Author Description

Through the writings of the late, eminent ergonomist Paul Branton, this book explains the nature of the `person-centred' approach to ergonomics and human factors. It has become increasingly apparent that mechanistic, information-centred views of people in work is no longer tenable, and the emphasis has begun to shift towards considering the emotional, psychological and philosophical make-up of the individual in the work environment. The Brantonian approach to ergonomics argues that, far from being sources of error in a system, people at work bring a unique characteristic to that system which no machine could ever match. The recognition of such characteristics allowed Branton to bring a far more `person-centred' approach to ergonomics that had previously been acknowledged. This enlightening text will enable ergonomists to gain a greater understanding of `person-centred' ergonomics and subsequently develop and adapt Branton's ideas to create more useful and usable systems for individuals in the workplace.