Customer Reviews

Human Factors In Engineering and Design

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This book is an excellent beginner's manual for Human Factors. It is used in several college's Human Factor's initial courses.

The topics it covers are the basic "physical" human factors topics. There is breadth but not depth. However it does not do much with UI design. There is nothing on Web design or computer station design.

This book's data is limited to examples that illustrate various points in the book. If you need detailed anthropometric data or workspace recoommendations you won't find it here.

Alan Cooper's book About face can help you with the UI part.

Jakob Nielson's Web Usability or Steve Krug's Don't make me think book can give you information on Web design.

Woodson's Human Factors Design Handbook can help you with the computer station part. At lot of money for just this though.

If you need detailed anthropmetric date, the sources I am most familiar with are:

Human Factors Design Handbook by Woodson(though it is a biased sample, if this is all you can get it is better than nothing) Woodson's newer book (2nd edition) gives computer station information, but is pricey for just this.

The measure of Man and Woman by Henry Dreyfuss and Associates (dated in 1970s)

BodySpace by Stephen Pheasant (in metric)

International data on Anthropometry by Hans W. Jurgens (gives you some international data found nowhere else).

Another thing that may help you is the table of contents:

Table of Contents:

PART 1: INTRODUCTION

1. Human Factors and Systems

2. Human Factors Research Methodologies

Part 2: INFORMATION INPUT

3. Information Input and Processing

4. Text, Graphics, Symbols and Codes

5. Visual Display of Dynamic Information

6. Auditory, Tactual and Olfactory Displays

7. Speech Communications

PART 3: HUMAN OUTPUT AND CONTROL

8. Physical Work and Manual Materials Handling

9. Motor Skills

10. Human Control of systems

11. Controls and Data Entry devices

12. Hand tools and devices

PART 4: WORKPLACE DESIGN

13. Applied Anthropometry, Work-space design and Seating

14. Arrangement of Components within a Physical Space

15. Interpersonal Aspects of Workplace Design

PART 5: ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS

16. Illumination

17. Climate

18. Noise

19. Motion

PART 6: HUMAN FACTORS APPLICATIONS

20. Human Error, Accidents and Safety

21. Human Factors and the Automobile

22. Human Factors in Systems design

APPENDICES

A. List of Abbreviations

B. Control Devices

C. NIOSH Recommended Action Limit Formula for Lifting Tasks

This is a terrific text for an INTRODUCTION into the world of human factors and ergonomics, especially at the undergraduate level. It covers a wide range of topics, some (I grant) a bit out of date, but useful nonetheless. A previous reviewer mentions the content being out-of-date. I partially agree. BUT, for the most part, PEOPLE have not changed in many many years, so chapters dealing with human capabilities and limitations are still accurate, making it a good general resource. It's biggest shortcoming is lack of human-computer interaction material. Otherwise a very worthwhile investment for those interested in the field of human factors as a whole.

"Human Factors in Engineering and Design" is a well researched book that is recommended for anyone studying ergonomics and human factor issues in engineering and design, particularly at undergraduate level. It is a comprehensive coverage of the various relevant and pertinent topics that students and practitioners should find useful.

The topics covered include information input, human output and control, workplace design, environmental conditions and human factor applications. I found the book to contain all the information pertaining to human factors that I needed, although some few areas are outdated, which however, did little to diminish the import and utility of the book.

The book is well written in simple, plain English making it easily understandable to a wide audience. The only drawback is the price, which some students may find a bit steep, even though it is well worth it.

Overall I found this book to provide a myriad of information. I was excited about office design and all of the aspects concerning this area. In many regards the book is out of date - computers, especially. But the concepts of chair design were particularly well presented. Much of the information was very detailed - noise, illumination, displays. I was, however, impressed with the amount of research the authors did by the way they cited the vast amount of research in each of the various sections. Also, they did keep their sense of humor and acknowledged the real world in their analysis.

If you're trying to buy this book for much cheaper than this, send me a text at (909) 575-8647. I just completed a course which used this book, the book is hard back and still in good shape.

Yes, it's resource. This is one of those books that an engineer will want to keep as a reference. The material is both technical and explanatory and in this case, is a required University text. The material is semi-recent and is general to all engineering problems with regard to Human Machine Interaction. It details the physiology, geometry and math of such interactions, the cognitive psychology and the issues of safety and health of workers and employer obligations for their health and safety, as well as production efficiency and accuracy of results. It exposes research values and mathematical relativity of human physiology, cognition and machine controls as well as environmental contexts.

Sanders text is a review of all the significant areas of Human Factors technology. Over the years, Sanders has developed the best textbook in the field with the best examolws of applications. Recommended for everyone in this field.

In my opinion, this book is a great introduction to the field of ergonomics and human factors. Though it is indeed a bit older, all necessary fields are covered with great diligence (Information inout & processing, human output & control, workplace design, environmental conditions & human factors applications). Of course the passages concerning VDUs and computers are outdated, but these passages comprise only a very small part of the book (and, to be honest, if I want to read about these topics I would pick different books anyway!). The authors write in a very comprehensible way and many examples and pictures underline the usability of the book. To summarize, a book that is outdated concerning the most recent computer technologies (VDU etc.), but a great introduction containing everything necessary to human factors and design (and these sections are NOT outdated, as the reader before says very poignantly: "Computers may change, people DON'T change that easily).

The book does not depict enough information about computers in todays changing world. For the Price of the book, It is most likely a regret. But the basic and indepth ideas are worth every penny.

I guess this is the engineering student's nightmare. You would have to slug through a book with numbers and concepts minus the presentation. It's a good book for the subject matter if you can bear the torture.