Method characteristics for viable human factors engineering practice

Report, 2015

The difficulty of getting Human Factors Engineering (HFE) research knowledge into industrial practice is dictated by several constraints. The purpose of this study was to investigate the method needs of HFE practitioners in the development of human-control system interfaces. The aim was to establish requirements for a method to be useful in practice. An interview study was performed with 14 human factors engineers from different industrial domains in Sweden, such as process industry, air traffic management and defence. The interview results pointed several barriers and facilitators for efficient, practical method use. Nine method features are recommended for developing future HFE methods with improved industrial viability. The methods need to be tweakable, explicit, systematic, inspiring and adaptable for use in multidisciplinary teams. Furthermore the methods should work for varying levels of ambition, be transparent for all stakeholders, support measurability and fit into the development process.