A company has decided to fund a human factors department to support product development and conduct human factor research.

• Select a product for development. Identify 5 design, usability and/or research activities that should be initiated to support this project. Why did your select these 5?

• What are the major obstacles a corporate human factors group is likely to encounter?

You may wish to consider but are not limited to the following:

• Issues associated with the identification of user requirements. data gathering methodologies, task analysis and behavioral objectives
• Theoretical and practical (rule of thumb) design approaches
• Information processing
• Cognition and physical abilities - limitations and bottlenecks
• Impact of Signal Detection Theory and the work of Kahnetnan & Tversky on decision-making (e.g. error prediction)
• Usability test plan development, criterion development and administration
• Issues associated with the design of work stations
• Information coding (visual & auditory)
• Standards, codes and guidelines
• Display & control layout and design
• Visual perception
• Human - computer interaction design
• Anthropometry & motor skills (movement modeling)
• Accommodating individual differences
• Physical (e.g. illumination. climate. noise. motion) and social characteristics of the work environment
• System control characteristics
• Warnings and documentation
• Safety - regulations
• Selection
• Alternative methods of motivating individual (and group) performance.
• Specific topics addressed in the book (e.g. accidents, automation, stress).