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Work at computer terminals (Le travail aux terminaux d'ordinateurs)
disorder, low back pain, eye strain and difficulties arising from exposure to air conditioned cooling) of cash register operators have become frequent. We therefore investigated the causes and found them to lie in the operators' continuous dual task of high-speed work while handling cash registers with a heavy key pressing touch. We proposed possible countermeasures. In 1973 there came into force the Operation Control Standards formulated by the Ministry of Labour, and as a result the labour conditions of operators significantly improved and complaints decreased. Although we recognised the favourable effect brought about by the introduction of ECRs which require a light key pressing touch and include a conveyor system designed to reduce the burden on the left hand, it may still be difficult to reduce sufficiently the burden of work, if the amount of goods handled by each worker remains excessive. We therefore stressed the need for further improvements.
13.4.19 (82306)
Dobbeleer, R. De et al Work at computer terminals (Le Travail aux Terminaux d'Ordinateurs). (In French.)
Cahiers de Medecine du Travail Cahiers voor Arbeidsgeneeskunde, Dec 1979, 14.4, 3 - 6 2 ; abstr in
CISAbstracts (CIS 80-1783). Contents of this monograph: ergonomic aspects (equipment, screen, keyboard, printer work posture, furniture, lighting, microclimate); mental stress and physical health status; eye strain and visual aptitude (eye anomalies; ophthalmological examinations and their frequency; prescription lenses for vision correction; terminal reading aids). Annex: methods for calculating luminance of characters and indoor lighting plans with regularspaced lighting sources. 13.4.20 (82307)
Penniall, T.H. Trends in graphics. Ergonomics, Sep 1980, 2 3 . 9 , 9 2 1 - 9 3 3 .
Visual displays 13.4.17 (82295) Firth, D. An investigation of the success of redesigned Supplementary Benefit documents. Information Design Journal, 1981, 2.1, 3 3 - 4 3 . The research described in this article formed part of a larger project concerned with re-designing a number of Supplementary Benefit documents. Five forms and letters from the original sample are discussed here. These documents, at present in national use, are compared with five re-designed versions which were put into use for a limited period. A comparison between the 'old' and 'new' documents was carried out using both in-use and nonuse testing techniques. The results indicate the relative success of the different versions and highlight areas of concern for future studies of a similar nature. 13.4.18 (82302)
Cutts, M., and Maher, C. Simplifying DHSS forms and letters. Information Design Journal, 1981, 2.1, 2 8 - 3 2 . The authors, founders of the Plain English Campaign, evaluated and redesigned social security forms and leaflets. They describe how the design o f one particular document was developed through several stages of criticism and testing, and demonstrate that document design involves balancing the needs of users with the requirements of administrators.
308
Applied Ergonomics
Computer-generated pictures of 'graphics' encompass representations as diverse as simple diagrammatic line drawings and multi-dimensional abstract concepts. The suitability of any generator type for different styles of picture and hence application is discussed briefly. Industrial process plant is identified as that area in which graphics will have a major impact in the near future; there are similarities in needs for data display, with common problems, across an industry-wide market sector; the introduction of supervisory control schemes will necessitate abstract concepts requiring envisualisation for judgements to be made by non-technical staff. Techniques in the presentation of data trends for production performance and of process state variables require more research and case study work to be undertaken, as illustrated by reference to the steel industry in this review. The case for theoretical studies in perception at this level of picture complexity is made; the argument for case studies in cooperation with technical management, however, is presented as being more applicable to perceived industrial needs at present, especially in the absence of a theoretical framework within which to treat 'graphics'. 13.4.21 (82309) Winkler, R., and Konz, S.A. Readability of electronic displays. In: Proceedings of the SID, 1980, 21.4, 3 0 9 - 3 1 3 . This paper reviews the available literature concerning the readability of electronic displays. Parameters are divided into categories of display
December 1982
design, man-machine interface, and environmental factors. Display design is subdivided into categories of symbol size, resolution, percent active area, character generation, font, stroke width-to-height, symbol spacing, colour, and contrast. Man-machine interface is subdivided into viewing distance, visual angle, and visual acuity. Environment is subdivided into lighting and the work area.
Computer dialogues 13.4.22 (82312) Scapin, D. Ergonomics in human-computer dialogues. A review (Ergonomie des Dialogues Homme-Ordinateur. Revue de Question). (In French.) Travail Humain, 1980, 43.2, 2 7 5 - 2 9 2 . This paper reviews the literature on the human factors aspects of humancomputer dialogues. Following a brief review of some aspects of work analysis, experimental studies are considered. The hardware or environmental problems, ie, the more physiological aspects, are quickly overviewed and the remainder of the paper concentrates on the software problems, specifically: the readability of displays, particularly with regard to the information structure; the response time of the computer; the command languages (including such aspects as communication, complexity, syntax, coding and abbreviation). One of the conclusions to be drawn from the state of the art is that there are relatively few psychological studies compared to the large number of existing problems: the ergonomics of human-computer dialogues is still in an 'adolescent' stage. Some directions for future research are suggested.
Computer interfaces 13.4.23 (82316) Murray, W.E., et al A radiation and industrial hygiene survey of video display terminal operations. Human Factors, Aug 1981, 23.4,413-420. Radiation surveys were performed on 136 terminals of some 530 in use at three different sites. Researchers measured both ionising and nonionising radiation. In the industrial hygiene survey, samples of workroom air were analysed to determine work exposure to selected airborne chemical contaminants. The results of these tests demonstrated that the VDT operators included in this investigation were not exposed to hazardous levels of radiation or chemical agents.
13.4.19 (82306)
Dobbeleer, R. De et al Work at computer terminals (Le Travail aux Terminaux d'Ordinateurs). (In French.)
Cahiers de Medecine du Travail Cahiers voor Arbeidsgeneeskunde, Dec 1979, 14.4, 3 - 6 2 ; abstr in
CISAbstracts (CIS 80-1783). Contents of this monograph: ergonomic aspects (equipment, screen, keyboard, printer work posture, furniture, lighting, microclimate); mental stress and physical health status; eye strain and visual aptitude (eye anomalies; ophthalmological examinations and their frequency; prescription lenses for vision correction; terminal reading aids). Annex: methods for calculating luminance of characters and indoor lighting plans with regularspaced lighting sources. 13.4.20 (82307)
Penniall, T.H. Trends in graphics. Ergonomics, Sep 1980, 2 3 . 9 , 9 2 1 - 9 3 3 .
Visual displays 13.4.17 (82295) Firth, D. An investigation of the success of redesigned Supplementary Benefit documents. Information Design Journal, 1981, 2.1, 3 3 - 4 3 . The research described in this article formed part of a larger project concerned with re-designing a number of Supplementary Benefit documents. Five forms and letters from the original sample are discussed here. These documents, at present in national use, are compared with five re-designed versions which were put into use for a limited period. A comparison between the 'old' and 'new' documents was carried out using both in-use and nonuse testing techniques. The results indicate the relative success of the different versions and highlight areas of concern for future studies of a similar nature. 13.4.18 (82302)
Cutts, M., and Maher, C. Simplifying DHSS forms and letters. Information Design Journal, 1981, 2.1, 2 8 - 3 2 . The authors, founders of the Plain English Campaign, evaluated and redesigned social security forms and leaflets. They describe how the design o f one particular document was developed through several stages of criticism and testing, and demonstrate that document design involves balancing the needs of users with the requirements of administrators.
308
Applied Ergonomics
Computer-generated pictures of 'graphics' encompass representations as diverse as simple diagrammatic line drawings and multi-dimensional abstract concepts. The suitability of any generator type for different styles of picture and hence application is discussed briefly. Industrial process plant is identified as that area in which graphics will have a major impact in the near future; there are similarities in needs for data display, with common problems, across an industry-wide market sector; the introduction of supervisory control schemes will necessitate abstract concepts requiring envisualisation for judgements to be made by non-technical staff. Techniques in the presentation of data trends for production performance and of process state variables require more research and case study work to be undertaken, as illustrated by reference to the steel industry in this review. The case for theoretical studies in perception at this level of picture complexity is made; the argument for case studies in cooperation with technical management, however, is presented as being more applicable to perceived industrial needs at present, especially in the absence of a theoretical framework within which to treat 'graphics'. 13.4.21 (82309) Winkler, R., and Konz, S.A. Readability of electronic displays. In: Proceedings of the SID, 1980, 21.4, 3 0 9 - 3 1 3 . This paper reviews the available literature concerning the readability of electronic displays. Parameters are divided into categories of display
December 1982
design, man-machine interface, and environmental factors. Display design is subdivided into categories of symbol size, resolution, percent active area, character generation, font, stroke width-to-height, symbol spacing, colour, and contrast. Man-machine interface is subdivided into viewing distance, visual angle, and visual acuity. Environment is subdivided into lighting and the work area.
Computer dialogues 13.4.22 (82312) Scapin, D. Ergonomics in human-computer dialogues. A review (Ergonomie des Dialogues Homme-Ordinateur. Revue de Question). (In French.) Travail Humain, 1980, 43.2, 2 7 5 - 2 9 2 . This paper reviews the literature on the human factors aspects of humancomputer dialogues. Following a brief review of some aspects of work analysis, experimental studies are considered. The hardware or environmental problems, ie, the more physiological aspects, are quickly overviewed and the remainder of the paper concentrates on the software problems, specifically: the readability of displays, particularly with regard to the information structure; the response time of the computer; the command languages (including such aspects as communication, complexity, syntax, coding and abbreviation). One of the conclusions to be drawn from the state of the art is that there are relatively few psychological studies compared to the large number of existing problems: the ergonomics of human-computer dialogues is still in an 'adolescent' stage. Some directions for future research are suggested.
Computer interfaces 13.4.23 (82316) Murray, W.E., et al A radiation and industrial hygiene survey of video display terminal operations. Human Factors, Aug 1981, 23.4,413-420. Radiation surveys were performed on 136 terminals of some 530 in use at three different sites. Researchers measured both ionising and nonionising radiation. In the industrial hygiene survey, samples of workroom air were analysed to determine work exposure to selected airborne chemical contaminants. The results of these tests demonstrated that the VDT operators included in this investigation were not exposed to hazardous levels of radiation or chemical agents.