Chapter1

IE 5511 Human Factors and Work Analysis: 

IE 5511 Human Factors and Work Analysis Instructor: Prof. Caroline C. Hayes Fall 2007

What are “Human Factors”?: 

What are “Human Factors”? Human Factors (ergonomics) involves helping people to work more efficiently through design of their: Tools (products) Work process Work environment Organizational structure Tools (Products) Work Process Work environment What ? Where ? How ?

What are “Human Factors”?: 

What are “Human Factors”? A collection of disciplines concerned with creating effective interactions between people and technological systems. Examples of disciplines concerned with human factors: Engineering, Computer Science Psychology Business Psychology Kinesiology, sports Medicine,

Ergonomics (European term for Human Factors): 

Ergonomics (European term for Human Factors) Ergonomics comes from the Greek words: ergo + nomos Goal of HF is to increase: Profitability Safety/ health/ well being of workers

Human Factors: Body and Mind: 

Most products today involve both: Physical components  Physical Ergonomics Computer component  Cognitive Ergonomics Human 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)) Mechanical engineers need to understand both: May not have HF impact on them Need to communicate with HF experts Big need: Engineers should be able to span disciplines/work with other disciplines

Goals of Human Factors: 

Goals of Human Factors To increase humans’: Effectiveness Health Safety Well being

Goals of the course: IE 5511: 

Goals of the course: IE 5511 To identify: Human constraints and needs (physical and cognitive) Approaches for improving productivity, health and safety, Methods (such as time studies) for assessing a product or systems’ effectiveness, The value of standards.

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

Who will be teaching you? 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: Monday, 3:15 – 4:14 pm Teaching Assistant: Xiao Dong Email: dongx080@me.umn.edu Phone: Office: Office Hours:

My Background: 

My 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 Research: computer supported decision making Consulting for local and international firms: make human/technology systems more efficient and effective.

Expectations: 

Expectations Homework most weeks, usually due Wednesdays. One quiz, two tests, final exam. A semester project on a human factors topic, Undergrads interested in doing a project, please talk to me.

Grade Breakdowns: 

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

Policies: 

Policies 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: Re-engineering Systems forEfficiency and Safety: 

Human Factors: Re-engineering Systems for Efficiency and Safety Tools (Products) Work Process Work environment Organizational structure, roles Motivation: Incentives/rewards

Why do Companies Care about Human Factors?: 

Why do Companies Care about 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 engineers need to know about Human Factors?: 

Why do engineers need to know about Human Factors? Because all products are used by people at some point in their lifecycle Engineers must design these products and process by which they are made. Marketing Engineering Manufacturing Packaging Delivery Use Service Recycle Product Life Cycle

Engineers must design products that: 

Engineers must design products that Fulfill their engineering 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 Needs: 

Examples 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

Examples of HF and Safety: 

Examples 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 Development: 

Historical 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

Historical Development (continued): 

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) Suddenly, businesses needed to be more efficient to compete.

Efficiency Experts: 

Efficiency Experts Fredrick Taylor (start 1881) Frank Gilbreth (early 1900) Lillian Gilbreth (early 1900)

Fredrik Taylor, 1881, Midvale Steel, Philadelphia: 

Fredrik Taylor, 1881, Midvale Steel, Philadelphia 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” But no one took much notice until 1903 published in ASME : ‘Shop Management’

Taylor's Studies: 

Taylor'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 iron Long handled scoop for light rice coal Results: Productivity increased Material handling costs decreased

Frank and Lillian Gilbreth(early 20th century): 

Frank and Lillian Gilbreth (early 20th century) Founders of modern motion study techniques Study of body motions used in performing tasks Aimed at: Simplifying motions Establishing most favorable motion sequences As he was in Brick laying trade, Increased performance from 120 bricks/hr to 350

Gilbreths’ Techniques: 

Gilbreths’ 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 Analysis: 

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

Slide29: 

Motion photographed in a strobe light Golfer

Motion studies using strobe lights: 

Motion studies using strobe lights Acrobat pole vaulting

Motion Study using motion pictures: 

Motion Study using motion pictures

Broader Impacts of Effects the “Efficiency” Movement: 

Broader Impacts of Effects the “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, Duchamp 1912: 

Nude Decending the Stair, Duchamp 1912 Duchamp (the artist) descending the stair

Cheaper by the Dozen: 

Cheaper 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.

Exercise: 

Exercise 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” Movement: 

Backlash Against the “Efficiency” Movement 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.

Slide37: 

Charles Chaplin in "Modern Times" 1939

Current Day Approaches: 

Current Day Approaches Human Factors also focuses also on “cognitive ergonomics” Protocol Studies Have the person talk out loud as they solve a problem E.g. create a design or manufacturing plan, or solve an algebraic problem Record everything said and done on audio and video tape, or written notes Ethnographic Studies Observe in the workplace where people are doing tasks Nuclear power plant Cockpit of airplane NASA control center (for Mars Explorations) Record what is said and done (video or written notes) Analyze

Lessons Learned: Designer must consider all of: : 

Lessons Learned: Designer must consider all of: Tools (Products) Work Process Work environment Organizational structure Motivation: Incentives/rewards

Methods Engineering: 

Methods Engineering Technique for: Increasing production per unit of time. Example: increasing the number of customers that can be handled per cashier by installing bar code readers. Decreasing cost per unit output. Example: decreasing total cost of each cell phone by reducing the number of parts and thus the labor hours required for assembly. It is critical to look at impact on whole system.

Methods Engineering: 

Methods Engineering Often used synonymously with: Operation analysis Work design Corporate re-engineering The difference between these terms in the level of detail. Detail level Big picture level

Methods Engineering: 

Methods Engineering Select project I.D. product or service experiencing difficulties. Get and present data Study situation, take measurements to determine where difficulties really lie, Analyze the data: Figure out which of many problems are most critical Develop ideal method(s) Identify alternative approaches which may address most critical problems. Present and install method at the work site Develop a job analysis To insure operators are adequately selected, trained, rewarded, etc. Establish time standards Establish fair and equitable standards for work performance. Follow up the method Take measurements to determine if changes really did improve situation as predicted.

Example: Mission Planning and control for the Mars Exploration Rover: 

Example: Mission Planning and control for the Mars Exploration Rover Researchers introduced automated planning tool, MAPGEN Tool had to fit with users’ existing way of thinking about plans, Introduction of new tools caused planning process to change, Product and processes were evolved together, over time.

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