Human Factors in Simple and Complex Systems, 3rd Edition

15	Controls and Controlling Actions

How do the operators avoid the occasional mistake, confusion, or accidental bumping against the wrong control? Or misaim? They don’t. Fortunately, airplanes and power plants are pretty robust. A few errors every hour is not important—usually.

D. A. Norman2013

INTRODUCTION

Machines communicate information about their status to their operators through displays. Operators communicate how they want the machine’s status to change by manipulating controls. There are many kinds of physical devices available for use as controls, including pushbuttons, toggle switches, joysticks, knobs, and touchscreens. They can be operated using the hands, feet, and, in some cases, eye and head movements. Sound-sensitive ...