PSYC 306 Human Factors
Human factors, also called engineering psychology, ergonomics or usability engineering, deals with the importance of designing for human use. Equipment that is not ergonomically sound will be operated a little more slowly and be a little more prone to error. Our goal in this class is to provide a solid foundation in the principles of human performance and a broad overview of the field of human factors. This class provides the student with an understanding of the variables that influence human performance and the ways in which the human factors expert draws on this knowledge. The analysis of human performance requires frequent contact with real-world situations in which people actually perform. This course provides an integrated approach to the study of human factors, embedding the principles of human factors within a foundation based on contemporary views of human performance. Product design will be discussed in terms of usability and consumer behavior/preferences. Topics include the following: perception, cognition, and environment.
Prerequisite
PSYC 105 with a grade of "C" or higher.