“Human Factors” – have you heard of it?
Yeesh – technically that’s one of the names for my discipline… It’s also been Ergonomics, Usability Engineer, UI guy, GUI designer, Usability Designer, Software Ergonomics… arg the list goes on. One of the worst is Human Factors. For years I was a member and TG exec of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society.
Unfortunately for HFES, I don’t think the term “Human Factors” will survive… in fact it never lived. I don’t know a single HR person who has heard of it.
That’s always been the problem with our very tiny fragmented industry – everyone’s fighting for their turf… but no one else cares.
The great hope is in the term UX (User Experience). Yes, it’s all encompassing – that’s the beauty of it.
In the short span of 4 years I’ve created brand new UX divisions in 3 startups. UX marries product design, marketing, support, and any other workflow that affects the customer. Execs now recognize the importance of it.
The mindset that you could have “usability testing” & “GUI design” & “graphic design” etc silos was wrong…. very wrong.
What’s evolving is better for industry – they can now understand the value in the bigger picture! What’s most important is that a user-centric design methodology empowers your customers.
You don’t even have to be human to be a customer.
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