American National Standard for Human Factors Engineering of Visual Display Terminal Workstations: A Report to the Society

Abstract

The American National Standard for Human Factors Engineering of Visual Display Terminal Workstations, the first standard sponsored by the Human Factors Society, is in the final stages of acceptance as an American National Standard. This standard addresses the physical and perceptual aspects of the visual display terminal workstation as used in text processing, data entry, and data inquiry.

Standards take on many different forms and fill a variety of needs. Basically a standard provides a reference. Some standards are written so that two systems may be designed to complement each other or fit together. Lightbulbs and fixtures designed to the same standard will work together. In the case of human factors standards one half of the system is already designed, the human. The variety of the design of this part of the system requires that human factors standards identify the parameters to be considered and the corresponding measurement methods needed to insure that the equipment is designed to fit the individual human. A good solution needs to be based on the particular set of circumstances at hand. The voluntary standards method, known as the American National Standards, provides a vehicle for specifying the appropriate parameters and measurement methods while incorporating the necessary flexibility required to insure good designs for individuals.

The purpose of this panel session is to provide the society with an interactive session with representatives of the standards drafting committee. A brief history of the committee and its activities will be presented. The panelists will then describe the approach taken in each of the major sections, the mandatory requirements, and the elements the panelists consider to be of particular interest