The Space Shuttle flight deck - probably one of the most complex systems in the world - before Human Factors people got their mits on it.
The Space Shuttle flight deck after a Human Factors makeover. GENERAL
Discuss why the value of cognitive ergonomics is being increasingly recognised by system designers.
What is user centred design and why should it be used? Illustrate you answer with examples.
All complex systems should have input from Human Factors professionals at all stages of development. Discuss.
How can psychology inform design?
Why is Human Factors engineering important?
The commercial success of Apple products is often attributed to its 'user-centred design'. Discuss with other examples how this might be achieved throughout the product cycle.
"The majority of design is system-centred. This is its downfall." (Madeupman, 2008). Discuss the statement and how the design process can be improved.
You are writing a letter to the Dean of Engineering explaining why all students in her Faculty should have to take courses in cognitive psychology. Using examples, what would you argument be and why?
"The most important component in design: the human". What might Thisdude (2008) mean by this? Illustrate your answer with examples.
What is user centred design and why should it be used? Illustrate you answer with examples.
All complex systems should have input from Human Factors professionals at all stages of development. Discuss.
How can psychology inform design?
Why is Human Factors engineering important?
The commercial success of Apple products is often attributed to its 'user-centred design'. Discuss with other examples how this might be achieved throughout the product cycle.
"The majority of design is system-centred. This is its downfall." (Madeupman, 2008). Discuss the statement and how the design process can be improved.
You are writing a letter to the Dean of Engineering explaining why all students in her Faculty should have to take courses in cognitive psychology. Using examples, what would you argument be and why?
"The most important component in design: the human". What might Thisdude (2008) mean by this? Illustrate your answer with examples.
SPECIFIC
Knowledge elicitation
What are the problems of knowledge elicitation and how might they be overcome?
Why might it be hard to elicit knowledge from an expert? How might the problems be overcome?
What is an expert and why might it be hard to elicit knowledge from them?
Extracting useful knowledge from experts is impossible. Discuss.
Limits and Capabilities
How can we utilise our knowledge of perception in order to design better systems?
How can an understanding of human capabilities and limitations be used in the design of complex systems? Illustrate your answer with examples.
Discuss how human information processing models have assisted in the design of complex systems.
You are asked to provide an ergonomics brief for a cockpit systems designer. What information would you give him and why?
What factors should a complex system designer take into account if humans are to use the end product?
How can an understanding of human capabilities and limitations be used in the design of complex systems? Illustrate your answer with examples.
Discuss how human information processing models have assisted in the design of complex systems.
You are asked to provide an ergonomics brief for a cockpit systems designer. What information would you give him and why?
What factors should a complex system designer take into account if humans are to use the end product?
Input devices
How can the psychological literature assist designers of input devices?
What ways can information get into a system and identify any problems that there may be in doing this.
Critically assess ubiquitous input devices and suggest future directions for better interaction with systems.
QWERTY dominates. Why?
What ways can information get into a system and identify any problems that there may be in doing this.
Critically assess ubiquitous input devices and suggest future directions for better interaction with systems.
QWERTY dominates. Why?
The WIMP interface will not last. Discuss.
How can knowledge of human cognitive abilities constrain the design of input devices?
You are hired by Apple who are interested in a psychologist's perspective for the new MacBook. You are asked to give them a 1500 word brief on 'Improving Input Design'. Write this report.
How can knowledge of human cognitive abilities constrain the design of input devices?
You are hired by Apple who are interested in a psychologist's perspective for the new MacBook. You are asked to give them a 1500 word brief on 'Improving Input Design'. Write this report.
Output devices
How can the psychological literature assist designers of output devices?
Visual displays while dominant need not be the only way of presenting information to the user. Discuss.
The Ministry of Defence hires you to help them build a new Tactical Operations Centre. They specifically want informed advice on output devices. What recommendations would you make and why?
How can knowledge of human cognitive abilities constrain the design of output devices?
Visual displays while dominant need not be the only way of presenting information to the user. Discuss.
The Ministry of Defence hires you to help them build a new Tactical Operations Centre. They specifically want informed advice on output devices. What recommendations would you make and why?
How can knowledge of human cognitive abilities constrain the design of output devices?
Interaction issues
What issues should a system designer take into account when developing a complex system?
How can systems be made cognitively compatible? Illustrate your answer using examples.
A significant trend in technology is to automate. Discuss the psychological interaction issues that arise out of this trend.
How can systems be made cognitively compatible? Illustrate your answer using examples.
A significant trend in technology is to automate. Discuss the psychological interaction issues that arise out of this trend.
Role of Human Factors
Human Factors is just common sense. Discuss.
What is wrong with the current role Human Factors plays in the life-cycles of many products and systems?
What is the band-aid approach to Human Factors and why is it theoretically dubious?
Where should Human Factors be deployed in the life-cycle or a product or system? Illustrate your answer with some recent examples.
What is wrong with the current role Human Factors plays in the life-cycles of many products and systems?
What is the band-aid approach to Human Factors and why is it theoretically dubious?
Where should Human Factors be deployed in the life-cycle or a product or system? Illustrate your answer with some recent examples.
Error
Using examples discuss why human error reduction should be holistic.
Humans make errors. What are the implications of this for the design of systems and products?
Why is human error such a difficult area of study?
In your justified opinion which models of human error can help reduce the risk of incidents and accidents?
How can Human Factors reduce the errors made by humans?
What is the ‘system design-induced error’ (Wiener, 1987) concept? How is it useful to Human Factors?
Why when trying to reduce human error are end-users only ‘half the story’?
The ‘band-aid’ approach to human error is wrong. Discuss.
When humans using systems make their first error, this is actually the second error: the first is designer's. Discuss.
Humans make errors. What are the implications of this for the design of systems and products?
Why is human error such a difficult area of study?
In your justified opinion which models of human error can help reduce the risk of incidents and accidents?
How can Human Factors reduce the errors made by humans?
What is the ‘system design-induced error’ (Wiener, 1987) concept? How is it useful to Human Factors?
Why when trying to reduce human error are end-users only ‘half the story’?
The ‘band-aid’ approach to human error is wrong. Discuss.
When humans using systems make their first error, this is actually the second error: the first is designer's. Discuss.
Workload
What is mental workload, how is it measured and why it is important to the design of complex systems?
Humans have limited mental resources. How might we be able to measure the use of these during tasks? What, if any, are the problems of this approach?
In a new cockpit design it is found that pilots are being mentally overloaded. How might this conclusion have been drawn and what suggestions could a psychologist make to the designer?
Critically evaluate current measures of workload.
Why is Human Factors interested in workload?
How would you evaluate a software package from a user-centred design perspective?
Discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of formative evaluation.
Discuss some of the advantages and limitations of summative evaluation.
Compare and contrast summative and formative evaluation. Illustrate your answer with questions.
When should evaluation take place in the product lifecycle? Justify your answer.
How might a product or system be evaluated from a user-centred design perspective
Humans have limited mental resources. How might we be able to measure the use of these during tasks? What, if any, are the problems of this approach?
In a new cockpit design it is found that pilots are being mentally overloaded. How might this conclusion have been drawn and what suggestions could a psychologist make to the designer?
Critically evaluate current measures of workload.
Why is Human Factors interested in workload?
Evaluation
How would you evaluate a software package from a user-centred design perspective?
Discuss some of the advantages and disadvantages of formative evaluation.
Discuss some of the advantages and limitations of summative evaluation.
Compare and contrast summative and formative evaluation. Illustrate your answer with questions.
When should evaluation take place in the product lifecycle? Justify your answer.
How might a product or system be evaluated from a user-centred design perspective
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