Introduction to Human Factors Engineering
UPDATED Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Human Factors (HF) - CORRECT ANSWER - The scientific discipline concerned with the
understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession
that applies theory, principles, data, and methods to design in order to optimize human well-
being and overall system performance.
Interdisciplinary Science - CORRECT ANSWER - Science concerning human's
capabilities, tendencies, characteristics, and limitations applied to design of jobs, workplaces,
equipment, products, devices, organizations, systems, interactions, and experiences.
Design-induced human error - CORRECT ANSWER - Errors that occur as a result of
design flaws that do not account for human behavior and capabilities.
True and tragic example - CORRECT ANSWER - An incident illustrating the
consequences of design flaws, such as the case of a child being injured by a power window.
Power window incident - CORRECT ANSWER - In November 2001, a 2-year-old child
was injured when she leaned out of a parked truck's window and activated the power window
switch, which thrust her upward with up to 80 lb of force.
Auto-reverse features - CORRECT ANSWER - Safety features required in Europe for
power windows that prevent injury by reversing the window's movement if an obstruction is
detected.
Kids 'N Cars survey - CORRECT ANSWER - A 2002 informal survey that found 42 cases
of children being strangled by power windows under similar circumstances.
Common fallacies with Human Factors - CORRECT ANSWER - Misconceptions about
Human Factors, such as the belief that designs satisfactory for one person are satisfactory for all.
, Design satisfaction fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - The belief that if a design is
satisfactory for one individual, it will be satisfactory for everyone else.
Average person fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - The belief that if a design is satisfactory
for the average person, it will be satisfactory for everyone else.
Cost of Human Factors - CORRECT ANSWER - The misconception that Human Factors
is expensive and can be ignored because products are purchased based on appearance and style.
Common sense fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - The belief that Human Factors is merely
about practicing common sense and following intuition.
Human-Systems - CORRECT ANSWER - The concept of designing systems that
effectively integrate human capabilities and limitations.
Historical development of HF - CORRECT ANSWER - The evolution of Human Factors
as a discipline influenced by technological advancements and changing relationships between
people and technology.
Hippocrates - CORRECT ANSWER - Noted the toxic lead in the mining industry and how
a surgeon's workplace should be designed.
Anthropometry - CORRECT ANSWER - The study of human body measurements, often
applied in the design of tools and equipment.
Ignaz Semmelweis - CORRECT ANSWER - A 19th-century physician who discovered
that hand washing reduced maternal mortality from puerperal fever to below 1%.
Wojciech Jastrzebowski - CORRECT ANSWER - One of the main creators of ergonomics,
known for his work 'An Outline of Ergonomics' published in 1857.
UPDATED Exam Questions and CORRECT
Answers
Human Factors (HF) - CORRECT ANSWER - The scientific discipline concerned with the
understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession
that applies theory, principles, data, and methods to design in order to optimize human well-
being and overall system performance.
Interdisciplinary Science - CORRECT ANSWER - Science concerning human's
capabilities, tendencies, characteristics, and limitations applied to design of jobs, workplaces,
equipment, products, devices, organizations, systems, interactions, and experiences.
Design-induced human error - CORRECT ANSWER - Errors that occur as a result of
design flaws that do not account for human behavior and capabilities.
True and tragic example - CORRECT ANSWER - An incident illustrating the
consequences of design flaws, such as the case of a child being injured by a power window.
Power window incident - CORRECT ANSWER - In November 2001, a 2-year-old child
was injured when she leaned out of a parked truck's window and activated the power window
switch, which thrust her upward with up to 80 lb of force.
Auto-reverse features - CORRECT ANSWER - Safety features required in Europe for
power windows that prevent injury by reversing the window's movement if an obstruction is
detected.
Kids 'N Cars survey - CORRECT ANSWER - A 2002 informal survey that found 42 cases
of children being strangled by power windows under similar circumstances.
Common fallacies with Human Factors - CORRECT ANSWER - Misconceptions about
Human Factors, such as the belief that designs satisfactory for one person are satisfactory for all.
, Design satisfaction fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - The belief that if a design is
satisfactory for one individual, it will be satisfactory for everyone else.
Average person fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - The belief that if a design is satisfactory
for the average person, it will be satisfactory for everyone else.
Cost of Human Factors - CORRECT ANSWER - The misconception that Human Factors
is expensive and can be ignored because products are purchased based on appearance and style.
Common sense fallacy - CORRECT ANSWER - The belief that Human Factors is merely
about practicing common sense and following intuition.
Human-Systems - CORRECT ANSWER - The concept of designing systems that
effectively integrate human capabilities and limitations.
Historical development of HF - CORRECT ANSWER - The evolution of Human Factors
as a discipline influenced by technological advancements and changing relationships between
people and technology.
Hippocrates - CORRECT ANSWER - Noted the toxic lead in the mining industry and how
a surgeon's workplace should be designed.
Anthropometry - CORRECT ANSWER - The study of human body measurements, often
applied in the design of tools and equipment.
Ignaz Semmelweis - CORRECT ANSWER - A 19th-century physician who discovered
that hand washing reduced maternal mortality from puerperal fever to below 1%.
Wojciech Jastrzebowski - CORRECT ANSWER - One of the main creators of ergonomics,
known for his work 'An Outline of Ergonomics' published in 1857.
