Human Factors and Socio-technical Systems: Human Factors and Socio-technical Systems

This book series examines the role of the human in the system, encompassing two key emerging human factors paradigms: human systems integration (HSI) and socio-technical systems (STS). The field of human factors has evolved to be concerned with the design of whole systems of work. It is a discipline that puts human needs and capabilities at the centre of the design and operation of socio-technical systems with the objective of ensuring users and technology work in harmony, with equipment and tasks aligned to human characteristics. The modern systems approach aims to optimise processes to achieve the aims and objectives of the organisation. It defines the system objectives, describes the processes required to achieve these objectives and identifies and integrates the human factors activities into the processes. Aligning with this contemporary approach to understanding and optimising socio-technical systems, the Human Factors and Socio-technical Systems series will comprise a mix of textbooks and shorter research monographs, the former providing a range of theories and methods for researchers and practitioners, the latter a more in-depth account of particular HSI and STS applications and thorough examinations of specific topics and application areas. The books will also be a mixture of single author, multiple author and edited volumes. The series invites contributions from all component disciplines but also actively encourages volumes targeted at the wider, macro-ergonomic issues and the integration of the various sub-domains within a STS context. Books published within the series will bridge the researcher/practitioner divide, with emphasis placed upon the benefits of producing system-wide solutions in terms of performance, financial cost savings and health and safety. Authors will be researchers world-wide operating in a wide-range of application areas, including road and rail transport, aviation, mining, workplace safety, air traffic control, defence, process control, healthcare and led outdoor activities to name only a few. Across these domains there are increasing numbers of human factors researchers and practitioners involved in optimising systems and improving safety, and this series will provide a platform to promote and disseminate their valuable work.