Information ergonomics

In this chapter a short definition of different areas of ergonomic is given. A consideration of the essential of work leads to the conclusion that in any case work means changing of information. The information flow therefore describes the involvement of the human operator in a working system. Under this point of view the fields of system ergonomics and their relationship to each other are described. Especially software ergonomics, information ergonomics, communication ergonomics and cognition ergonomics are defined. A further chapter threats the object of information ergonomics. It is shown that it must be distinguished between the application of the Cause Effect Principle and Probabilistic Methods. In order to develop improvements for the interaction between the human operator and the machine models of human information processing are to be applied. This leads to concrete design rules for the information flow within the man-machine-system.