Expanding horizons in ergonomics research

Ergonomics, the use of scientific thinking in the design of products and of working environments, has undergone three major waves of research innovations and applications. The first owed a great deal to Paul Fitts, who was a member of the generation of scientists coming to maturity during World War II. Below I have labeled it with the name Human Performance, which he gave to the basic science that could be applied to human factors in the work environment. The second was influenced by Herbert Simon and the development of cognitive psychology, leading to cognitive engineering in the design process. Although Fitts had passed away by the time cognitive engineering research was underway, it still made close contact with his approach. This special issue reflects a new development in ergonomics that Parasuraman (2011) has called Neuroergonomics, involving the application of brain science to human factors. Although each wave has added valuable new perspectives, as discussed briefly below, the contributions of Paul Fitts and of information theory still remain relevant (Gleick, 2011).