Towards a conception for an engineering discipline of human factors

Dowell, J. D.; Long, John

doi:10.1080/00140138908966921

Cited by 88 publications

(44 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…Initially, the design of such interactions was a craft, which resided in the practices of programmers, designers, and user managers (Long and Dowell, 1989). Subsequently, attempts have been made to change these design processes by the behavioural sciences, such as Psychology and Sociology (also Cognitive Science -see Section 3), and the computing sciences, such as Software Engineering (Long, 1987). More recently, Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) research has also attempted to contribute to these design practices.…”

Section: Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Specifying Relations between Research and the Design of Human-Computer Interactions

Long

1997

Human-Computer Interaction INTERACT ’97

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ABSTRACT. This paper argues the need for more effective: human-computer interactions; design of such interactions; and research to support such design. One contribution to more effective research would be the specification of relations between research and the design of human-computer interactions. The aim of this paper is to propose such a specification. Meeting this specification renders HC! knowledge coherent, complete and 'fit-fordesign-purpose'. The absence of such relations renders Cognitive Science knowledge not coherent, complete nor 'fitfor-design-purpose' (as opposed to 'fit-for-understanding-purpose'). The paper concludes that specification of relations is required for more effective research support for the design of human-computer interactions.

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Section: Designmentioning

confidence: 99%

Specifying Relations between Research and the Design of Human-Computer Interactions

Long

1997

Human-Computer Interaction INTERACT ’97

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“…As such, it presents an example of what might be described as an emerging Human Computer Interaction (HCI) design problem. Following the approach of Dowell and Long (1989), the medical reception HCI design problem might be stated as: to specify the structures and behaviours of a human-computer interactive medical reception worksystem which will carry out work in the domain of medical reception to a desired level of medical reception performance.…”

Section: Medical Reception (In the Uk)mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is based on Dowell and Long's (1989) conception for an engineering discipline of HCI which expresses the HCI general design problem. The conception makes a fundamental distinction between an interactive worksystem, comprising one or more users and computers, and its domain of application, comprising the transformations carried out by the worksystem which constitute its work.…”

Section: Insert Figure 1 About Herementioning

confidence: 99%

A model of medical reception–the planning and control of multiple task work

Long

Smith

Whitefield

1995

Applied Cognitive Psychology

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SUMMARYThis research follows in the Broadbent tradition of constructing a general theory to solve applied problems. The paper reports part of wider research intended to construct a framework for modelling the planning and control of multiple task work. The function of the framework is to support the solution of design problems associated with the performance of interactive planning and control worksystems. The study reported here applied an initial version of the framework, based on a study of secretarial office administration, to construct a model of medical reception work. An observational study collected protocol data concerning a medical reception worksystem -comprising two receptionists and various office devices; its domain of application -comprising doctors, patients, their appointments, medical records etc.; and its performance, comprising the quality of medical reception work and the costs to the receptionists of performing that work. The data were then used in conjunction with the planning and control framework to construct the model of medical reception. The model includes physical and abstract structures and behaviours of the medical reception worksystem, as well as physical and abstract objects of its domain of application. Of particular interest for the solution of design problems is the model's differentiation of plan types into task plans, procedure plans, and activity plans. These plan types were used to extend the framework for the planning and control of multiple task work. The paper concludes with a brief illustration of how the model of medical reception might be used to support the solution of interactive worksystem design problems as they relate to performance. Future work to develop further the framework of planning and control of multiple task work and its application are discussed.

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“…In this editorial, we return to a theme which was launched by Dowell and Long (1989) in the first special issue-the status of our discipline and of its contributions to system development. They argued a convincing case for an engineering discipline of human factors and, elsewhere, went on to contrast such an engineering discipline with other conceptions of human factors-craft and applied science .…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…This places us in a position to consider the emergent trends, to reflect on any changes since 1989, and to suggest where our subject might go next. Dowell and Long (1989) noted fundamental differences between engineering disciplines such as mechanical and electrical engineering, and disciplines such as human factors engineering. A distinguishing feature of the former class is that their knowledge is formalized and codified into principles which can be used by practitioners to solve design problems.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%