Human Factors and Ergonomics

In this elective course the students knowledge of human factors and ergonomics (HFE) is deepened. The HFE discipline takes a human-centered and scientific approach to the design of products, services, and systems in a way that balances system performance and human well-being. This course will guide students in acquiring knowledge on the complexities of the human system in terms of physical, perceptual, and cognitive capacities. These capacities will provide the fundamental boundaries that form the design space in which one can be creative. The course will provide the theoretical backgrounds in the human systems, how the capacity of this system can be measured, and how these measurements can be used in a systems approach to the design of product-service systems. Case studies will be in the field of healthcare, mobility, sports and consumer product design.

The following topics are covered:

1. Physical, perceptual, cognitive, and organizational factors

2. Measurement and research methods

3. Systems approach and HFE design

4. Digital human modeling and simulation

5. Various applications

This course is relevant for the student as it provides a deeper insight in the complexities of humans and the challenges of considering human factors during the (re)design of products/services/systems in key application domains.

The learning objectives of the course are assessed through a group project (report) and an individual digital exam.

The deliverable for the group assignment (60% of the grade) is a scientific report (12-page paper) on HFE-based evaluation of a product/service/system, delivered in Week 9, and

The individual digital exam will consist of multiple choice and open questions and will be 40% of the grade.

Formative assessment is achieved through BrightSpace Quizes connected to the lectures. Coach and peer feedback is provided on progress and report throughout the group assignment and on the interim report and presentation in week 6.