Human factors and global problems: A systems approach

The potential catastrophic impact of global problems on contemporary society has received a great deal of public attention in recent years. Many of these problems can only be solved, not just by technological innovation, but also by changing human behavior (e.g., having less children, producing less waste, consuming less electricity and water). This paper describes how the discipline of human factors (or ergonomics) can play a unique role in helping to solve such global problems. Two illustrative design principles—behavior-shaping constraints and salient, immediate feedback—are discussed. In addition, examples of how these principles can potentially be applied to the following problems are provided: conserving energy expended by desktop computers; reducing photocopier paper wastage; conserving residential utility consumption; and reducing water wastage from faucets. If more products were designed in this fashion, then the aggregate contributions could amount to a worthwhile improvement in global problems. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Syst Eng 1: 57-69, 1998

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