Human Factors on the Web: Past,Present,and Visions of the Future

Abstract

The Internet has had a tremendous effect on the personal, professional and civic lives of populations around the world. Companies that rely on the Internet for a large portion of their business now make up a majority of the major stock indexes; E-commerce is a growing segment of retail; governments are migrating a large part of their services online; online social networking has become a major part of our interpersonal relationships; and even many religions and social service organizations are creating vast quantities of web content. To mark the 50th Anniversary of the HFES Annual Meeting, this panel presented a historical view of how human factors has influenced the evolution of the Internet and how the Internet has influenced the practice of Human Factors. Panelists were selected based on their unique and diverse experiences in the field. Panelists focused on the history, current practice, and future visions of the interrelationship of human factors and the Internet. After brief introductions, panelists fielded thought provoking questions from the moderator and the audience.