Human Factors Design

Apply for sit-in with no credits/ECTS

You can also participate in this course without taking the exam, you then leave with a course certificate. Requirement for being a sit-in is:

• 2-5 years of relevant work experience

The course is taught in English, it is expected that the candidate shall have sufficient English proficiency.

Apply with no credits Norwegian applicants

Apply with no credits International applicants

The number of available seats are limited, we execute rolling admission with on-the-go confirmation.

What is Human Factors Design?

“All systems are designed to serve a purpose – and that purpose is to serve people”

Human Factors Design (HS design) is an approach to optimise systems performance by systematically focusing on the human component (human capacities, abilities, limitations, aspirations) throughout the Systems Engineering Lifecycle.

This module provides a framework and set of principles for HF design. It describes concepts such as Context of Use, Usability, Design thinking, Human Machine Interaction, Human Error, Universal Design and User Experience.

Participants will be provided with a framework for different methods and techniques that systematically integrate humans into the systems engineering lifecycle. Participants will learn how to identify and collect end users needs, optimally allocate functions between humans and technology and how to optimize the interfaces between the two. Participants will learn how to design and test interfaces between humans and technology.

Relevant human characteristics and limitations, such as anatomy, perception, cognition, mental models and decision-making, will be reviewed and implications for systems design highlighted.

Examples from various industries including public transportation, maritime, oil and gas, payment, and assistive living will be presented.

Dates

• Week 16, 13.04.26-17.04.26. Monday to Friday, 08:45 - 16:30

Why take this course?

About 95% of new systems launched into the consumer marketplace fail to achieve their expected business potential. Even simple systems such as ticket machines, fail to perform optimally as they are not adapted to end users needs, i.e. are not easy or intuitive to use.

The consequences of safety critical systems, run by highly trained operators, having a suboptimal design can be serious.

~70% of industrial incidents are attributed to “Human Error”, where system demands exceed human capabilities/capacities.

In the near future, untrained consumers will meet an influx of complex systems at home, in transportation and in the public domain. It is essential for individuals and society at large, that these systems are easy to use and provide an outstanding user experience.

This course will help you achieve:

• Optimal systems performance

• High level of User Satisfaction

• Enhanced reputation

• Cost effective use

• Meet/exceed legislation /standards

This course will help you avoid /reduce:

• Risks and costs in systems use – “Human Error “

• Costly redesign of systems

• Negative publicity /damage to brand

• Lack of system use (uptake)

Who should take this course?

This course is a must for systems designers who want to:

• Connect better with end users

• Transform user needs into actionable ideas/ solutions

• Identify new opportunities

• Increase speed and effectiveness of creating new successful solutions

• Reduce risks and costs in system development and use.

Participants do not require any specific formal background, just a passion for creating an outstanding user experience.

Instruction

The course is organized into 5 intensive days of lectures. During these days, the lectures last from 08.45 to 16.30 each day. The course is a mixture of lectures and work in groups. Masterstudents and others taking courses for credit will work on a written assignment which is due 10 weeks after the end of the course. A completed course with approved written assignment will give 7.5 studypoints. Full attendance during the intensive course week is obligatory. The maximum amount of hours that can be missed is 4, duly justified.

Prices

The price for attending the course is NOK 25.000,- and includes supervision and grading of the written assignment.

Registration

The registration deadline for each course is two weeks before the course starts.

We accept registrations also after the deadline, provided there are available seats. Each course has a limited number of seats, so please sign up early. We reserve the right to cancel courses with too low participation.