Examining human factors and ergonomics aspects in a manufacturing organisation’s metrics system: measuring up to stakeholder needs

Abstract

This research examines the status of human factors and ergonomics (HF/E) metrics in the case context of product realisation in an electronics manufacturing company. Interactions with 100+ stakeholders over a five year period were thematically analysed for metrics-related views and content. A disconnect between engineering metrics and HF/E metrics was evident. Engineers and HF/E specialists expressed different understandings of the gap between the disciplines and how to generate HF/E metrics that would fit the organisation. Other emerging themes provided insight for metrics development including improving indicator relatability, considerations for communication of information, and barriers to implementation of metrics. The results led to seven recommendations to help guide practitioners in developing and refining HF/E metrics as part of an organisation’s metrics system. This macroergonomic case study provides key points for consideration when developing HF/E focussed metrics to support organisations being more proactive with HF/E in work system design.

Practitioner summary: Metrics’ presence, stakeholder views on metrics, and metrics-related content in a case organisation were thematically analysed with a macroergonomics focus. Human factors and ergonomics metrics (HF/E) were disconnected from engineering metrics thus limiting the design team’s ability to handle human factors in design. Factors influencing HF/E metrics creation and integration were identified, resulting in seven recommendations for developing HF/E metrics.

Keywords:

• Key performance indicators
• performance measurement
• prospective ergonomics
• organisational design and management
• macroergonomics

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank members of our partner organisation for their time and contributions.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board of Ontario under [Grant #09036], Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Discovery Grant under [Grants #341664 and #05956], Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada Industrial Postgraduate Scholarship, and BlackBerry Limited.