Learning from the future
Addressing human factors increases the probability of success in operations and innovation processes
Human factors are the science of understanding properties of human capability.
If you are delivering a product or service, designing a spoon, system, or spacecraft, or initiating change, you will encounter the properties and limits of human ability.
Which of these human factors impact you, your team and organization the most positively or negatively?
• Psychological – cognitive ability, emotion, understanding
• Team – communication, interaction, collaboration, conflict
• Physical – shape, strength, size, etc.
• Organizational – vision, leadership, (dis)incentives, culture
• Political – social values and norms, culture, public opinion, institutional setting
(Kim Vicente, 2004)
Do you have interdependent systems or processes that has human factor blind spots?
How do you apply your knowledge of the human factors affecting your work to design better equipment, tools, systems and processes?
References
• Vicente, K. J. (2004). The human factor: Revolutionizing the way people live with technology. Routledge.