Human factors (HF) considerations, integrated early in design of production assembly systems, can improve both worker health and business performance. A longitudinal case study using an action research style collaboration between researchers and a large electronics manufacturer was the platform for this investigation. The findings show “how” HF, previously outside engineering with HF specialists (HFS) performing reactive injury assessments, increasingly became integrated into each stage of the design process with HF adapted tools, enforceable targets, sign-off, and most HF work focused on proactive design alongside engineers. An operations research tool (cognitive mapping) was used to identify the HF perceptions of Senior Directors and link these to their strategic goals. As a result, HF specialists changed their focus from injury risk to reducing fatigue and improving worker performance and assembly quality. Several industrial engineering tools were also adapted for HF (eg. HF failure mode effects analysis, HF design-for-assembly) and used to quantitatively communicate HF concerns, drive continuous improvement, visibly demonstrate change, and lead to benchmarking. Qualitative data analyzed with a grounded theory methodology resulted in six constructs in the final “Design for Human Factors” theory. The theory propositions state that when: 1. HFS acclimate to the engineering process, language and tools; and 2. strategically align HF to the design and business goals, then HF becomes perceived as a means to improve business performance. This results in 3. HFS being pulled onto the engineering team, which increases HF application and engineers’ awareness of HF, and 4. Management hold engineers accountable for HF targets. Being on the engineering team leads to 5. Engineering tools adapted to include HF targets, and in combination results in 6. HF becoming embedded in the design process. Senior directors reported that increased HF application has improved the design of more recent assembly lines and made it easier for operators. The theory contributes an explanation about how HF can be integrated into design processes to inform researchers and practitioners and improve proactive HF application. Recommendations include increased education for HFS in engineering, and more collaborative research to develop tools that quantify and link worker performance to business metrics.

As one of many initiatives underway in a collaborative action research project with a large manufacturer, this paper presents the development of a "human factors" failure modes effect analysis (HF-FMEA). FMEA is an engineering reliability tool that helps define, identify, prioritize and eliminate known or potential failures of a system, design or manufacturing assembly process, generally to optimize quality or systems safety for consumers. The goal of the HF-FMEA is to detect and minimize risk of injury for the operator who will assemble products, prior to design of an assembly line. Scoring procedures for "severity", "occurrence" and "detection" from a HF perspective are presented with examples. Embedding the HF-FMEA into software templates, and structuring a process for support and integration helps ensure its continued use. The process may be useful for other organizations with hand-intensive assemblies to optimize worker health together with assembly quality.

For human factors (HF) to avoid being considered of “side-car” status, it needs to be positioned within the organization in such a way that it affects business strategies and their implementation. Tools are needed to support this effort. This paper explores the feasibility of applying a technique from operational research called cognitive mapping to link HF to corporate strategy. Using a single case study, a cognitive map is drawn to reveal the complex relationships between human factors and achieving an organization’s strategic goals. Analysis of the map for central concepts and reinforcing loops enhances understanding that can lead to discrete initiatives to facilitate integration of HF. It is recommended that this technique be used with senior managers to understand the organizations` strategic goals and enhance understanding of the potential for HF to contribute to the strategic goals

Using workstation design parameters to predict workload - A proactive assessment approach for light assembly work

Human factors (HF) can improve business performance. Our objective is to harness individual tacit knowledge from senior directors about human factors as it relates to strategic goals and to make explicit their shared managerial thinking with an aim to identifying improvement opportunities using HF. Individual cognitive maps were drawn during one-hour interviews with seven senior directors of a large electronics firm. The maps were then merged on a common strategic goal of 'improving quality' into a group map containing 221 concepts and 900 loops. In a two hour workshop with the directors, reducing fatigue, improving systems design, and reducing repetitive activities were concepts that emerged as critical-to-quality. Workshop discussions identified untapped improvement opportunities.Directors viewed the maps as a dynamic indicator of their HF performance. Making the connection between HF and strategic goals explicit can help an organisation identify opportunities to improve human, and therefore business, performance.