Data
Effect of mental games as cognitive ergonomic intervention on subjective workload and objective productivity of call centre employees
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Author Silvia Ahmed Khattak, Laurence Clift and Michael Fray |
| Abstract Call centre work is tedious and stressful. The nature of call centre work lacks the flexibility to bring variety of tasks in a typical workflow of an employee’s work shift. The stringent time limitations on the call monitoring key performance indicators makes work challenging for employees. A previous study which highlighted the ergonomic problems that call centre employees face, led to further investigation in this area. This study was an intervention study which rose from the interest in finding ways to make the work of call centre employees more enjoyable to enhance employee wellbeing and efficiency. This study attempted to alter the design of the workflow of the employees by placing mental games (such as crosswords, jigsaw puzzles, hangman and board games) in the break areas of employees. Employees were encouraged to play the games in their breaks. Because this study was based on mental games as an intervention (not physical), and involved employee’s perceptions, hence its association with cognitive ergonomics. The game playing was kept within the entitled breaks, avoiding other times, to bring minimum disruption to the normal workflow. The aim of the study was to mentally engage employees in mental games rather than work related thoughts. It was assumed that this kind of short but enjoyable disengagement might reset the mind of the employee and enhance wellbeing when they reassume their work after the break. This wellbeing in turn might affect outcomes such as objective productivity and subjective workload. |
Safety Climate – Revealing the ‘X Factor’
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Author Stuart SHIRREFF and Andrew BAIRD |
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Normalising Deviance Within Industry: A Qualitative Analysis of Incident Reports
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Author Nejc Sedlar, Amy Irwin, Doug Martin & Ruby Roberts |
| Abstract Through the use of content analysis, incident reports were analysed from the normalisation of deviance perspective in order to identify underlying causes and core components of the phenomenon. Preliminary findings highlight the importance of various organisational factors (e.g. production pressure, leadership etc.) in the propagation and maintenance of deviance among operators. |
A Tool to Generate ‘HF Meaningfulness’ in the Design and Development of Armoured Fighting Vehicles
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Author David KEANE and Chris AVIS |
| Abstract The design and development of Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) at Lockheed Martin UK Ampthill (LMUKA) takes a Systems Engineering approach and incorporates many engineering disciplines. One of these is Human Factors (HF), which contributes to a number of other disciplines. To support this contribution and to generate ‘HF meaningfulness’ the LMUKA HF Team developed the Systems Engineering Comparison Technique (SECT). The SECT takes a User Centred Design (UCD) approach and incorporates the pairwise comparison technique developed by Thurstone (1927). The main aim of SECT is to take subjective scores and generate objective scores that can be used by Design Engineers and Engineering Leads for improving the design of AFVs. This is done by highlighting the design strengths and weaknesses, which are then fed into future design iterations. |
Novice and Experts Strategies for Understanding Complex Big Data
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Author Andreas REITER, Xianxu HOU, Genovefa KEFALIDOU, James GOULDING |
| Abstract Personal data is everywhere. Its complexity grows exponentially as more devices generate data. Understanding and making sense of complex data is fundamental as critical decisions may depend on its interpretation. In this lab-based observation study both novices and experts were exposed to complex medical information. The findings suggest that medical professionals employ different strategies from non-medics during sense-making and task completion. We discuss implications for designing new decision-making tools that support sense-making complex big data. |
Building risk matrices from interview transcripts utilising HCA and IPA
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Author Megan Field |
| Abstract This paper proposes a methodological guideline for analysing interview transcripts to aid in the construction of risk matrices. This is to allow for the tabulation of qualitative data in a suitable manner as to provide appropriate qualitatively informed recommendations. Using this methodology, a comprehensive and qualitatively supported table to register concerns, priority and/or urgency of themes is created that can address inter- and intra- actor factors in socio-technical systems. The analysis aims to communicate the in-depth, rich data of narrative inquiry in verbal protocols to more technical or quantitative domains. |
