Table Of ContentTHE
DICTIONARY
for
HUMAN FACTORS
ERGONOMICS
James H. Stramler, Jr.
CRC Press
Boca Raton Ann Arbor London Tokyo
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Stramler, Jim
The dictionary for human factors/ergonomics I Jim Stramler.
P· em.
ISBN 0-8493-4236-8
1. Human engineering-Dictionaries. I. Title.
TA166.S77 1993
620.8'2'03-dc20
92-2348
CIP
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© 1993 by CRC Press, Inc.
International Standard Book Number 0-8493-4236-8
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To Mr WIFE DIANNE
CONTENTS
vli lnrroduction
xi How to Use This Book
xili Internal Abbreviations
1 The Dictionary for Human Factors/Ergonomics
391 Bibliography
558 Appendices
398 A. Abbreviations, Acronyms of Terms
406 Bl. Organization Names and Their Acronyms
410 B2. Organization Acronyms and Their Names
INTRODUCTION
Terminology is probably the most important factor in learning or working in any field.
It forms the basis for communication, discussion, and evolution of the discipline.
The most practical way to establish some commonalities, consistencies, and
standardization in terminology is by knowing and having readily available a list of the
terms already in use. The Dictionary for Human Factors/Ergonomics makes readily
available a large number of the terms used in the human factors field. Hopefully, it will
also eliminate at least some confusion about the current usage of terms by providing
comparisons and distinctions.
Human factors is a field whose primary function is to help people in virtually all
phases of life. Many of the concepts are much more complex and difficult to clarify and
study than the concepts of other scientific and engineering fields. The lack of such a
book as this has probably hindered the development of the field, because it is harder to
gain a complete understanding without a basic reference for its terminology.
The need for a book like this is of especially great importance now that various
attempts are appearing to develop and implement legislation dealing directly with
human factors issues. Even though a court has just overturned the San Franciso
ordinance emphasizing human factors in using VDTs at the time of this writing, other
cities and states are looking into such legal avenues. Additional laws written in the
future will be upheld because they are needed. The only way any sense or fairness will
come out of such legislation is to standardize the terminology in the field.
In developing this dictionary, I have tried to collect the basic terms used in all
areas of human factors. This dictionary is by far the most comprehensive such book
available in the field. It is also the first such work to include significant numbers of
terms from the areas of human-computer interaction, speech and language, robotics,
and modeling.
Many terms are present because I believed they were required for completeness
within this work. I saw little or no justification for making a reader seek out a medical
dictionary or other reference book to obtain a term and its definition which could
reasonably be included in this book, and which may have a slightly different usage in
human factors than in other fields.
While some terms may not be of direct use to human factors' people in their
particular work, they will provid~ a more general or historical background. Since most
people working in this field enter it by way of experimental or some other area of
psychology (Human Factors Society, Directory and Yearbook), I have provided a number
of physical science terms applicable in some of the human factors areas to help those less
familiar with the physical sciences understand the relationships. Such terms should
vii
viii DICTIONARY FOR HUMAN FACTORS/ ERGONOMICS
also be useful in helping human factors people communicate with people in other
scientific and engineering fields.
The Dictionary for Human Factors/Ergonomics is more than just a collection of terms
and their definitions. It is an attempt to achieve at least the beginnings of an integration
and internal consistency for terminology across the different human factors areas. That
quality is clearly not achievable by smaller, independent works within the various
areas. The book also provides a basic framework within which people can make
comments and elaborate on the definitions for their own specific needs.
Within the field of human factors, this dictionary should be useful for the
experienced worker, the student who is new to the field, and everyone between these
extremes. I also see the book proving useful to industrial engineers, safety personnel,
psychologists, management, environmentalists, lawyers, and many other groups.
I realize the present version of this dictionary is only the beginning. Some terms
could still use further elaboration. Not all terms used by human factors professionals
are compiled here yet. I still occasionally find an additional term I have overlooked and
which should obviously be included. I have collected many other terms which I have
found used only once or without clear definition in the literature, or which I have not
been able to resolve to my own satisfaction by the submission deadline. These will be
researched further and placed in future editions. Certainly new terms will continue to
evolve as technology advances and as we learn more about humans working in
different environments. These, too, will be incorporated as they are developed.
My desire is that, in time, this book or one of its descendents will serve as a
terminological base or definitional standard in human factors. However, even if the
book does nothing more than stimulate or enhance communication and discussion, it
will have served a very useful purpose.
While doing research for this dictionary, I discovered a statement in the preface
of an AGARD publication on human performance which bemoaned the communica
tion problems among scientists, not with national languages, but with scientific
language (AGARD, 1989). Within such an important field as human factors, all
students, educators, and workers need to speak and write the same scientific language.
With the advent of computer databases and search routines, a relatively simple matter
such as the precise spelling of terms becomes of great importance.
The Dictionary for Human Factors/Ergonomics is intended to provide a major step
toward eliminating language problems within the field. It should also make those
outside the field more aware of the kinds of things human factors does, and the benefits
it can provide, thus promoting the field.
To help fulfill my goal of achieving standardization, I would certainly appreciate
any efforts of those working in human factors or other fields who wish to provide
additional/ alternative terms which they believe should be included in future editions.
In doing so, please provide two or more independent published citations of a term's
use. Unfortunately, I cannot promise acknowledgment of those who submit terms.
I realized early in my human factors career how valuable such a document as this would
be. I would forget the detailed meaning of some terms through disuse, would confuse
the meanings of similar terms, or would encounter a term whose definition I had never
learned. Following a thorough literature search, I discovered that there really was no
adequate comprehensive general dictionary of human factors or ergonomics.
Based on my conversations with fellow workers and occasional mention in
research or other papers, many have recognized the need for such a collection of terms.
INTRODUCTION ix
Writing The Dictionary for Human Factors/Ergonomics has been a tremendous
learning experience for me. At the same time, writing this book has also been an
extremely difficult, frustrating, and time-consuming job -much more so than I ever
imagined when I began working on it. Aside from the general problem of reducing
some concepts to words which have useful meaning, there were a number ofs ignificant
problems with the current terminologies in use. I think I now know why no one has
previously undertaken such a book as this.
I devoted a great deal of thought to the title of this book. Should I call it a
dictionary of human factors? A dictionary of ergonomics? A dictionary of human
factors and ergonomics? I clearly preferred human factors in the title because that, to
me, represents a broader approach to the interaction of humans with the various
aspects of life. It more easily allows for the inclusion of human interaction in the home,
as well as recreational and other activities. Ergonomics, on the other hand, though a
more well-recognized term now, is derived from Greek terms meaning "the study of
work", and its applications were originally and still are more in that area.
I finally decided on The Dictionary for Human Factors/Ergonomics for two primary
reasons: (a) to incorporate both terms, taking advantage of the name recognition
ergonomics carries, and (b) because the terms are in the process of becoming virtually
synonymous. I believe the wisdom of this choice is supported by the recent effort of the
Human Factors Society to undergo a similar name change. At the time of this writing,
however, that process is still ongoing.
No other field I know of is as comprehensive as human factors. In such a
comprehensive and multidisciplinary field, it is very difficult to have expertise in all
areas. I must acknowledge the receipt of helpful information from many colleagues in
developing this book. I have made special efforts to seek a greater understanding in
those areas where I had less expertise. I hope any errors of either omission or
commission are minimal, though some may bepresentin a first work of this magnitude.
I am grateful for CRC Press offering to publish the dictionary at this time. I need
some time now to step back and regain some perspective before proceeding. I would
like to thank Jeffrey Woldstad, Karl Kroemer, and John Guignard for their efforts in
reviewing parts or all of the book. Their suggestions resulted in many improvements.
