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Shiftwork, its practice and improvement
work to do) have provided it with an overall coherence and a continuity within the limitations of the format. Although individual contributions are variable, several leave one wishing to delve deeper and to follow up the references. Van der Veer and Van de Wolde's description of their proposed future research in control flow notation, following the single experiment comparing GOTO (JUMP) with I F . . . T H E N . . ELSE... (NEST-INE) branching devices, comes into this category. They briefly note their interest in problems with no hierarchical structure, or where there are many levels of embedding and so on. Jorgensen et al's contribution, on the other hand, is complete in itself but seems to merit an extended version of existing content. They have sought some broad answers to questions about system designers' naming behaviour including aspects of their variability, commonality of knowledge, and emphases in semantics and structural roles. Hagglund and Tibell's piece is full of valuable and interesting information as a reward for concentrated reading. They treat the utlility of control independence (dialogue separate from data processing aspects) and of state utility networks (for modelling the dialogue behaviour of interactive software) in the light of a number of recommended software system properties. These are concerned with users' system models, control independence itself, help and explanatory facilities, user variability accommodation and error retrieval possibility. The concerns of the book are based around terms such as understanding, transparency, flexibility, usability and so on. These are largely discussed in the context of dialogue, in the use of or programming of computers. However, Pinsky questions the use of the term dialogue for what is admittedly a conversational but yet a mechanical interaction. Also, as pointed out by Maass, user friendly design and user involvement alone do not guarantee humane jobs. The editors describe much concern at the conference about whether in designing convenient and friendly computerised systems we are unwittingly making deskilled, uncreative jobs. Other recurring themes are the pros and cons of structured programming against 'Basic hacking', and individual user or programmer differences, particularly considering experts and novices. On this issue, it was interesting to see Senach warning against treating skilled operators as experts whereas Kahney suggests that 'talented' novices may have much in common with experts in the way they organise and focus their knowledge. Given the interdisciplinary requirements of work in the area, it is felt that the volume would not serve as an introduction of relevant cognitive psychology for programmers, even less of programming for psychologists. However, it will serve to open up several areas of interest for those reasonably well versed in both disciplines. A small point to end on: can we justify talking any longer about an 'operator', as several contributors do, when in fact we are concerned with dialogue and communication? John Wilson.
Shiftwork, its practice and improvement (Proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium on Night and Shift Work.) K. Kogi, T. Miura and H. Saito (Eds)
seven sessions dealt with (i) adaptations to shiftwork and individual differences, (ii) health measures for night and shiftwork, (iii) shiftwork in industrially developing countries, (iv) sleep problems in night and shiftwork, (v) development of criteria for the design of shiftwork systems (vi) special considerations for shiftwork of women and elderly workers, and (vii) social support for night and shiftworkers. The conference was notable for the presence of an international field of major researchers into shiftwork. Studies ranged from detailed investigations of, tbr example, blood cell changes in shiftwork, using both student and industrial samples, to major surveys of flight attendants, miners, hotel workers, seamen, etc. As the seven sections above will indicate, the interest ranged across health effects, the likelihood and form of adaptation to shiftwork both as a total response (performance or accident measures) or for specific functions such as reaction time or occulomotor function, the social and societal effects, and the effects of the comparatively alien nature of shiftwork in the developing world. Papers reporting on studies done in developing countries frequently revealed conditions of shiftwork which demonstrated conditions which should be of major concern to the countries concerned and agencies such as the ILO which study international working conditions. The very high proportion (57% for shiftworkers and 43% for day workers) of accidental injuries reported and the even higher (more than 80%1) reports of sickness absence suggest that shiftworking is just one more major stress in an already inadequate work situation.The intensity of shiftwork practised in parts of the developing world and its adverse effects on health, performance and wellbeing -- is a recurring, if underlying, theme in the group of papers about the developing world. A major section brings together papers dealing with the quality of, and effects on, sleep as a result of shift or night work. Here are discussed the nature of sleep, the sleep patterns arising from, or adopted by, shift or night workers and their effects on perceived well-being, behaviour, etc. This is followed by papers on shiftwork design, where firm recommendations are given (by Knauth and Rutenfranz) for practical arrangements for acceptable shift systems. A discussion of 12 h shifts indicated increased human error over conventional shifts, making them unsuitable for risky situations. The final set of contributions, dealing with women and the elderly, discuss ways for adapting systems to people, the value of self-selection for shiftworkers. One contribution noted the adverse effects on maternity amongst a large group of shiftwork women, recommending restrictions on their employment. The conclusions of the seminar came down in favour of quickly rotating shift systems, seeing them as more favourable than slow rotation and even more favourable when compared with permanent shifts. The complexity of the problem was stressed, but the conclusions do not hide behind this, pleading only for further research. Recommendations regarding sleep, employment of women, 'working hours and other factors are presented in the light of present knowledge.
Centre for Academic Publications, Tokyo, Japan. pp 541, This publication is a major survey of the current state of (Journal of Human Ergology Vol II, Supplement 1982), 9000 Yen. shiftwork, and invaluable as a reference source for all concerned with its investigation. This book reports on the major conference on shiftwork held in Japan immediately prior to the IEA Congress. Its ~:A( Corlett
Applied Ergonomics
March 1985
65
Shiftwork, its practice and improvement (Proceedings of the Sixth International Symposium on Night and Shift Work.) K. Kogi, T. Miura and H. Saito (Eds)
seven sessions dealt with (i) adaptations to shiftwork and individual differences, (ii) health measures for night and shiftwork, (iii) shiftwork in industrially developing countries, (iv) sleep problems in night and shiftwork, (v) development of criteria for the design of shiftwork systems (vi) special considerations for shiftwork of women and elderly workers, and (vii) social support for night and shiftworkers. The conference was notable for the presence of an international field of major researchers into shiftwork. Studies ranged from detailed investigations of, tbr example, blood cell changes in shiftwork, using both student and industrial samples, to major surveys of flight attendants, miners, hotel workers, seamen, etc. As the seven sections above will indicate, the interest ranged across health effects, the likelihood and form of adaptation to shiftwork both as a total response (performance or accident measures) or for specific functions such as reaction time or occulomotor function, the social and societal effects, and the effects of the comparatively alien nature of shiftwork in the developing world. Papers reporting on studies done in developing countries frequently revealed conditions of shiftwork which demonstrated conditions which should be of major concern to the countries concerned and agencies such as the ILO which study international working conditions. The very high proportion (57% for shiftworkers and 43% for day workers) of accidental injuries reported and the even higher (more than 80%1) reports of sickness absence suggest that shiftworking is just one more major stress in an already inadequate work situation.The intensity of shiftwork practised in parts of the developing world and its adverse effects on health, performance and wellbeing -- is a recurring, if underlying, theme in the group of papers about the developing world. A major section brings together papers dealing with the quality of, and effects on, sleep as a result of shift or night work. Here are discussed the nature of sleep, the sleep patterns arising from, or adopted by, shift or night workers and their effects on perceived well-being, behaviour, etc. This is followed by papers on shiftwork design, where firm recommendations are given (by Knauth and Rutenfranz) for practical arrangements for acceptable shift systems. A discussion of 12 h shifts indicated increased human error over conventional shifts, making them unsuitable for risky situations. The final set of contributions, dealing with women and the elderly, discuss ways for adapting systems to people, the value of self-selection for shiftworkers. One contribution noted the adverse effects on maternity amongst a large group of shiftwork women, recommending restrictions on their employment. The conclusions of the seminar came down in favour of quickly rotating shift systems, seeing them as more favourable than slow rotation and even more favourable when compared with permanent shifts. The complexity of the problem was stressed, but the conclusions do not hide behind this, pleading only for further research. Recommendations regarding sleep, employment of women, 'working hours and other factors are presented in the light of present knowledge.
Centre for Academic Publications, Tokyo, Japan. pp 541, This publication is a major survey of the current state of (Journal of Human Ergology Vol II, Supplement 1982), 9000 Yen. shiftwork, and invaluable as a reference source for all concerned with its investigation. This book reports on the major conference on shiftwork held in Japan immediately prior to the IEA Congress. Its ~:A( Corlett
Applied Ergonomics
March 1985
65