors NeedsExamples of Human Factors Needs

Space Mission planners should be able to control the Mars Rover in terms that make sense to them

Medical Tools: Doctors should be able to comfortably hold surgical tools without risk of dropping it or excessive hand fatigue

Nuclear power plants: operators should be able to easily read warnings + power plant indicators

Aviation: Pilots should be able to quickly find the information they need and intuitively understand it

Human Factors are important any time people and technology interact!

Human Factors in TransportationHuman Factors in Transportation

An airplane cockpit

A Prius Cockpit

Health Care RobotHealth Care Robot

www.cbc.ca/.../tech/robotics/robot-doctor.html

Remote doctor checks on patient

Surgical RobotSurgical Robot

Examples of HF and SafetyExamples of HF and Safety Nuclear reactor meltdowns (Chernobyl, 3 mile Island) Melted down largely because:

– Although displays showed much of the right information,– Displays were too complex to be understood easily by the

operator,– Hundreds of warning bells went off but it was hard to

know to which to attend. Airplane and train accidents Farm machinery accidents Car accidents – cars and cell phones.

Historical DevelopmentHistorical Development

HF is concerned with the effective interaction of people and machines

Before the industrial revolution people did not explicitly worry that much about HF– Less interaction with machines– Machines’ designs were evolved over long time periods– Engineered systems were not as big and complicated– Competition was strictly local

The roots of HF as a science begin in the late 19th century

Industrialization increased, and Markets expanded from local to national and

global levels aided by inventions:– Telegraph, telephone, train, steam ships

Historical Development (continued)Historical Development (continued)

Suddenly, businesses needed to be more

efficient to compete.

Efficiency ExpertsEfficiency Experts

Fredrick Taylor (start 1881)

Frank Gilbreth (early 1900)

Lillian Gilbreth (early 1900)

Fredrik Taylor, 1881, Midvale Steel, Fredrik Taylor, 1881, Midvale Steel, PhiladelphiaPhiladelphia

Founder of modern time study Came up with system of managing work to make

it more efficient:– Managers plan work 1 day in advance– Workers get written instructions on tasks and how to

accomplish them – Each job has a “standard time” determined by a time

study made by experts– Advocated breaking tasks into “elements”

Taylor's StudiesTaylor's Studies

Pig Iron Study (1898)– At Bethlehem Steel Company– Established methods for carrying 92 lb.

“pigs” of iron up ramp to freight car,– Provided financial incentives,– Greatly increased productivity from 12.5

tons/day/worker to 48 tons (4 fold increase)

Taylor's Studies (cont.)Taylor's Studies (cont.)

Shoveling Experiment– Redesigned shovels (were same size for all

jobs):Short handle for heavy ironLong handled scoop for light rice coal

– Results: Productivity increased Material handling costs decreased

Taylor's Studies (cont.)Taylor's Studies (cont.)

But no one took much notice until 1903 published in ASME : ‘Shop Management’

Then “efficiency madness” swept the nation and the world.

Frank and Lillian GilbrethFrank and Lillian Gilbreth(early 20(early 20thth century) century)

Founders of modern motion study techniques– Study of body motions used in performing tasks– Aimed at:

Simplifying motionsEstablishing most favorable motion sequencesAs he was in brick-laying trade, Increased

performance from 120 bricks/hr to 350

Gilbreths’ TechniquesGilbreths’ Techniques

Photographed and Filmed motions to study them – Cyclographic analysis:

put light on workers’ finger, and photograph the path.

– Chrono-cyclographic analysis: Put strobe on finger – get dotted lines on photo Spacing indicates speed

– Devide motion into elements “therbligs”

Cyclograph AnalysisCyclograph Analysis Attach light to finger or part of body, Photograph the motion using a long exposure, Motion pattern recorded as a line on film.

Motion photographed in a strobe lightMotion photographed in a strobe light

Golfer

Motion studies using strobe Motion studies using strobe lightslights

Acrobat pole vaulting

Motion Study using motion picturesMotion Study using motion pictures

Broader Impacts of Effects the Broader Impacts of Effects the “Efficiency” Movement“Efficiency” Movement

Efficiency principles were applied in many areas outside the factory (turn of the century):– Architecture: Homes were made smaller and

layouts more efficient with less steps– Interior design: Kitchen workspaces were made

more efficient (less steps, less reaching, less cleaning) Origin of the “modern” kitchen design.

– Art: incorporated motion studies into images (Duchamp 1912).

Nude Decending the Stair, Nude Decending the Stair, Duchamp 1912Duchamp 1912

Duchamp (the artist) descending the stair

Cheaper by the DozenCheaper by the Dozen By Gilbreth and Gilbreth, 1948 (children of Frank and

Lilian) Lilian and Frank Gilbreth had 12 children They viewed home as “efficiency lab” “What will work at home will work in the factory”

– Gilbreth shaved with 2 razors (one in each hand)– Filmed all their children getting their tonsils removed.

ExerciseExercise

Figure out how to fit all the objects in the box – Decide what actions constitute “therbligs” or

“elements” – Develop and record a procedure (in terms of therbligs)

Figure out how to do it fast– Time your procedure (minutes, seconds)– Did your “Therblig” description change?– Did your procedure description change?

Backlash Against the “Efficiency” Backlash Against the “Efficiency” MovementMovement

Workers some times felt like a cogs in the industrial machine,

When miss-applied, efficiency techniques simply squeezed more work out of workers to their detrement.

Workers sometimes refused to cooperate with efficiency “experts”

Arts and crafts movement in art and architecture: return to natural forms (hard to make by machine) and hand craft methods.

ChairHector Guimard, 1904-7

Tiffany Lamp

Charles Chaplin in "Modern Times" 1939

ExerciseExerciseFigure out how to fit all the objects in the box

– Decide what actions constitute “therbligs” or “elements”

– Develop and record a procedure (in terms of therbligs)

Figure out how to do it fast– Time your procedure (minutes, seconds)– Did your “therblig” descriptions change?– Did your procedure descriptions change?– Did other things change?

Rules of ExerciseRules of Exercise

Take all objects out and set them separately on desk.

Fit all objects in the box so that you can close the lid all the way.

No squashing or damaging objects. You may wish to assign different roles to the

people on your team: packer, time keeper, process recorder, observer, etc.

You will get several minutes to practice, then we will have a competition.

Exercise (continued)Exercise (continued)

Each group please report:– Your best time to complete the task– Your therbligs– Your procedure (sequence of therbligs)

– What you did to improve your time? (did you develop new therbligs? New sequence? Other?)

Insight Insight There is a tight relationship between:

Time and motion studies can help designers clarify the relation between products use, and the features it ought to have.

The way people actually use a product

Customer Satisfaction

The features a product ought to

have

Product effectiveness