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Newsletter
Updated: July 11, 2000
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Contents: HFES Home Overview Newsletter Next Meeting Job Openings Membership Sites of Interest |
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NewsletterUpdated: July 11, 2000 |
| July 2000 | Volume 35 Number 4 |
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http://www.erols.com/hfespoc |
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That the absence of human factors engineering (HFE) in products is ubiquitous should not be surprising to members of our chapter. The fundamental problem to the widespread application of our skills is that people accept this absence. Being ignorant of the existence of the HFE field, and being members of a species that is highly adaptable, people tend not to complain.
The doors to the entrance of the building in which I work have handles opposite the side that opens out. While leaving the building one day, the lady preceding me attempted to pull the door, rather then push it. She then apologized to me for what she regarded as her stupidity for pulling rather than pushing and said that she cannot learn, that she repeats the mistake every day. I immediately launched into an explanation of affordances, that the handles implied pulling rather than pushing, and that a flat plate should be on this side of the door. I tried to explain that rather than her being stupid, the builder was stupid. She thanked me for trying to make her feel better, but I do not think that I was entirely successful in making my point.
I am amazed by inkjet printers. They produce such high quality output at so low a cost. I have purchased two of them. In both cases, the installation was time consuming and extremely aggravating. Instructions were not clear and the designs did not constrain incorrect assembly. I never miss an opportunity to complain to a manufacturer about poor instructions and poor human factors design. No one else should either. That is why it is important to inform consumers so that they will be aware that they are being short-changed in the design and instructions departments.
Fortunately, in the case of manufactured products, there is a target on which concerns and complaints can be vented. In other areas, this is not so easy. I travel, not frequently, but certainly more than I would like to, and one of the reasons I dislike travel is that I have yet to travel to an area where the signs are adequate. I remember when I first moved to Michigan, planning a route and using interstate numbers. The problem I encountered was that the interstate numbers were often missing on the freeway signs. All I could find was a sign giving directions to the Edsel Ford Freeway. Michigan is not atypical. In California, you see signs for the Santa Monica freeway. Although these signs are adequate reminders for residents of the area, they are not adequate for newcomers.
The problem is not restricted to roads. In general, public signs are inadequate. The signs in airports are usually terrible. It would be an interesting exercise to try to quantify lost time and frustration due to inadequate signs. Although there are standards for legibility, there does not seem to be a requirement that signs be unambiguously informative. What good is it for a sign to be legible, if it is not informative? And where are the signs that are missing from locations that obviously need signs?
"Students" was a popular response to the question regarding outreach activities the chapter should undertake. It is difficult to argue with this response. I think most people are thinking of students preparing for careers in HFE when they make this response. Of course these students are important. Unfortunately, the general student is overlooked. I would like to have at least one course in HFE be a prerequisite to getting a baccalaureate. Then college graduates would appreciate that it is their right to purchase products properly designed for human use. They would demand that products be so designed. They would demand that public places be designed so that they accommodated all, including newcomers to an area. When employed by a business, organization, or the government, they would demand that HFE be evident in the products they were purchasing. I have long awaited a lawsuit against a software developer for lost time and productivity due to inadequate testing and design. I just wish that one of the questions asked of Bill Gates in court was when he turned the writing of Microsoft’s help files over to the marketing people. I would like to see court decisions that resulted not in an increase in the cost of products purchased or an elimination of "freebies," but rather see damages being assessed for lost productivity and mental anguish resulting from products developed without proper HFE input.
In short, if there were a conscious awareness of HFE and the right to HFE in products and public places among the lay public, then government and industry would surely follow.
Doug Griffith
Meeting Date: Wednesday, July 19, 2000.
Aliza is currently a Senior Manager at
America Online, responsible for primary research related to programming on the
service, as well as online shopping, high-speed services, digital imaging and
a variety of new devices.
Before joining AOL, Aliza
worked in market research at GEICO, focusing on customer satisfaction. She
holds her MBA from the University of Maryland and is currently on the faculty
of American University teaching Research on the Internet to
MBAs.
Topic: "America Online: Bringing Consumers into Product Development"
10 oz. Black Angus Top Sirloin – served with fresh asparagus and a choice of Salt Lick baked potato or poblano au gratin potatoes.
Mesquite Grilled Vegetable Platter – Garden vegetables, brushed with basil-infused olive oil and grilled over the wood fire.
Baby Back Ribs with Chipotle BBQ Sauce – A full rack of mesquite grilled ribs seasoned with a variety of spices and brushed with BBQ sauce, served with Texas ranch beans and grilled polenta
J. Gilbert’s Brick Chicken – Marinated in garlic, lemon and spices, placed on a cast iron skillet, pressed with a hot brick & slowly seared. Served with white cheddar mashed potatoes.
To reach J. Gilbert's from the Capital Beltway, Route 495, take exit 11, Dolly Madison Boulevard East, Route 123 towards McLean. Follow Dolley Madison Boulevard East for approximately 2 miles. Turn right at Old Dominion Drive (traffic light intersection) and then make an immediate left turn from Old Dominon Drive to J. Gilbert's.
DIRECTIONS TO J. GILBERT'S FROM THE GEORGE WASHINGTON PARKWAY:
To reach J. Gilbert's from the George Washington Parkway, take the Chain Bridge Road exit West, Route 123 towards McLean. Follow Chain Bridge Road West (name changes to Dolly Madison Boulevard) for approximately 3 miles. Make a left turn onto Old Dominon Drive (traffic light intersection), and then an immediate left turn from Old Dominion Drive to J. Gilbert's.
HFES Potomac Chapter Survey Results
The objective of the survey was to assess what members’ feelings were about the chapter’s activities and to solicit ideas regarding what we could or should be doing. It was published in two editions of the newsletter. There were 25 respondents to the Chapter Survey. As there are 137 people in the chapter, the response rate was 18%.
Question 1: How many meetings should the
chapter have per year?
The mean response was 6.2
with a standard deviation of 2.4. Responses ranged from zero to ten. Although
the requirement specified in the Chapter’s Charter is 4 meetings per year, a
goal of having monthly meetings, with the exception of the summer and the month
the national meeting is held, has been a common goal in recent years. These
results suggest that this number of meetings might be a little ambitious. Not
only the mean response of 6.3 bears upon this conclusion, but the total number
of respondents also should be considered. We would like to attract at least 20
members for each meeting. Given the 113 non-respondents, the ability to sustain
such an attendance rate on an almost monthly basis appears questionable.
Question 2: Which time of the day for a
Chapter meeting would be best for you?
There were 26 responses (one
respondent checked more than one alternative):
The two "Other" responses did not specify what "Other" might be. Although the day for the meeting was not a question, there were some responses here regarding not having a consistent day and the recommendation for meetings on weekends. Clearly an early evening meeting time is preferred.
Question 3. Which location for a
Chapter meeting would be best for you?
There were 33 response
(some respondents checked multiple items).
The other responses were from a respondent who resides outside the DC area, and from a respondent who would be willing to travel 50 miles if the venue were interesting enough. The location of our meetings always presents a problem. There is a desire to vary the location to be fair to people living in different parts of the area. However, a preponderance of the respondents prefer Northern Virginia. Having the meeting near a metro was the second most common response. Unfortunately, a variety of factors bear upon the location of the meetings, costs not being the least among them. When meetings cannot be held near a metro stop, perhaps we can offer rides to and from the metro for people who either cannot or do not want to drive to meetings.
Question 4. Please list the topics
and or speakers you would like to hear.
Many good suggestions were made here. Topics mentioned
included the following:
HF in manufacturing. Discussions between universities and businesses. Recruiters that discuss needs, expectations. Technology meetings with displays from HF vendors. Have local companies showcase their HF efforts (2). Ask NASA, DOT, FAA, etc., to discuss their HF programs and future directions. People outside HF discussing their needs, perhaps with round table discussions as to how HF can help them. Data modeling. Other "new" approaches to analysis along the lines of the recent EID article regarding "significance." Selling HF to executives. Sell HF participation to the user. Technology related discussions (e.g., computer industry) that are not necessarily focused on HF. HF criteria and the technology stampede (Our ability to generate design and evaluation criteria/guidance has not kept up with technology). HF and ubiquitous computing. Any interesting and novel applications of HFE/Ergo principles (2). New tools and techniques. Field trips. HF professionals as independent consultants. HFE in the Systems Development/Integration process. Career opportunities for HFE professionals. How to benefit from attendance and participation in the Annual Meeting. Publicizing HFE potential contributions to government and industry. OSHA Ergonomics Panel Discussion - government, union, corporate speakers. Macro Ergonomics (2) - applying HF to business problems. Cognitive operator performance. Consumer product design issues. Expert witness & litigation advice. Visit various HF companies/settings - see how other people work & what’s out there. HCI. New prototyping tools. Trends in HF standards. HSI in DoD - the Future. Commercial HF approaches. The Project Manager’s view of HF in systems engineering. Changes in HF educational programs. Certification trends/future. Presentation /discussions with lay congressional staff regarding HF/E issues relative to OSHA, CPSC, EPA, DOT, etc. Web design. e-commerce. Internet security. Distance learning. Baggage handling facilities at airports. Internet monitoring & troubleshooting facility (Worldcom/UUNET). Harbor control in Baltimore. Metrorail Control Center. Leesburg Air Traffic Control. Planetarium operations at National Air & Space Museum, etc. Job fair. Student research presentations.
Specific speakers who were suggested follow (if a specific topic was mentioned for that speaker, it is presented in parenthesis): Ben Shneiderman, Ginny Redish, Charlie Kreitzberg, Nancy Anderson, William Vaughn (ONR), Bob Holt (research for the FAA or any topic he might care to speak on), Mark Rogers FAA Chief Scientist (state of HF in air traffic control), Peter Hancock, Ben Bederson (CHI research), Kent Norman (research for the U.S. Census Bureau), Raja Parasuraman (2) (research for NASA or work on effects of automation). Cindy Skrzycki (Washington Post columnist who does the weekly feature "The Regulators," would be an interesting speaker relative to OSHA).
The wide range of responses reflects the wide diversity of interests of our members. For the most part, the topics and speakers are similar to those of past meetings. We have also done tours in the past. Some activities were suggested that we have not done, in my recollection. One of these topics was having people outside human factors discuss their needs with a round table discussion of how we might be able to help. The topics of selling human factors to the executive and to users were two others. Professional development topics, learning new techniques, for example, is another new area. Vendor displays of equipment and a job fair are two others.
Question 5. Please indicate activities the
chapter should undertake. Those listed are intended to indicate outreach
activities for the various constituencies shown, but feel free to add other
activities. (Also please rank order the activities you feel the chapter should
undertake in order of their importance.)
Here,
"students" was the predominant response with eight first place votes, seven
second place votes, three third place votes, and three fourth place votes.
"Industry" was the second preference with six first place votes, seven second
place votes, two third place votes, and zero fourth place votes. "Government"
came next with four first place votes, five second place votes, four third place
votes, and three fourth place votes. The "lay public" finished last with one
first place vote, three second place votes, six third place votes, and five
fourth place votes.
There was one write-in activity, and that was "methods for fellow practitioners."
There is much interest in the Chapter in increasing student involvement. The Executive Council is acting to identify means to increase student interest. This is important, as our student membership is extremely low. It is interesting to note that "Industry" placed second and "Government" third. In the past the Chapter has undertaken outreach activities to the government, but I have no memory of similar activities taken towards industry. The President’s Corner in this issue addresses the fourth place finish of the "lay public."
6. If you don't mind, would you share with
us why you are a member of the chapter?
The following responses were
received.
To make contacts; learn more about HF; to say I am a member of a key organization related to UI design.
Closest professional chapter to Blacksburg, I want to support. I also enjoy having the directory available as a resource.
Networking; keeping up with HF developments/research.
Networking. Keep current with HF field directions and diversify HF knowledge.
Owner of a HF company. Interested in profession.
Meet other local members; maintain knowledge of areas outside my own and maintain relationships with colleagues that I do not work with every day.
Networking with previous co-workers & colleagues.
Traditional: at one time it was assumed that if you became a professional you joined the appropriate professional group.
To feel part of a community and to know of job openings early.
Because it’s the local chapter of the professional society that represents my profession to the uninitiated.
Interaction with other HF professionals.
Networking, partnering, information/knowledge acquisition.
Enjoy meeting with & sharing HF experiences with other professionals - chance to broaden horizons.
I am a HF psychologist.
I am interested in seeing how HF is represented in industry, becoming more aware about the field, meeting contacts.
Access and exposure to human factors professional information; Affiliation with other HF professionals; Support of the discipline.
Tradition/technical contacts/information/social contacts.
I try to keep track of local chapter activities despite my international focus of consulting work and not-for-profit professional activity.
Professional allegiance.
Business contacts, collegiality, keep up with the latest methods, trends.
Better understand the worth of human factors applications and practical applications/problems.
My wife doesn’t let me out much.
The responses here were quite interesting. "Meeting with fellow professionals," "learning about new developments," and "networking" were common responses. The notion of professional obligation or duty was another common theme.
Please add any additional comments or
suggestions you might have.
The following responses were received.
I feel that the chapter has been largely passed by in recent trends in our field. At a time when interest in the Internet has exploded, we have had only one meeting topic in the last three years related to the Internet and Web Design (Chauncey Wilson, 35 people attended, many of whom we haven’t seen since). During this time, DC-CHI and a local STC (Society for Technical Communication) chapter have formed and are drawing 20-30 people to meetings. We are viewed as somewhat stodgy, still focusing too much on DOD HFE and not much on HCI. We need big name speakers on topics that people want to hear.
You will note, partly out of my own time demands, I have suggested somewhat fewer meetings & speakers each year (e.g., Sep, Nov, Jan, Feb, Mar, Apr). A way of compensating could be more intensive use of the Internet for sharing news, job openings, etc.
We should consider that our meeting presentations (speakers) are expected to be too formal or pretentious. By that I mean, wouldn’t it be useful to hear from any member of the HFESPOC or non-member for that matter? Shouldn’t we try to "lower" the formality of the presentations? Would we get more presentation & discussions if we asked people to informally come and tell us about what they are doing?
Prefer that meetings not be on Wednesday, perhaps alternating the day of the week from month to month. Encourage presentation of own work by members.
I don’t think we need so many meetings. More meetings in Maryland would be nice.
The local chapter does a great job with the meetings and newsletter. Getting attendance & people to volunteer is difficult because of the number of organizations people belong to, work, family, ...
It would be easier to focus on a quarterly meeting. I think nowadays people with 2 working parents (the probable norm in the chapter) cannot free up evenings to hear another HF person. But people outside the field talking about their needs during the day at a "special" meeting (would be more attractive). Monthly meetings become old hat. More use of email, the website, which is very good, between meetings would be more than enough to keep up interest & provide time for exceptional speakers.
Bring back the Spring Seminars/Workshops. Look into doing joint meetings with other local groups such as DC-CHI and Web Women.
I think that a less frequent meeting schedule may: increase the level of "per meeting" attendance. I believe that many members have only so many meetings a year "in them" and if, for example, that number is two, then those members will attend occasional meetings (1 of 6, on a monthly schedule). If the number of meetings held is reduced to 4, then they can attend half of the meetings. If this holds true, then per meeting attendance immediately triples (by the example cited).
Allow greater lead time in selecting/recruiting speakers, which allows a speaker more time to prepare materials and ideas for presentation.
Change perceptions such that a POC meeting is considered more of an "event" (of a professional and social nature), rather than that of an enduring professional obligation (my words of course, and I recognize that they may not be fair or accurate).
Allow meetings to be hyped. It's hard to get excited about monthly routine, and (I think) meetings on a three month interval would make motivating participation much easier.
Where possible, hold more meetings away from locales such as the Officers’ Club of this fort or that. When meetings are announced that included a visit to the National Airport tower, or the Metro control center -- attendance and interest increase. I understand that these are hard to orchestrate. Where no such excursions are easily scheduled, bring something of interest into the Ft Myers O-Club. For example, there are many developers/vendors of immersive VR systems in the DC area. Perhaps some of them could be convinced to bring 3 or 4 immersive displays and related hardware, and allow folk that attend the POC meetings to give VR a whirl. I suspect that many, if not most, of the membership have never been afforded this opportunity, and would be very interested in having the experience. Bring in one of the new Hi-Def TVs as a demo, and let people experience and evaluate it. Drive the Hi Def TV with a DVD. Maybe some of the members from IBM want to demo some of their hot new software or hardware (they have some neat continuous voice recognition software out, for example).
Have fewer speaker lectures, and replace them with mini workshops (or hands-on tutorials) of 30-60 minute duration or so (do it during a dinner buffet, and don't have a sit-down dinner). For example, bring in a gadget, gizmo, or thing-a-ma-jig and let the group evaluate it by actually handling it (getting people to participate in an activity, rather than listen to a lecture). In the case of bringing a device in, this could (1) be illustrative of how focus groups are used in evaluation of product design, or (2) simply be an enjoyable group activity. If advertised to student groups, more student interest may be garnered if students believe that they can gain actual experience in observing and participating in focus group-like activities. Tom Granda would be excellent for this.
Be prepared to move a meeting outside (weather permitting). I don't know where. This may seem a tad on the goofy side, but it would make a meeting unique.
Many interesting ideas were presented here. One was to concentrate more on HCI and the Internet. Other ideas were discussed earlier, e.g., fewer meetings, vendor displays. There was a suggestion to bring back the Spring Seminars and Workshops and to have joint meetings with other societies. In the past two years, there have been two joint meetings -- one was well attended; one was not. The notion of mini-workshops is a novel idea. Doing hands-on evaluations of "stuff" is another. Another suggestion was to make the meetings more informal. The notion that the meetings are too "stuffy" or that the chapter is "stodgy" could mean that there is an image problem.
Summary and Conclusions
The
majority of chapter members responding indicated that they would like fewer
meetings. The range of recommended speakers, topics and activities is quite
large. Organizing meetings that cover this diversity, yet are appealing enough
to attract a substantial number of attendees, is a daunting task. More
problematic was that we have no input from a large majority of our members. If
any of the listed activities appeal to you, feedback would be most appreciated
(dkgriffith@erols.com). If you would like to take
the lead in organizing an event, that would also be most appreciated. If you
would be willing to arrange for a tour of your facility, that would also be
appreciated. Many interesting ideas were presented, but their realization is
dependent upon support from our members (associates, students, and members
emeriti included).
Doug Griffith
The results from the election are in. Chapter officers for 2001 will be as follows:
Congratulations! And thanks for your willingness to serve the chapter.
Student Dues Decrease
The Executive Council has voted to decrease student dues from $15 to $10. This dues decrease is effective immediately.
Directory Updates and Dues to be Mailed
It is that time of year. Actually, we are a little late this year, but the forms for updating your directory listing will be mailed out shortly. These forms also are used for dues collection. Dues for Members and Associates are $25. Student dues are now $10.00. Your renewal, especially your prompt renewal, will be much appreciated.
Swezey Provides Testimony
Bob Swezey provided testimony on behalf of the 159,000 member American Psychological Association to the U.S. House of Representatives Appropriations Subcommittee on March 29th, 2000. Bob's testimony supported increases in the 2001 Science and Technology budget for behavioral science research, and focused specifically on the budget request in these areas for the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory. Excerpts from the testimony are available on ISAI's website: www.interscienceamerica.com.
New Members
The Potomac Chapter welcomes its new members who have joined over the last several months – Elizabeth Kreamer, Steve Arndt, Karen Ann Park, Ronald Knipling, Terry Stubblefield, Douglas Hoecker, Tom Mayfield, and Susan Lehto.
A perusal of our web site (www.erols.com/hfespoc) will indicate that we need some volunteers. Specifically, the following chairs are open: Program, Local Arrangements, Public Affairs/Corporate Membership, and Student Affairs. Our Chapter is solely dependent upon volunteers. To learn more about these positions, or to inquire how you can support the chapter, please contact Doug Griffith by email, dkgriffith@erols.com
, or by phone, 703-803-0100, x4120.While updating the POC site links, I came across two "fun" sites of good/bad HF/ergonomic design:
http://www/baddesigns.com -- Bad Human Factors Designs -- great examples of bad human factors/ergonomics in all areas
http://www.iarchitect.com/index.htm -- Interface Halls of Shame and Fame -- irreverent look at how software should NOT be designed; interface design solutions that are both creative & effective
Jack Laveson
Jazz - a Free Java Toolkit for Building Zoomable User Interfaces
We are pleased to announce the 1.0 release of Jazz, a Java toolkit for building Zoomable User Interfaces. Jazz is Open Source software and is freely available at http://www.cs.umd.edu/hcil/jazz. We just received some nice press from ComputerWorld magazine describing Jazz: http://www.computerworld.com/cwi/story/0,1199,NAV4770_ STO46236.00.html.
Ben Bederman
IWIPS 2000 to be Held in Baltimore
IWIPS 2000 (the Year 2000 meeting of the International Workshop on the Internationalization of Products and Services) is fast approaching. It will be held July 13 through 15 in Baltimore, Maryland. Registration information is available at the workshop's web site, along with other helpful information: http://www.nist.gov/IWIPS2000.
A lively successor to IWIPS 1999 held in Rochester, New York, this year's conference features a single-track format so everyone will be able to attend all sessions and hear all speakers. Consistent with the ethos of IWIPS, there is ample international representation among the authors of the papers at this year's conference, coming from, among other places, the UK, France, Germany, Taiwan, Finland, and Mexico.
The registration fee for IWIPS 2000 is a modest $150 ($200 on-site). Lodging will be three blocks from Baltimore's artistic and culturally diverse Inner Harbor. There will be a conference dinner at a chic restaurant in historic Fell's Point, which will be reached by conference attendees taking the water taxi (transportation and dinner are included in the already low conference registration fees).
Finally, be advised that IWIPS 2001 will be held on the campus of The Open University in Buckinghamshire, England, 40 miles north of London. This will be July 11 through 14, 2001--it is not too early to start planning for that event now!
Seventh Annual ACT-R Workshop to be Held at Carnegie-Mellon University
ACT-R is a cognitive theory and simulation system for developing cognitive models for tasks that vary from simple reaction time to air traffic control. The most recent advances of the ACT-R theory were detailed in the recent book "The Atomic Components of Thought" by John R. Anderson and Christian Lebiere, published in 1998 by Lawrence Erlbaum Associates. Each year, a workshop is held to present new developments and applications and to enable current users to exchange results and ideas. The Seventh Annual ACT-R Workshop will be held at Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh from August 5 to 7, 2000. The invited speaker is Herbert A. Simon.
The workshop will start at 9AM on Saturday August 5 in Adamson Wing, Baker Hall, and will conclude in the early afternoon of Monday August 7. The mornings of the workshop will be devoted to research presentations, each lasting about 20 minutes plus questions. Participants are invited to present their ACT-R research by submitting a one-page abstract with their registration by JULY 1. Papers submitted after that deadline will be accepted based on availability of slots. Informal contributions of up to 8 pages can be submitted by AUGUST 1 at the latest for inclusion in the workshop proceedings. The contributions can be in the form of a paper or presentation slides and must be submitted electronically to cl+@cmu.edu.
Saturday afternoon will feature the invited speaker, Herbert A. Simon, who will present the latest developments of the EPAM and CaMeRa architectures. Dr. Simon and John Anderson will discuss a range of issues related to cognitive architectures. Sunday afternoon will feature discussion sessions and instructional tutorials, including a session on the proposed changes in ACT-R 5.0. Suggestions for topics of discussion and tutorials are welcome. Lunch times will be occupied by demonstration sessions during which participants can gain a more detailed knowledge of the models presented and engage in unstructured discussions.
Admission to the workshop is open to all. The early registration fee (before JULY 1) is $100 and the late registration fee (after JULY 1) is $125. Registration includes lunch on Saturday and Sunday, a dinner party on Saturday and a copy of the proceedings. A registration form is appended below. Specify the title of your talk (if applicable) and any suggestion for a session topic. Additional information, such as a detailed schedule, will appear on the ACT-R web site (http://act.psy.cmu.edu/) or can be requested at:
Free Safety Management Resources Available
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Senior Interface Designer, America Online, Inc.
Job Number: CK4
Dulles, VA
Job Description:
Duties/Responsibilities: Design and assist with the concept and creation of information design systems. Developing flow charts, project maps and other information visualization tools that facilitate an understanding of the information/navigation experience.
Skills Required: Strong screen design skills, thorough knowledge of web/internet interface design and the ability to architect a user interface that leverages ease of navigation, information flow and usability. Strong communication skills and the ability to direct and mentor others and share your knowledge and experience as well as take direction from others in a team environment. A working knowledge of MS Word, Visio, Adobe PhotoShop/Illustrator.
Skills Desired: Java, HTML, and Macromedia Director.
Educational Preference: Bachelors degree.
Professional Experience: 3-6 years of experience.
Please send your resume to ckemper23@aol.com
Human Factors Engineer/Analyst, DCS
Corporation
LOCATION: Alexandria, VA, Patuxent
River, MD
SALARY: Negotiated based on qualifications and
experience.
REQUIREMENTS/QUALIFICATIONS: Advanced degree
in Human Factors or related area, with at least 8 years experience in an applied
setting. Candidate must be experienced in providing Human Factors Engineering
support for hardware and software systems development to achieve program
objectives. Will participate in IPT environment in support of development
programs. The position requires experience in the generation and execution of
Human Factors Program plans, HFE test and evaluation plans, review of technical
material for HFE implications, directing HFE efforts using assets that may be
drawn from several organizations, participating in program and design reviews,
performing HFE analyses to support the development of systems to execute an
operational concept, and evaluating HFE products delivered by other
organizations. Experience with the government acquisition procedures and
documentation, including specifications and statements of work, and the ability
to develop, review, and revise the documentation is also required. Desired
experience will include (depending on job position):
The position requires working closely with the customer, operational users, maintainers, vendors, and R&D organizations. For further information contact:
Dr. John W. Ruffner
Human Factors Engineer
DCS
Corporation
jruffner@dcscorp.com
(703) 683-8430 x243
Usability Manager; Project Manager
II/Freddie Mac (Req Code : 1999-R1598)
Freddie Mac
is looking for an experienced usability manager to help establish and manage a
usability group. Freddie Mac is a leader in the secondary mortgage market.
Freddie Mac buys mortgages from mortgage lenders, such as commercial banks,
mortgage bankers, savings institutions, and credit unions so they, in turn, have
more money to lend to homebuyers.
Position Location: McLean, VA
Critical Skills:
Key Responsibilities:
Work Experience:
Education:
To apply, send a letter and resume to recruiter04@freddiemac.com
Usability Professional, HumanCentric Technologies (HCT)
HumanCentric Technologies (HCT) is looking for talented people to help us continue to provide exemplary usability services to our expanding client base. HCT is a robust and growing human factors and usability services company located in Cary NC, near the Research Triangle Park. HCT provides design and evaluation services to high technology firms developing the latest in consumer products, web sites and applications, and in-vehicle control and display systems. Our clients include companies such as Thomson Consumer Electronics, IBM, Ericsson, Johnson Controls Incorporated, and Nortel Networks.
We are looking for highly motivated, skilled, and experienced usability professionals to join our growing staff who can provide strong technical and project management leadership. Qualifications include:
If you are interested, please contact or send a resume to either:
http://www.humancentrictech.com
Senior Specialists, Human Factors International
Qualifications:
Requirements:
Location: Washington, DC/Baltimore/Annapolis region
Can work from home office
Salary negotiable
Please e-mail resume (or URL for resume) to don@humanfactors.com AND cathy@humanfactors.com.
(Human Factors International web site – www.humanfactors.com)
Information Architect, iXL
Job Description: Designs user-centered Web-based and
multimedia solutions for iXL clients, including applying user-centered analysis
and evaluation techniques to determine effective design specifications.
Company Description: iXL offers a comprehensive set of strategic Internet services and creates lasting business partnerships. We offer a full range of interactive and multimedia services which can assist any business in creating a solid interactive media foundation. Our reputation for customer service and client satisfaction is unequaled in the new media industry. We are looking for highly motivated people who want to work for the fastest growing and most exciting new media company in America. For more information about iXL, please see our Web site at http://www.ixl.com.
Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree + 5 years experience in related field - Experience with leading clients through the definition and design phases of Web and multimedia projects - Experience determining requirements, writing design specifications, and prototyping - Strong interpersonal skills: communication, leadership ability, ability to follow instructions, attention to detail, and positive attitude - Experience in user and task analysis, solution architecture and user interface design, including organization of information and navigation rules is required.
Preferred Qualifications: Master's degree in related field + 3 years experience - Experience designing user interfaces for E-Commerce solutions, Knowledge Management Systems, Automated Procurement Systems or other interactive business applications.
Contact:
Kristin
Krahl, Information Architect
iXL-DC
1919 Gallows Road, 10th floor
Vienna, VA 22182
703.848.2700
kkrahl@ixl.com
Interaction Designer, Manugistics Manugistics is seeking an experienced Interaction Designer to join the Software Engineering group in Rockville, MD. This cross-functional engineering team is responsible for setting the direction of user interface design and ensuring ease of use, usability, and a common look and feel for the Manugistics application suite.
As an Interaction Designer, you will work closely with representatives from Engineering Management, Application Development, Usability, and Graphic Design. You may also work with external users and internal experts to assist in the development and evaluation of user-centered products. Some travel to client sites is required.
Principal Responsibilities
Essential Experience
Resumes of interested individuals should be sent to: bsteele@manu.com or to Bruce Steele Manugistics, Inc. 2115 E. Jefferson St. Rockville, MD 20852
Cancer Research Training Award Fellowship, National Cancer Institute’s International Cancer Information Center
The Usability Office of the National Cancer Institute's (NCI) International Cancer Information Center announces a Cancer Research Training Award (CRTA) Fellowship. The Fellow will assist in a wide range of usability design and testing activities including: identifying user groups and designing data collection instruments; creating user interface designs and prototypes for cancer Web sites and other health communication technologies; designing and conducting usability tests at various stages of the development process at testing facilities across the country; analyzing and reporting test results; and developing usability guidelines.
Applicants should hold a graduate degree in human-computer interaction, cognitive psychology, communications, human factors, education, or information dissemination with an emphasis on electronic information transfer and user interface design and engineering. Fellowships are awarded for an initial 2-year period, with potential for renewal up to 5 years. Fellows receive a stipend commensurate with his or her education and experience ($22,000 - $27,000). Benefits include health insurance, paid Federal holidays, and travel when appropriate. Fax (301-480-8105) or mail resume, a statement of interest explaining why you are interested in the CRTA Fellowship program, and three references to:
Sanjay Koyani
National Cancer Institute
9030 Old Georgetown Road
Bldg. 82, Room 103 B
Bethesda, MD 20814
NCI IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Research Position, Rehabilitation Engineering Service, National Rehabilitation Hospital
The National Rehabilitation Hospital is a free-standing not-for-profit 120-bed hospital which is part of the MedStar provider system spanning the Baltimore-DC region. NRH delivers comprehensive rehabilitation services to individuals with spinal cord injuries, stroke, traumatic brain injuries, musculo-skeletal disabilities, post-polio syndrome and other conditions.
Along with the traditional rehabilitation departments, NRH has a Rehabilitation Engineering Service with a staff of ten. Of these, seven are engineers; one is rehabilitation scientist with advanced degrees in linguistics; and one is a senior research physician specializing in post-polio and spinal cord injury. The RE Service collaborates extensively with the other hospital departments and is linked to the currently-developing Neuroscience Program.
The RE Service commits two FTE’s to clinical services in assistive technology and quantitative assessment, while the remainder of its effort is devoted to R&D. Its R&D activities are supported by two federal center grants. One is the Assistive Technology and Neuroscience Research Center (ATNRC) funded by the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command and the other is the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center on Telerehabilitation underwritten by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. The combined budget of the two centers is two million dollars annually.
Partners in the two Centers are the Departments of Biomedical Engineering, Nursing and Psychology at the Catholic University of America (five-minutes from NRH); Sister Kenny Institute in Minneapolis, part of a Minnesota-wide telehealth network; Eastern Carolina University, a pioneer in telemedicine; and Anthrotronix, a Maryland start-up working at the intersection of virtual reality, CHI, Internet applications and assistive technology for children.
R&D projects in the NRH RE Service are concentrated in the following areas:
New and renewed center grant funding has opened two new engineering R&D positions in the RE Service at NRH. One needs to be filled by a Masters-level individual with particular strength in applications of electrical engineering and computer science to our areas of concentration. The other is open to a Doctoral-level person whose primary expertise is in human-machine systems, electro-mechanical design and virtual reality. Both engineers will be directly involved in current and future projects whose outcome will be innovative products and strong-inference experimental results. The candidates selected could begin work immediately.
Contact Mike Rosen, Director, at mjr2@mhg.edu
Electrical Engineer – Computer Scientist
Required skills, knowledge and experience
Preferred skills, knowledge and experience
Human-Machine Systems Engineer
Required skills, knowledge and experience
Preferred skills, knowledge and experience
Research Psychologist, Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC)
Job Description: Support a multi-disciplinary team of human factors and traffic engineering professionals to conduct Transportation Research for the Federal Highway Administration. Provide onsite research and technical support to the FHWA Human Centered Systems Team at the Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center. Conduct intramural laboratory and field research and monitor extramural contract research in Highway Safety, Highway Operations and Intelligent Transportation Systems.
Required Education: BA, MA or PHD in Experimental Psychology or Human Factors
Required Skills: Knowledge and experience in experimental psychology, applied psychology, human factors engineering, ergonomics, behavioral research, cognitive psychology or some combination. Knowledge and experience in literature review, data analysis, statistics, experimental design, technical reporting, or some combination. Research or development work experience beyond the highest degree: PhD – 1 year; MA – 2 years: BA – 4 years. Excellent computer, communications and writing skills.
Desired Skills: Knowledge and experience in the human factors of surface transportation systems; in simulator research, especially driving simulators.
Employer: Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC), an employee-owned company
Salary: $55K to $65K, depending upon qualifications
Work Location: McLean, Virginia
Contact: John A.Molino@saic.com or telephone 202-493-3381 or fax 202-493-3390
Two positions in Health and Safety
Services, Spotts, Stevens and McCoy, Inc.
Are you
seeking new challenges, interesting opportunities, and technically challenging
projects? At Spotts, Stevens, and McCoy, Inc. we have rigorous deadlines,
technically demanding projects, and a flexible environment that encourages
personal growth, focuses on performance, and rewards individual and team
effectiveness. SSM is a growing employee-owned firm providing engineering, IT,
and management consulting services to private and government clients in the
mid-Atlantic region. Principal offices are in Reading, Lehigh Valley, Exton,
Lancaster, and Limerick, PA and in Baltimore, MD.
Health &
Safety Professional:
BS or MS in Industrial Hygiene,
Safety Engineering, or Safety Management with 8-10 years experience including
developing and implementing industrial hygiene sampling plans; conducting
workplace exposure assessments for chemical and physical contaminants;
assessment, preparation, and implementation of OSHA required safety programs and
health safety plans; conducting safety and health training and analysis; working
knowledge of OSHA regulations; evaluating engineering, PPE and administrative
controls for occupational exposures; on-site experience at both industrial and
government facilities; and preparation of technical reports. Prior experience
and evidence in developing and maintaining relationships with customers
(internal/external) as well as the desire and ability to participate in business
development activities also desired. Candidate must have excellent written and
verbal communication skills, and be proficient in database, spreadsheets and
word processing. CHI and/or CSP certification is required.
Ergonomics
Specialist:
Successful candidate will have a BS in
Industrial Engineering/Human Factors/Ergonomics Degree (Masters degree is
preferred). Certification as Professional Ergonomist a plus. Minimum of 5 years
experience in an industrial setting. Candidate must possess the ability to
analyze ergonomic risk factors/root causes and the ability to develop and
implement solutions. A working knowledge of workplace design, ergonomics audits,
developing and implementing ergonomics audits, developing and implementing
ergonomics programs is a must.
Consultant (Ergonomics Analyst), Susan
Evans & Associates, Inc.
Susan Evans &
Associates, Inc. is a management consulting firm based in the Washington, DC
metropolitan area specializing in business processes improvement, human-centered
information management solutions, and ergonomics program management services.
Our clients include Ford Motor Company, General Motors, the International
Monetary Fund, and the Social Security Administration.
Duties: SEA is searching for experienced analysts to aid clients in designing and managing their ergonomics programs using innovative e-business solutions. Related activities include reengineering business processes, facilitating user-oriented design sessions, gathering functional and technical requirements for new program management solutions, serving as a user advocate during the software development cycle, and guiding clients through the implementation of new business processes and software applications.
Basic/Minimum Qualifications: Candidates must have a Bachelors degree in related field and five years related experience. Demonstrated experience in the fields of industrial ergonomics and safety, human-computer interaction or information design. In addition, candidates must have outstanding analytical and oral communication skills, excellent document writing and editing skills, and outstanding interpersonal and leadership skills. Candidates must be able to work comfortably in cross-functional teams and have good negotiation and problem-solving skills. Candidates should have outstanding proficiency with the Microsoft Office suite of software.
Post-Grad Qualifications: MA/MS in Human Factors, Ergonomics, HCI, User-centered design, Information Science, or related field and experience in one or more of the following areas: usability testing or interface design and the application of user-centered design theory and methods, design session facilitation, project management, instructional design, technical writing, requirements gathering using a variety of techniques, process and data modeling, and database management.
Salary: Negotiable, commensurate with qualifications and experience. Outstanding benefits, including medical, dental and vision care, insurance, 401(k) and matching contributions.
When Available: Immediately
Employer's URL: www.sea-home.com
How to Apply: Send resume and cover letter to:
Chair, Department of Information Systems, University of Maryland Baltimore County (UMBC)
The Department of Information Systems invites applications for the position of Chair. The successful candidate will be an experienced leader and researcher with scholarly accomplishments that qualify for the rank of full professor. The new chair will lead a department with diverse research interests, help the Department become more visible in the national and international IS arena, relate effectively to all levels of personnel, and network effectively with public and private enterprises. Additionally, the Chair should possess an entrepreneurial spirit, actively promote our Department’s collective expertise to further increase our visibility on/off campus, and help lead and coordinate the possible expansion of our IS program to other sites.
Information Systems, which offers B.A., B.S., M.S., and Ph.D. degrees and certificate programs, plays a major role in educating a large proportion of the State of Maryland’s IT workforce. The IS Department has 24 full-time faculty members who excel in Decision & Knowledge Systems, Database Management, Human-Computer Interaction, IT Policy, Health Informatics, Networking & Telecommunications, and Systems Analysis & Design. There are 1300 undergraduate, 120 MS, and about 35 doctoral students majoring in IS. The IS Department has a strong commitment to further our research reputation. Laboratories in the IS Department include the User System Environment Research Laboratory, Laboratory for Healthcare Informatics, Performance Analysis Research Center, Laboratory for Knowledge Management, and Laboratory for Interactive Systems Design. A highly innovative, competency-based, distance education MS is planned for 2001 to meet the demands of companies and those that cannot attend traditional classes. UMBC is located on the Baltimore/Washington corridor and close to key Federal Government agencies.
This Department will be moving into a new building which will be completed by December 2002, with additional laboratory space, state of the art networking, a decision room, and a distance education laboratory. Expansion of our IS program is planned for Shady Grove/Montgomery County and possibly other parts of Maryland. The Technology Center, new Research Park, new Center for Entrepreneurship, and the top Chess team in the country at UMBC are major indicators for continued research, outreach, and excellence.
We welcome your statement of interest, curriculum vitae, and a list of 4-6 references. Kindly send to Dr. Jay Liebowitz, Department of Information Systems, UMBC, 1000 Hilltop Circle, Baltimore, Maryland 21250. Preference will be given to applications received by October 15, 2000. Applications from women and minorities are particularly encouraged.
Salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Starting date is expected to be July 1, 2001 or earlier. For more information, please contact www.ifsm.umbc.edu.
UMBC is an EO/AA Employer
Visiting Professor or Research Scientist, The Human-Computer Interaction Lab, University of Maryland College Park (UMCP)
The Human-Computer Interaction Lab (HCIL, http://www.cs.umd.edu/hcil) anticipates funding for a Visiting Professor or Research Scientist starting in late August 2000. We are looking for a professional (with Ph.D. degree) with strong human-computer interaction research skills, preferably with a computer science background. This position could lead to a permanent appointment in the Department of Computer Science, or other units.
This position is for someone that can work well in an interdisciplinary team. The successful candidate will be able to join existing projects, have ideas to start new projects, and write proposals for funding those projects. It does not necessarily require teaching, but candidates who could teach one or two HCI courses a year are preferable. The position has guaranteed funding for one year, with the strong possibility of continued funding.
Our current research areas include information visualization, visual interface design, embedded devices, digital libraries, children's technology, educational simulations, and bio-informatics visualization.
Applications will be considered until July 15, or until the position is filled. Please send your resume to:
If you have questions about the position, you may contact:
Research Scientist, Veridian/ERIM
International
Veridian/ERIM International, a
recognized world-wide leader in cutting edge technologies related to imaging
systems, information extraction, knowledge generation and dissemination, is
seeking a Research Scientist to work in our office in Chantilly, VA.
The responsibilities will include performing statistical data analysis for imagery evaluations, conducting algorithm validation for different scientific models, and leading one or more evaluation projects.
The successful candidate should have a current TS/SCI clearance. A Master’s degree is acceptable, but a Ph.D. is preferred. Relevant disciplines include, engineering/experimental/educational or I/O psychology, statistics, applied operations research, or applied mathematics.
Please visit our website at http://www.erim-int.com
Please
send resumes to:
Pbecker@erim-int.com or dougg@erim-int.com.
Mail to:
US Citizenship required. Veridian/ERIM International is an equal opportunity employer.
A Dead Engineer
An engineer dies and reports to the pearly gates. St. Peter checks his dossier and says, "Ah, you're an engineer--you're in the wrong place."
So the engineer reports to the gates of hell and is let in.
Pretty soon, the engineer gets dissatisfied with the level of comfort in hell, and starts designing and building
improvements. After a while, they've got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and the engineer is a pretty popular guy.
One day God calls Satan up on the telephone and says with a sneer, "So, how's it going down there in hell?"
Satan replies, "Hey, things are going great. We've got air conditioning and flush toilets and escalators, and there's no telling what this engineer is going to come up with next."
God replies, "What??? You've got an engineer? That's a mistake! He should never have gotten down there; send him up here."
Satan says, "No way. I like having an engineer on the staff, and I'm keeping him."
God says, "Send him back up here or I'll sue."
Satan laughs uproariously and answers, "Yeah, right. And just where are YOU going to get a lawyer?"
President
Doug Griffith
ERIM
Phone: (703) 803-0100, x4120
email:
dgriffith@erols.com
President-Elect
Dino Piccione
Federal Aviation Administratio
Phone: (202) 366-0128
email: dino.piccione@faa.gov
Past President
Jack Laveson
Integrated Systems Research
Phone: (703) 642-3677
email: j.l.laveson@ieee.org
Secretary
Cliff Baker
Carlow International Incorporated
Phone: (703) 208-3454
email: cliff@carlow.com
Secretary-Elect
Susan Evans
Susan Evans & Associates
Phone: (703) 281-1445
email: evanss@sea-home.com
Past Secretary
Don Weitzman
TRW Government Information Services
Phone: (202) 651-2280
email: don.ctr.weitzman@faa.gov
Treasurer
John Ruffner
DCS Corporation
Phone: (703) 683-8430 x243
Email: jruffner@dcscorp.com
Treasurer-Elect
Kris Knutson
National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke
Phone: (301) 435-6624
email: krisknut@msn.com
Past Treasurer
Dino Piccione
Federal Aviation Administration
Phone: (202) 366-0128
email: dino.piccione@faa.gov
dino.piccione@faa.gov
Directors-at-Large
Dennis Faust
Lockheed Martin Corporation
Phone: (301) 240-4278
email: dennis.faust@LMCO.com
Jimmie H. Johnson
Consultant
Phone: (703) 448-9035
email: jjohn72928@aol.com
Awards
Tyson Rose
IBM/ISSC
Phone: (301) 803-3378
email:ctrose@vnet.ibm.com
Membership/Directory
Kris Knutson
National Institute for Neurological Disorders
and Stroke
Phone: (301) 435-6624
email: krisknut@msn.com
Newsletter
Dick Horst
UserWorks, Inc.
Phone: (301) 431-0500
email: dhorst@userworks.com
Student Affairs
Vacant
Phone:
email:
Public Affairs/Corporate Membership
Vacant
Phone:
email:
Program
Vacant
Phone:
email:
WebMaster
Jack Laveson
Integrated Systems Research
Phone: (703) 642-3677
email: j.l.laveson@ieee.org
Local Arrangements
Vacant
Phone:
email:
Recent
Meetings:
March, 1999
Bob Ochsman, "Human Factors Management - A View from the
Manager's Perspective"
April,
1999
Lawrence Sklar, "Foundations of the Theory of
Machine Learning"
May, 1999
Tom Granda, "FHWA's Human Centered Systems Program at
THFRC"
June, 1999
Tour of National Airport tower/TRACON visit
September, 1999
Larry Schleifer, "Field Evaluation of Supplemental Work
Breaks"
October, 1999
Jake Pauls, "Safety of Stair Design"
December, 1999
Steve Corrie, "A Pilot's Perspective on Human Factors in
Automation"
February,
2000
Mike Fineberg, "A New Vision for CSERIAC: The Right
Information to the Right People at the Right Time"
July, 2000
Aliza Geretz, "America Online: Bringing Consumers into Product Development"
