Validation Engineering in Ergonomics: Theoretical Perspectives

Abstract

A number of ergonomists have described or developed methodological models for the design, development, and evaluation of ergonomic products and processes. These models can be shown to be subsets of a classical methodological approach — well known in the hardware and systems professions, recently “discovered” by the software profession, and now beginning to be applied to ergonomics. This classical method — here called validation engineering (VE) — is a structured, systematic approach to business and technical risk reduction and user hazard mitigation. The VE lifecycle consists of a series of feedback and feedforward loops. The feedback loops consist of validation testing (implementation vs. requirements), verification testing (of requirements, specifications, and implementation), incremental hazard analyses, and post-deployment corrective and preventative actions. The feedforward loop consists of needs assessment, translation of needs to quantifiable requirements, translation of requirements to quantifiable engineering specifications, translation of specifications to implementation, and deployment of the product/process. Ergonomists can benefit both from using the VE approach and participating in efforts that use this approach