Human Factors in Engineering Design Exam 1 FINAL Questions and Answers Solved Correctly Rated A+
Helander's two maxims - Answers 1. The primary purpose of HFE is design
2. In HFE, a systematic, interdisciplinary approach is necessary for design and analysis
What is the point of HFE? - Answers Helander: designing a system or product to be safe, efficient, and
comfortable to use while considering contraints of human abilities
Internatinoal Ergonomic Association: Application of theory, principles, data, and methods to design in
order to optimize human well being and overall system
performance
HFE Timeline - Answers 1. early tools were the first examples of creating to enhance human capabilities
Post WWII: Focus on the reduction of human error to reduce
military fatalities; controls and displays were
reconsidered
As a result, Human Factors research focused on:
1. Situational awareness/information displays
2. Control-display compatibility
independent variables in a system - Answers noise, thermal conditions, illumination levels, vibration
Dependent variables in a system - Answers assembly time, error rates, worker satisfaction, worker
output
What are some modulating variables (user specific)? - Answers operator needs, attitudes, competence,
expertise, strength, motivation, age, gender, body size, stress
3 goals of system design - Answers safety, productivity, operator satisfaction
What must Erogonomists consider when thinking about safety? - Answers 1. Task allocation: Between
workers and machines
2. Workstation design: Strategies should be aimed at
,improving worker posture and comfort
3. The ambient environment: Illumination, noise, vibration,
thermal conditions
4. Organization factors: The allocation of responsibility,
policies for internal communication
5. Machine design: Controls & displays
What must Erogonomists consider when thinking about productivity? - Answers 1. Maximizing operator
skill set
2. Display and control design
Trade-offs:
• As speed increases, errors also increase
• As speed increases, accuracy decreases
• Speed Accuracy Trade-off (SATO)
What are the 3 types of HFE studies? - Answers 1. Descriptive - used to characterize a population of
users (examples:
anthropometric data, discomfort surveys)
2. Experimental - test the effect of a design feature on human
performance (examples: average brake pressure and GSR for traffic
events) three types of dependent variables;
1. Performance - (Task performance, error rates)
2. Physiological - (Heart rate, EMG, GSR)
3. Subjective - (Questionnaires or rating scales)
3. Evaluation - test the effect of a system on
Dependent variables must be... - Answers 1. Reliable - the consistency of a measure over time (i.e.
SAT scores)
, 2. Valid - the extent to which the instrument measures
what was intended to be measured
• Measures can be reliable but not valid (i.e. body
temperature and task performance)
3. Sensitive - the extent to which a measure can detect
changes in the values of independent variables
3 methods of evaluating validity of dependent varibles - Answers 1. Face Validity - The extent to which a
measure 'looks
valid'. (i.e. an expert might say, 'Looks good to me')
2. Content Validity - The extent to which a measure actually
represents all facets of a given construct; much more
rigorous to evaluate (i.e. Air traffic controller exam)
3. Construct Validity - The degree to which a scale
measures or correlates with the theorized psychological
scientific construct that it purports to measure (i.e. Are
hormone levels linked to task performance)
Cornea - Answers the transparent outer covering of the eye. It adds protection and has a high refractive
power (70-80%)
ciliary muscle - Answers controls the shape of the lens
lens - Answers Focuses light onto retina; is responsible for fine tuning (20-30%)
photoreceptors (rods and cones) - Answers Located on the retina
optic nerve - Answers transmits visual information to the brain (visual cortex), where processing occurs
fovea - Answers the central part of the retina. It is where the cones cluster. Each cone is connected to a
neural synapse
Rods - Answers Rods are sensitive to black and
white, have lower resolution than
cones but greater light sensitivity;
Helander's two maxims - Answers 1. The primary purpose of HFE is design
2. In HFE, a systematic, interdisciplinary approach is necessary for design and analysis
What is the point of HFE? - Answers Helander: designing a system or product to be safe, efficient, and
comfortable to use while considering contraints of human abilities
Internatinoal Ergonomic Association: Application of theory, principles, data, and methods to design in
order to optimize human well being and overall system
performance
HFE Timeline - Answers 1. early tools were the first examples of creating to enhance human capabilities
Post WWII: Focus on the reduction of human error to reduce
military fatalities; controls and displays were
reconsidered
As a result, Human Factors research focused on:
1. Situational awareness/information displays
2. Control-display compatibility
independent variables in a system - Answers noise, thermal conditions, illumination levels, vibration
Dependent variables in a system - Answers assembly time, error rates, worker satisfaction, worker
output
What are some modulating variables (user specific)? - Answers operator needs, attitudes, competence,
expertise, strength, motivation, age, gender, body size, stress
3 goals of system design - Answers safety, productivity, operator satisfaction
What must Erogonomists consider when thinking about safety? - Answers 1. Task allocation: Between
workers and machines
2. Workstation design: Strategies should be aimed at
,improving worker posture and comfort
3. The ambient environment: Illumination, noise, vibration,
thermal conditions
4. Organization factors: The allocation of responsibility,
policies for internal communication
5. Machine design: Controls & displays
What must Erogonomists consider when thinking about productivity? - Answers 1. Maximizing operator
skill set
2. Display and control design
Trade-offs:
• As speed increases, errors also increase
• As speed increases, accuracy decreases
• Speed Accuracy Trade-off (SATO)
What are the 3 types of HFE studies? - Answers 1. Descriptive - used to characterize a population of
users (examples:
anthropometric data, discomfort surveys)
2. Experimental - test the effect of a design feature on human
performance (examples: average brake pressure and GSR for traffic
events) three types of dependent variables;
1. Performance - (Task performance, error rates)
2. Physiological - (Heart rate, EMG, GSR)
3. Subjective - (Questionnaires or rating scales)
3. Evaluation - test the effect of a system on
Dependent variables must be... - Answers 1. Reliable - the consistency of a measure over time (i.e.
SAT scores)
, 2. Valid - the extent to which the instrument measures
what was intended to be measured
• Measures can be reliable but not valid (i.e. body
temperature and task performance)
3. Sensitive - the extent to which a measure can detect
changes in the values of independent variables
3 methods of evaluating validity of dependent varibles - Answers 1. Face Validity - The extent to which a
measure 'looks
valid'. (i.e. an expert might say, 'Looks good to me')
2. Content Validity - The extent to which a measure actually
represents all facets of a given construct; much more
rigorous to evaluate (i.e. Air traffic controller exam)
3. Construct Validity - The degree to which a scale
measures or correlates with the theorized psychological
scientific construct that it purports to measure (i.e. Are
hormone levels linked to task performance)
Cornea - Answers the transparent outer covering of the eye. It adds protection and has a high refractive
power (70-80%)
ciliary muscle - Answers controls the shape of the lens
lens - Answers Focuses light onto retina; is responsible for fine tuning (20-30%)
photoreceptors (rods and cones) - Answers Located on the retina
optic nerve - Answers transmits visual information to the brain (visual cortex), where processing occurs
fovea - Answers the central part of the retina. It is where the cones cluster. Each cone is connected to a
neural synapse
Rods - Answers Rods are sensitive to black and
white, have lower resolution than
cones but greater light sensitivity;
