bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Measuring Improvements Due to Business Process Redesign and Technology Integration: A Macroergonomic Approach
Authors: O'Neill Michael J. , Hart Yvonne , Wieringa Matthew 
Published: January 2012

This paper describes a Case Study in which a “macroergonomic” approach (Hendrick and Kleiner, 2001) was used to redesign the process and implement technology in support of the process of implementing office space. A project involving a 25,000-square-foot renovation of existing space, with 120 workstations and 100 employees was used as the basis to test the redesigned process and technology implementation. We concurrently redesigned the personnel and technology subsystems (see DeGreene, 1973), as opposed to having a pre-defined technology application drive the solution (Hendrick, 1995). Using a participatory ergonomics approach, we involved the employees who would be affected by changes to their work process to understand and contribute to the re-design. Through structured interviews, interactive discussions and observations, we redesigned the process from; design and layout of workstations through installation of furniture. Using business process modeling and simulation software, we modeled the “before” and “after” processes, and collected detailed measures of time and cost improvements. We found significant process performance improvements in Wait Time, Re-Work of Errors, and Cost reductions.
Identification of Measures Sensitive to Fatigue Development Associated with Low-Level Exertions of the Neck Musculature and the Effects of Age
Authors: Joines Sharon , Sommerich Carolyn M. , Mirka Gary , Wilson James R. , Moon Samuel 
Published: January 2012

This research had two purposes: to identify measures sensitive to fatigue development associated with low force, static exertions and to investigate the effects of aging on fatigue onset associated with low-level exertions of the neck musculature. Fourteen subjects participated ranging in age from 20 to 62 years. The task consisted of a submaximal neck extension exertion held until fatigue. Based on the results of this experiment, it was found that: ▪ Several measures are sensitive to fatigue induced during a low-level static exertion of the neck extensor muscles, including: discomfort, three EMG time domain and four frequency domain parameters ▪ when comparing groups based on age, results and interpretations of effects due to age may be directly be influenced by the choice of dependent measure (such as discomfort, maximum force, and potentially time to fatigue); ▪ regardless of age, some subjects may exhibit fatigue resistance at low exertions levels.
Using the Locus of Control Personality Dimension as a Predictor of Online Behavior
Authors: Lida Bonnie L. , Chaparro Barbara S. 
Published: January 2012

Since the 16th century, the availability of communication technology has advanced the level and accessibility of commerce and personal freedoms. The advent of the computer as a personal communication tool has given individuals new power in their ability to communicate, gain information, and make decisions. A major paradigm shift has been in the control that the individual now has in a consumer role. The internet has provided consumers a vehicle by which they can actively participate in the decision-making process – from need recognition to post-purchase evaluation. Little research has been done to explore the personality characteristics of internet users. This study examines one aspect of personality, locus of control, and internet behavior. Research findings reveal substantial differences in internet usage and attitudes between a consumer's internal or external locus of control orientation. Results and future research relative to this study are discussed.
A Simple Tool for Predicting the Readability of a Monitor
Authors: Krebs William K. , Xing Jing , Ahumada Albert J. 
Published: January 2012

Background: Human factor practitioners are sometimes required to provide an immediate answer to an acquisition question, e.g., what is the readability of this monitor? Unfortunately, readability is not listed on the manufacturer's brochure. This study proposes a simple tool to quickly assess the readability of a monitor without the need of conducting a lengthy readability study. Methods: The text readability of three observers was measured for four colors (red, green, yellow, white), three brightness (.20, .25, .45), at three locations (1.62, 2.38, 3.16 meters) on a 20” color monitor. Results: The minimum error-free readable font size could be solely determined by the text/background luminance contrast. Thus luminance, not color determined readability. From these results, a MATLAB program was developed that prompts for background and text RGB values and returns the minimal error-free readable font size. Conclusions: The tool is a fairly robust and quick predictor to assess the readability of a monitor.
Shift Changes among Emergency Physicians: Best of Times, Worst of Times
Authors: Wears Robert L. , Perry Shawna J. , Shapiro Marc , Beach Christopher , Croskerry Pat , Behara Ravi 
Published: January 2012

The need for 24-hour emergency care requires emergency department (ED) staff to work in shifts. Shift changes have long been viewed as risky times, for failures in the transfer of information, authority, or responsibility care can result in adverse events. We observed shift transitions in the ED as part of a study on safety in emergency care. We found that, in addition to being an expected point of failure, transitions were also, unexpectedly, associated with recovery from failure. We report two illustrative case studies, and examine implications for strategies aimed at reducing the number of and volume of transitions.
Collecting Workers' Perceptions of Performance Obstacles in Outpatient Surgery
Authors: Hundt Ann Schoofs , Carayon Pascale , Ayoub Phillip J. , Alvarado Carla J. 
Published: January 2012

The aim of this study was to gather information from staff of outpatient surgery centers concerning their perception of the patient safety/quality of care issues at their Center and the performance obstacles they face when doing their work. In addition we wished to determine whether performance obstacles research (Brown & Mitchell, 1988; Peters et al, 1985) can be applied to the conceptual framework that serves as the basis for all of our patient safety research (Smith & Carayon, 1989, 1995; Carayon & Smith, 2000). We distributed open-ended surveys to all health care providers in five local outpatient surgery centers. Based on previous work conducted in the area of performance obstacles (Brown & Mitchell, 1988; Peters, et al, 1985) we asked the caregivers to identify instances when they felt their performance was challenged or below par, as well as instances when they were able to perform their job very well. Because the population we surveyed is not familiar with the totality of the work system model as defined by Smith & Carayon (1989, 1995) and Carayon & Smith, (2000), we provided the elements of the work system as examples to the respondents. The resounding themes caregivers listed as significant performance obstacles included inter-provider coordination and communication of care, equipment, work space, scheduling, time pressure and staffing issues.
How to Improve Working Conditions for Spinal Cord Injured? An Intervention Study at the Workplace
Authors: Sandsjö Leif , Grundell Lena , Valtonen Kirsi , Karlsson Ann-Katrin , Viikari-Juntura Eira 
Published: January 2012

In this study the working conditions of six spinal cord injured (SCI) and one meningomyelocele (MMC) subject were evaluated with regard to risk factors for neck and shoulder disorders. Each subject was visited by an ergonomist at the workplace where the working conditions were documented by means of video recordings, questionnaires and the ergonomist's evaluation of the workplace. From situations identified, including the subject's own reporting of problematic situations and layout of the workplace, possible changes were discussed and implemented if feasible. A specific aim of the study was to see if a myofeedback method to be used during work at the regular workplace was applicable and of use to promote a more favourable activation of the neck- and shoulder muscles in this group of subjects. The experiences from this study are that the employer had usually not optimised the participating subjects' workplaces and that several easily implemented changes could be made that improved the working conditions. Regarding the myofeedback intervention, all of the subjects taking part increased the amount of time where the trapezius muscle was in a rest-like condition, which should be considered a change in a positive direction.
Existing and Future Guidance on Tactile and Haptic Interactions
Authors: Fourney David , Carter Jim 
Published: January 2012

Tactile and haptic interaction is becoming increasingly important in both assistive technologies and special purpose computing environments. ISO 9241 Ergonomics of Human-System Interaction is intended to deal with all modalities of human-computer interactions. While some individual parts do include some general guidance that can apply to tactile and haptic interactions, there are no existing parts providing detailed guidance relating to the particulars of tactile and haptic interactions. This lack of standards leads to serious ergonomic difficulties for users of multiple, incompatible, or conflicting tactile/haptic devices/applications. However, considerable research exists that can be used as the basis for a set of tactile and haptic interaction guidelines. This paper provides an historical perspective of research and standardization efforts and moves towards providing an understanding of the goals of the emerging set of tactile and haptic interaction standards. It discusses how standards are developed and focuses on newly initiated efforts to create a set of parts within ISO 9241 to deal with tactile and haptic interactions. These parts will include Part 900 Introduction, Part 910 Framework, Part 920 Guidelines, Part 930 Multimodal combinations, Part 940 Evaluation methods, and Part 971 Interfaces to publicly available devices. The paper also explains how the reader can get involved in these standardization activities.
Usability Testing of Console Components: Trackball, Number Entry, and Gross Navigation
Authors: Hall Katie , Weaver Melissa , Burton Nancy 
Published: January 2012

The purpose of this study was to evaluate several aspects of the Aircraft Carrier-Tactical Support Center (CV-TSC) console design. These variables were tested individually in order to isolate their effect and make recommendations for the overall console design. Six trackball devices, three number entry methods (keyboard number row, keyboard number pad, and separate number pad), and three methods of gross navigation (trackball only, touch screen, and navigation buttons) were evaluated. All tests involved simple tasks with timing and accuracy measures collected, as well as subjective feedback. The results of the study indicated that trackball 6 outperformed the others in most objective measures and was also the most preferred trackball. There were no conclusive performance results for the number entry test; however participants indicated a preference for a number pad, either separate or integrated with the keyboard. The touch screen method of gross navigation was the best performer, although participants preferred the trackball-only condition.
Characterization of Sign-Out in Pediatric Acute Care Wards to Inform Process Improvement
Authors: Sledd Richard M. D. , Bass Ellen J. , Borowitz Stephen M. , Waggoner-Fountain Linda A. 
Published: January 2012

Physician sign-out is a mechanism for transferring patient information, responsibility, and authority from one set of hospital caregivers to another at shift changes. This project characterized the information exchanged between physicians during 15 sign-outs, and analyzed data from 158 post-call resident surveys. Ten categories of patient information were developed to characterize the exchanged information. Of the ten categories of patient information, no single category was discussed for every patient. The information critically important to discuss during sign-out was often the least covered, as residents discussed the patient's current physical condition for only 35% of the patients, current medications for only 63% of patients, and contingency plans for possible scenarios for only 17.7% of patients. On average, residents discussed 14 patients during each sign-out, with the average sign-out lasting 35 minutes (2:28 minutes/patient). Of the total sign-out duration, approximately 23% of the time was spent discussing matters not related to patient care. Of the time spent “on-task”, 32.2% was spent on patient background, which could be obtained from other data sources. Very little time was spent discussing information which may not be available elsewhere, such as what actions, both planned and contingency, should occur overnight. Such information only received 12.1% of the sign-out time. 49 out of 158 resident surveys (31.0%) revealed that residents experienced an event while on call that they were unprepared to handle. Of those cases, 82% were the result of missing information. These data create a baseline understanding of sign-out which should be used to inform potential process and training improvements to ensure that the appropriate information is discussed for each patient.
Cognitive Task Analysis of Future Air Traffic Control Concepts: The TCAS Downlink Scenario
Authors: Hilburn Brian 
Published: January 2012

Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS) is a flightdeck-based technology aimed at helping aircraft avoid proximate traffic. TCAS information has traditionally not been presented to the air traffic controller. A 2002 German midair collision was triggered, in part, by incompatible air traffic control (ATC) and TCAS clearances. Largely in response to this accident, attention has focused in recent years on the potential benefits of “downlinking” to the controller TCAS Resolution Advisories (RAs) in near real time. Such presentations, it is thought, could benefit situation awareness and joint decision making between controller and pilot. A cognitive task analysis (CTA) was recently conducted into the present-day and future RA Downlink (RAD) operational concepts. On the basis of functional task description and cognitive walkthroughs, CTA assessed the impact of various specific non-nominal events (e.g. pilot reports RA, but does not initiate an evasive maneuver). Finally, a set of cognitive elements and potential error mechanisms was identified.
Assessment of the Effect of a Pivoting Backrest and Activity Level on Spinal Shrinkage
Authors: Allsteel Scott Openshaw 
Published: January 2012

Spinal shrinkage is commonly used as a measure of spinal loading. Spinal shrinkage has been shown to be affected by design features of chair backrests. A freely reclining (dynamic) backrest, passive movement of the lumbar spine via means of a cyclically inflated bladder and passive side-to-side rotation of the spine through a very small angle about its vertical axis at a low frequency via motion of the seat pan have all been shown to produce decreased spinal shrinkage. In the current study we investigated the effect of two independent variables (pivoting backrest and activity level) on spinal shrinkage. The first variable was a pivoting backrest design with two use conditions, locked vs. unlocked. A locked backrest could recline but not pivot while an unlocked backrest could do both. Activity level consisted of an active condition during which the participant typed for 25 minutes and then moused for 25 minutes, which was interspersed every five minutes with a maximum forward reach to touch targets located at about 30, 60, 120, 150 180 degrees relative to the participant's centerline. During the passive activity condition, the participant only sat and typed. It was hypothesized that the pivoting backrest would flex and extend the lumbar spine and/or stabilize the pelvis during the subjects' normal movement patterns and that it would have an effect similar to the previous spinal motion studies, which had found decreased spinal shrinkage as an effect of passive spinal motion. It was further hypothesized that the more active conditions would work synergistically with the pivoting backrest to retard spinal shrinkage. Five individuals participated in the study, three males and two females. Spinal shrinkage was statistically significantly less when the backrest pivot action was unlocked (t = 0.044) and nearly so during the active condition (t = 0.059). The pivoting backrest condition was also significantly preferred to the locked condition.
A Task Analysis of the Task Analysis Process
Authors: Ainsworth Les 
Published: January 2012

Task analysis is one of the most useful tools for investigating human tasks and together with associated analysis techniques it provides considerable versatility, that enables analysts to investigate a wide range of issues on both new and existing systems. However, software tools for task analysis generally do not currently provide the flexibility or range of applications, to fully utilize this versatility. Therefore, in order to define the user requirements for an analyst using a task analysis package, a task analysis was undertaken of the task analysis process. This produced an extensive set of different user requirements, both at a generic level and at the level of specific analysis techniques. Some of the more significant of these findings are summarized. It was also noted that there is room for some standardization in the way that some features of task analysis data are presented, in order to assist the readers of a task analysis to understand the data presentation of task analysis data.
Biostereometrics–The Spatial and Spatio-Temporal Analysis of Body form and Function
Authors: Herron R. E. 
Published: January 2012

The fact that the human body form is irregular and three-dimensional calls for a revision of the mathematical strategy which underlies modern anthropometry. Traditional linear anthropometric methods are inadequate for many modern research and clinical needs, where comprehensive three-dimensional (or four-dimensional, when the dimension of time is included) information is required. Recent developments in stereometric sensing technology and computer processing have opened up new opportunities to implement stereometric strategies in such areas as traffic safety engineering, consumer product design, fitting of artificial limbs, clothing evaluation and cockpit geometry among others. It is important to understand that the mathematical strategy which underlies biostereometrics– the spatial and spatio-temporal analysis of biological form and function based on principles of analytic geometry–is the main focus of attention in this work; the development and refinement of different stereometric sensors, though essential, is a secondary concern. Already a wide variety of stereometric sensing technology is available and no doubt further methods will be developed as specific needs are better defined. The presentation will include illustrations from over thirty projects carried out during the last six years.
The Effects of Ethyl Alcohol on a Driver's Driving Skill, Visual Perception, Risk Acceptance, Choice Reaction Times and Information Processing Rates
Authors: Zwahlen Helmut T. 
Published: January 2012

Twelve subjects (20–37 years old) were tested in the laboratory and eleven out of these were also tested in a car in the field, first under a no alcohol condition and then under an alcohol condition (approximately 0.10% BAC). In the laboratory the subjects simple and choice reaction times for two uncertainty modes were measured and their information processing rates (3 bits unsertainty) were determined. In the field the subjects driving skill for driving through a gap with 20 inches total clearance at 20 MPH was measured, as well as their static visual perceptual capabilities and risk acceptance decisions for a 46 feet viewing distance using psychophysical experimental methods. Based upon the driving skill measure (standard deviation of centerline deviations in the gap), the mean of the psychometric visual gap perception function and the mean of the psychometric gap risk acceptance function, the “Safety Distance” and the “Driver Safety Index” (DSI) were obtained. Based upon a statistical analysis of the data we may conclude first that the effects of alcohol (approximately 0.10% BAC) vary widely from one subject to another (slighthly improved performance to highly impaired performance) and that the changes in the group averages of the means and standard deviations of the psychometric visual perception and risk acceptance functions, the driving skill distributions, the “Safety Distances” and the DSI's for the subjects (although all changes in the group averages are in the expected direction) are statistically not significant (α = .05). Second, the group average of the means of the choice reaction times for the subjects increased by 5% under the alcohol condition (statistically significant, α = .05), but more important the group average of the standard deviations of the choice reaction times for the subjects increased by 23% (statistically significant, α = .05). The group average of the information processing rates for the subjects decreased by 3% (statistically not significant, α = .05) under the alcohol condition. A system model in which the system demands on the driver are represented in terms of choice reaction times is used to demonstrate that the increase in performance variability (expressed by the standard deviation of choice reaction times) under the influence of alcohol provides a much better explanation for the higher accident involvement than the historically most frequently used rather small increase in average performance (expressed by the mean of choice reaction times).
Color and Texture Differences in Embedded Target Visual Search Situations
Authors: Bloomfield John R. , Marmurek Harvey H. , Traub Bruce G. 
Published: January 2012

This study provides a direct investigation of embedded target visual search situations. The relationships between measures of visual search performance, peripheral visual acuity and ratings of discriminability were determined. The embedded target displays were constructed using a color and a monochrome texture background. They were used in a rating study, in which the production magnitude rating method was used, and in visual search and peripheral acuity experiments. In the first of these, 28 observers rated the discriminability of five color targets from the color background, and of four black and white targets from the monochrome background. There were two visual search experiments. Five observers searched the color background for the color targets, and six searched the monochrome background for the black and white targets. In both experiments, after practice, there were sixty search trials per observer per target. The extent into the periphery, that the five color targets could be seen when the color display was exposed for 0. 3 seconds, was measured for the five observers used in the color search task. The same measurement was made with the black and white stimulus materials for four of the six observers used with the monochrome task. For the color stimulus materials, a set of simple relationships were found to describe the measures obtained in all three experimental areas. The results with the monochrome texture material did not fit the same equations so well. The equations were based on those developed by Howarth and Bloomfield (1969; Bloomfield and Howarth, 1969) for search situations involving targets that were confused with other nontarget objects. For the color display, the relationships between mean search time ( ), peripheral visual acuity (θ) and rated discriminability (D), could be summarized as follows: This is an encouraging finding. It leads one to hope that predictive procedures developed from these simple relationships can be applied in a wide range of complex search situations.