WHAT S ERGONOMICS?

COGNITIVE ergonomics is a branch of ergonomics a

science that studies how to fit a system to human .
CE studies how to fit a system to human placing
emphasis on cognitive process.

CE studies cognition to work and operational setting

to improve/ to optimize human well being and
system performances.

CE is concerned with cognitive process such as

perception , memory, attention and how they affect
the interaction between a system and a human
being.

The aims of CE is to design work conditions and

environments that enhances cognitive functioning
and human performance at work so it improves
productivity, safety, (comfortable conditions) at
work.

The relevant topics are: mental workload , decision

making , human computer interaction, human
reliability , skilled performance...

the mental workload is defined as the level of mental

effort make by an individual in response to one or
more cognitive tasks. It is a propriety (a feature) of
individual , not of a task (rather than a task).

It refers to the amount of work that needed to be

performed (the work) usually fixed period of time
(the load).
With the introduction of the NASA TLX task load
index the term “cognitive workload” became human-
centred rather than task-centred.

The principal limitation of workload is that WL is

subjective.

When the WL is too high /// too much /// (stress) or

too low (risk for vigilance : loss of attention) it is
possible have effect on behaviour // it could have
effect on human behaviour. It could lead to
committing errors.

There are different type of errors :

Slips are motor and execution errors , for example :

the hand of the worker slept away and he touched
the wrong button. It is important, to avoid this kind
of error is modifying the affordance : implementing
automatic device for safety and so on and in this
case separated the different buttons.

Lapses, instead, are attentive or cognitive errors for

example making a task with lack of attention / when
you are distracted by a noise.
To minimize the risk is important intervene on work
environment to reduce the sources of distractions.
For example is possible to minimize this type of error
improving pause.

Mistakes are planning errors for example when the

action that you have planned will not lead the
planned outcome. It is possible to reduce making
clear working procedures.
Violations , are procedural errors for example the
worker committed illicit action on work place. A
strategy to avoid committing this kind of error is
adopt work procedures to organize the work , for
example improving teamwork , implementing
hierarchies and using sanctions.

Difference between usability and ergonomics.

Ergonomics is a science that studies people

efficiency in their work environments. Ergonomics
studies the efficiency of worker in their working
conditions. It deals woth technologies , procedure ,
process ... in order to improve their effectiveness.

Usability is focused on industrial design. Usability is

degree smt is able or fit to be used. It deals with
“user experience” and refers to make easy the
utilization of the final product (technology).
Usability is a method to improving “easy of use”
facilità di utilizzo during the design process. The
target of usability can be the user so “common
people” or the environment “ space and enterprise
context” , and the aim is to improve efficiency ,
productivity , comfort , “easy of use” of the user.

During an usability test the primary purpose is to

improve a design for real user. In a typical usability
test a real user try to accomplish \ achieve a goals
or tasks with a product under controlled conditions.

Ergonomics was born before usability . Ergonomics

designers was included in industrial production
recently. Ergonomics is a science-based