University of Wisconsin-Madison Materials Research Science and Engineering Center Interdisciplinary Education Group

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Engineering Design Topics: Design Considerations

Human Factors and Ergonomics

The video provided by Professor Jay Martin of the University of Wisconsin - Madison addresses the place of human factors and ergonomics in engineering design.

PRINT RESOURCES on "Human Factors and Ergonomics"

• Suggested activity based upon the web resources listed below.

WEB RESOURCES on "Human Factors and Ergonomics"

• From www.madison.com, the online archive for the Wisconsin State Journal and The Capital Times, a series of articles outlining a case study wherein human error with respect to a medical device led to fatal results, and how this might have been prevented from a design perspective. The first article presents the errors made and the ensuing consequences for both patient and nurse. The second article details the legal ramifications of the case, and the third article discusses the common medical mistake that led to this tragedy and how a simple design change in IV connections could make this situation obsolete.
• From Wachter's World, a blog by patient safety advocate Bob Wachter, a discussion of the above case, with reference to three types of human behavior that lead to human error.