Outline of lecture

This course aims at obtaining knowledge and basic skills about the disciplines called ergonomics/human factors, their approaches and their applications to actual design of human-machine systems, work and organisations. Among various contents related to ergonomics with which people are working, this class focuses on applications of ergonomic approaches and methods to actual design and evaluation of human-machine
systems and organisational aspects. Contents covered in this class are largely divided into three categories, for which some case studies are included: (1) Introduction to ergonomics, (2) Human-machine interaction and usability, (3) Human errors and risk management.
In this class, in addition to lectures, some group assignments (+ presentation and discussion) will be made concerning some specific topics for better understanding of ergonomic concepts and approaches. Simple questions { just one page answer required { will be also given every week in the end of lecture for the same purpose.

Purpose of lecture

This course aims at obtaining knowledge and basic skills about the disciplines called ergonomics/human factors, their approaches and their applications to actual design of human-machine systems, work and organisations. Among various contents related to ergonomics with which people are working, this class focuses on applications of ergonomic approaches and methods to actual design and evaluation of human-machine
systems and organisational aspects. Contents covered in this class are largely divided into three categories, for which some case studies are included: (1) Introduction to ergonomics, (2) Human-machine interaction and usability, (3) Human errors and risk management.
In this class, in addition to lectures, some group assignments (+ presentation and discussion) will be made concerning some specific topics for better understanding of ergonomic concepts and approaches. Simple questions { just one page answer required { will be also given every week in the end of lecture for the same purpose.

Plan of lecture

Part I: Introduction to Ergonomics/Human Factors
1. Basics in Ergonomics
2. Approaches to Human Factors and Ergonomics
Part II: Human-Machine Interaction and Usability
3. Human-Machine Systems 1
4. Human-Machine Systems 2
5. Research in Human-Machine Systems 1
6. Research in Human-Machine Systems 2
7. Presentation of group work
8. Usability 1
9. Usability 2
Part III: Organisational Design for Safety
10. Human Error Theory
11. Risk management
12. Safety Culture
13. Safety performance measurement and incident reporting
14. Case study: Applications to Railway Safety
15. Presentation of group work

Textbook and reference

Distribute documents by each lecture.

Related and/or prerequisite courses

Desirable to study "Ergonomics" and "Industrial Engineering" by a class subject.

Evaluation

Individual assignments, group assignments and ordinary attitudes in the class,
e.g., participation in discussions and questions (+ attending status in the class)