People + Process = Performance

Ergonomics and Human Factors Explained—Simply, Easily

What is ergonomics?  What is human factors?  How can human factors and ergonomics (HF/E) help my business?

Those are pretty much the same questions that I’ve been asked for essentially all of the years that I’ve been an ergonomist.  People hear the word ergonomics and rarely do they clearly and readily know what it means.   Say the word human factors and again, they may have an idea of what it means but it’s not generally well defined. The fact is unless people have been exposed to HF/E through their job/company or have a friend or neighbor who is an HF/E professional they don’t truly understand HF/E.  Notice that I’ve used human factor backslash ergonomics because to us in the profession, HF/E means the same thing.  But does it to the public? To business owners and CEOs?  Probably not.

So, just what is HF/E?  What’s a simple and easy definition?  I think I just said (wrote) it.  HF/E—making things simple, easy and intuitive.  Another easy explanation and one in which people immediately understand is that “It simply works.  It simply makes sense.”  However, the best way I’ve been able to answer the question, “What is HF/E?” comes courtesy of Staples—the “easy” button.

The “easy” button is ergonomics and human factors in a nutshell.  Whenever a product, task or process is done right it “simply works”; it “simply makes sense”; it’s easy!  Why HF/E professionals didn’t come up with the easy button concept and market it I don’t know.  It was probably too easy!

People get the “easy button” concept.  After I say “easy button”, then I can go on to explain in more depth and detail how HF/E focuses on optimizing the well-being of people and increases the efficiency of processes and organizational systems.

So when asked “How does HF/E benefit my company and my bottom line?”  It’s a relatively simple answer—HF/E makes it easy for your employees to work safely and productively.  HF/E makes your workflow and task processes/procedures make sense and be intuitive for your employees.  By making things “easy” HF/E increases the quality of your employees work and decreases re-work/errors.  By using HF/E, employees are happier and more engaged at work.   The bottom line result of using HF/E (and I suggest combining it with continuous improvement and wellness programs) is increased revenues and decreased expenses. Those are answers anyone can understand and appreciate.

So, have I made HF/E “easy”?  What’s your “easy” definition of HF/E?