What is Human Factors?

Human factors involves the application of what we know about people, their abilities, characteristics, and limitations to the design of equipment they use, environments in which they function, and jobs they perform. Human factors is a multi-disciplinary field grounded in the behavioral and engineering sciences, synonymous with ergonomics where engineering and psychology meet.

Human factors professionals study how the limitations and capabilities of people, including memory, perception, reaction time, judgment, physical size, and dexterity, affect the way they interact with the environment, a product, or process.

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