Revised April 9, 2007 Human Factors Engineering Design and Evaluation Checklist Design of: Evaluation of: Human Factors Engineer: Date:
Revised April 9, 2007 Created by Jon Mast 2 Notes: This checklist is a tool to evaluate the design of a human-machine system, insuring that it satisfies several human factors principles. It may also be used as a means to guide a design beginning at the initial design stage. s The guideline is satisfied u The guideline is not satisfied c The guideline has not been fully satisfied, possibly due to necessary compromise na The guideline does not apply to the current system Chapter and page numbers refer to: Wickens, C.D., Lee, J.D., Liu, Y., Becker, S.E.G. (2004). An Introduction To Human Factors Engineering, 2nd edition, New Jersey: Pearson Prentice Hall. The Human-Computer Interaction section (Ch 15) provides information relevant to all human-machine systems. A few guidelines are not directly addressed in the text, but represent important considerations. A good source for text related guidelines can be found in the following article. Degani, A. (1992). On The Typography of Flight-Deck Documentation, NASA Contractor Report #177605, Ames Research Center, Moffet Field, CA
Revised April 9, 2007 3 Visual Senses Ch 4 0 Visual Considerations Sensory Processing Limitations 69-72 Maximize contrast between cue and background Avoid exclusive reliance on colors for coding Minimize glare Visual Search 79-82 Make target items conspicuous Avoid clutter Make structure of search field apparent Detection, Discrimination, and Judgment 82-89 Maximize signal sensitivity Exceed just noticeable difference for discriminability Avoid absolute judgment (>5 intensity levels) Auditory, Tactile, and Vestibular Senses Ch 5 0 Alarms Criteria For Alarms 98-99 Make audible above background ambient noise Avoid hearing danger level Avoid abrupt onset Minimize disruption of other signals Present information about emergency Use appropriate coding Minimize use of steady signals 0 Noise Sound Transmission Problem 104-110 Use lower base frequency to avoid masking Avoid using frequencies affected by hearing loss Noise Remediation 112-115 Choose spectral regions for signal where noise is low Address noise issues at the source Change environment near the source Provide ear protection to user if necessary 0 The Other Senses Touch, Kinesthesis, and Vestibular 117-119 Provide tactile feedback Make controls "feel" like system they activate Use as additional sensory channel Provide proprioceptive feedback Maintain coupling of visual and vestibular cues Cognition and Perception Ch 6 0 Perception Human Factors Guidelines in Perception 126-127 Maximize bottom-up processing Maximize automaticity and unitization Maximize top-down processing when above is poor Indicate relative importance
Revised April 9, 2007 4 0 Working Memory Implications of WM Limits 132-133 Minimize working memory load Provide visual echoes of auditory info Provide placeholders for sequential tasks Exploit chunking Minimize confusability Avoid unnecessary zeros in codes to be remembered Consider working memory limits in instructions Consider memory duration (<<20 seconds) 0 Long-Term Memory Implications for Design 137-139 Encourage regular use of info to increase frequency and recency Encourage verbalization or reproduction of info to be recalled Standardize environments and equipment Use memory aids Carefully design info to be remembered Design to support development of appropriate mental models 0 Attention and Time-Sharing Addressing Time-Sharing Overload 154 Redesign task to reduce overload Redesign interface to assist in time-sharing Provide training to address overload Automate Displays Ch 8 0 Thirteen Principles of Display Design Perceptual Principles 186 Make displays legible (or audible) Avoid absolute judgment limits Facilitate top-down processing Facilitate redundancy gain Use discriminable elements Mental Model Principles 188 Satisfy principle of pictorial realism Satisfy principle of the moving part Attention Principles 189 Minimize information access cost Provide proximity compatibility Satisfy principle of multiple resources Memory Principles 190 Replace memory with visual information Provide predictive aiding Be consistent
Revised April 9, 2007 5 0 Labels and Monitoring Labels 193-195 Make visible and legible Make discriminable Portray meaningful info Locate near entity they label Monitoring 195-198 Choose analog vs. digital appropriately Use appropriate form and direction for analog Provide prediction for sluggish systems 0 Multiple Displays Display Layout 198-201 Arrange by frequency of use Arrange by importance of use Arrange by sequence of use Provide consistent layouts Use organizational grouping Satisfy stimulus-response compatibility Avoid clutter 0 Text Displays* Considerations Use adequate stroke width Use appropriate width-to-height ratio Use appropriate font (e.g. sans serif) Use appropriate size (e.g. 9-11 pt) Use lower case (capitalize labels, 1st words, and proper nouns) Make interletter spacing not too great Make interline spacing not too small Use proper grammar and punctuation Use simple, affirmative, active phrases and sentences Make word order match action order *(Degani, 1992) Controls Ch 9 0 Response Selection Principles 219-221 Minimize complex decisions Minimize unexpected actions Satisfy location compatibility Satisfy movement compatibility Consider speed-accuracy tradeoff Provide feedback of control state Prevent inadvertent activation 0 Positioning Control Devices Principles 222-227 Provide sufficient movement time considering difficulty Use appropriate gain for task Use direct position control(s) for critical pointing tasks Consider workspace environment for control type
Revised April 9, 2007 6 0 Voice Input Principles 229-231 Use for dual task situations Limit vocabulary Use short commands Use in quiet, non-stressful environments Avoid for controlling continuous movement 0 Remote Manipulation Principles 240-242 Maximize image quality Provide proprioceptive feedback Reduce time delay Provide predictive displays Engineering Anthropometry and Workspace Design Ch 10 0 Human Variability and Statistics Human Variability 245-246 Consider: Age variability Sex variability Racial and ethnic group variability Occupational variability Generational variability Transient diurnal variability 0 Anthropometric Data Use of Anthropometric Data in Design 255-258 Determine user population Determine relevant body dimensions Determine percentage of population accommodated Design for extremes Design for adjustable range Design for average Determine % value of selected anthropometric dimensions Make necessary design modifications to data from tables Use mock-ups, simulators, CAE software to test the design
Revised April 9, 2007 7 0 Workspace Design General Principles 258-261 Provide clearance for largest users Allow reach of smallest users Consider maintenance requirements Provide adjustability to: workplace worker position relative to workplace work piece tool Place critical components in normal line of sight Arrange components according to: Frequency of use Importance Sequence of use Consistency Control-display collocation Clutter avoidance Functional grouping Provide visibility outside workstation Provide visibility inside workstation Provide support of body members Restrain body (if appropriate) Be consistent Standing and Seated Work Areas 267-268 Choose standing or seated Use appropriate surface height for task Use appropriate surface depth Use slanted surface for reading tasks Provide adjustable seating Provide adequate thigh clearance Provide stools for sit/stand work Minimize static loading of muscles Minimize postural fixity Biomechanics of Work Ch 11 0 Back Considerations NIOSH Lifting Guide 279-285 Keep lifting tasks under RWL Manual Materials Handling 285-287 Provide adjustable lift tables for large or heavy objects Avoid unnecessary torso twisting Minimize lifting frequency Seated Work and Chair Design 287-289 Use 110-120 degree backrest inclination angle Provide lumbar support Provide armrests Provide a tiltable seat surface Provide adjustable seat height Use cushioned seat surfaces
Revised April 9, 2007 8 0 Upper-Extremity CTD's Prevention 292-293 Avoid rapid, repetitive movements Avoid unnatural joint postures Avoid pressure of tools or sharp edges Avoid cold and vibration Hand-Tool Design 293-295 Don t bend the wrist Shape tool handles to assist grip Provide adequate grip span Satisfy movement compatibility Design for use by either hand Stress and Workload Ch 13 0 Stressors Environmental 326-328 Minimize high-frequency vibration Minimize low-frequency vibration Keep within temp and humidity comfort range Provide air circulation and ventilation Level of Arousal 330-332 Provide optimal arousal for task type Utilize dominant habits for emergency responses Provide time to assess situation Make emergency instructions available and salient 0 Workload Overload Timeline Model Keep TR/TA ratio at one or less Identify expected task times Make task priority salient Overlap automatic tasks with others Require different resources for concurrent tasks 0 Fatigue and Sleep Disruption Vigilance and Underarousal Minimize time required for maintaining vigilance Make important events salient Keep event occurrences at a steady rate Maintain a high level of arousal 334-337 341-342 Safety and Accident Prevention Ch 14 0 Factors that Contribute to Accidents Equipment 361-363 Follow design principles for controls and displays Address electrical hazards Address mechanical hazards Address pressure hazards Address toxic substance hazards
Revised April 9, 2007 9 Physical Environment 363-365 Provide proper illumination Address noise and vibration Consider temp and humidity Address fire hazards Address radiation hazards Consider falls Provide proper exits Address acceleration Accommodate protective equipment 0 Warnings Written Warnings and Warning Labels 380-381 Use signal word to convey seriousness Describe hazard List consequences associated with hazard State behavior needed to avoid hazard Human-Computer Interaction* Ch 15 *(applicable to all human-machine interaction) 0 Understand System and User Characteristics Criteria 387-390 Consider frequency of task performance Consider discretionary vs. mandatory usage Consider experience level of users 0 Design to Support Mental Models General Criteria 395 Make invisible parts and processes visible Provide feedback Build in consistency Present functionality through a familiar metaphor General Usability Guidelines Table 15.1 398 Match between system and real world Provide consistency and standards Make system status visible Give user control and freedom Prevent, recognize, and recover from errors Limit need for memory Make efficient and flexible to use Make simple and aesthetic