Contemporary Ergonomics and Human Factors 2013

THE ROLE OF ERGONOMICS IN THE DESIGN

OF FUTURE CITIES

Andree Woodcock

Coventry University, UK

Recruiting students onto ergonomics courses continues to be difficult

despite clear business cases being presented for the importance of

ergonomics as a driver in organisational effectiveness and safety and

its crucial role in securing inclusivity and usability in product design.

Growth requires concerted efforts to make our discipline relevant

to contemporary society. One way of achieving this is presented,

through linking ergonomics to citizen centred design of future cities.

Introduction

This paper stems from the assertion that collectively, and with adequate resources

humankind has the ability to solve many of the wicked problems (Rittel, 1973) or

grand challenges faced at local, national and international levels. Whilst research

and development investment has addressed piecemeal solutions, insufficient atten-

tion has been given to the inclusive implementation of these. Ergonomics/human

factors can address this gap by extending the principles of user centred and partici-

patory design to the creation of inclusive cities and by ensuring that all citizens are

included in changes (transitions).

Current global ‘grand challenges’ include ageing, sustainability, digital and eco-

nomic divisions. Common across these is the need for substantial individual and

collective behavioural change. Governments and international agencies create and

agree international targets, which drive cycles of research and development. In

these, a shared vision is created with the expectation that (frequently technological)

solutions will be created which fulfill the requirements of, or lead to, the envisioned

future. However, in reality, R and D funding streams favour short term solutions,

are heavily technology led, have limited opportunities for fundamental research,

user centred design, long term evaluation and do not produce integrated systems.

Using transport as an example, in 2007 the International Panel on Climate Change

reported that an 80% cut in greenhouse gas emissions was needed from developed

countries in order to reduce their impact on global warming. In order for the UK

to achieve this target by 2050, the transport sector, currently responsible for a

third of carbon dioxide emissions, will need to make significant reductions in

transport emissions (RAE, 2010). This may be achieved through a combination of

technologicaland behavioural solutions supported by policy making which changes

the nature of mobility and the driving task. In this sector, automotive ergonomics is

http://dx.doi.org/10.1201/b13826-47

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Figure 1. Transitional societies (1a, 1b and 1c).

valued in terms of making vehicles safer, more comfortable, usable and inclusive

and predicting the behavioural demands of autonomous vehicles etc.

Such solution led approaches may not achieve the level of changes demanded for a

fundamental, step change. Ergonomics can appear to be limited (and unattractive

to potential students) if it services technological innovation. Taking a user centred

approach, which puts the citizen and their needs first (Maslow, 1943) can be used

to drive the necessary societal innovation and restructuring. The unrecognised,

crosscutting challenge is how can all sectors of society move from ‘the here’, to

the shared vision of ‘there’. Figure 1a represents the ‘ideal path’. In Figure 1b, the

shared vision of the future state becomes more complicated as it is recognised that

proposed solutions only partly fulfil requirements and the notional future state is

changed (in the light of evolving knowledge and understanding). Bridging the gap

requires the development of inclusive implementation strategies which will ensure

that citizens are able to transit in the direction needed, are supported in this and are

not disadvantaged by their (in)actions.

Figure 1c, recognizes that the initial conceptualization of the present state may have

been erroneous and that there is no plan to move from ‘here’to ‘there’. Ergonomics

can provide a richer understanding of the here (i.e. through understanding of peo-

ple’s characteristics and motivations), primarily applied to the design of products

and systems which contribute to the ‘there’. Grand challenges require that soci-

eties (and their embodiment in cities), not just products, be redesigned. With

its focus on UCD, (particularly macro and participatory ergonomics e.g. Haines

et al, 2002) health and well being, user centred design principles and standards,

ergonomics could make a significant contribution to the development of inclusive,

transgenerational societies from the bottom up. As a discipline, the problem for

us is whether we would be welcomed by those already engaged in re-engineering

the future, where we can add value, and our willingness to work in cross disci-

plinary teams, e.g. with the design community through the Living Lab Network

(http://www.openlivinglabs.eu/).

The transition gap to be addressed and its implications

The transition gap will always be problematic and as such non inclusive; not all

people share the same goal, are willing or able to move at the same rate; solutions