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This module provides students with a thorough understanding of cognitive ergonomics and the way in which the consideration of cognitive ergonomics can impact on human performance in the workplace. A good understanding of the way in which individuals process, interpret, understand and communicate information can ensure that control devices, products, working conditions and systems are properly designed and implemented. 

This module covers the following topics:                                                                                       

• Cognitive psychology and ergonomics
• The human as an information processor: memory, attention, mental models and decision making
• Human workload
• Displays, controls, consoles and control rooms
• Automation and Artificial Intelligence
• Situation awareness
• Decision support systems, decision-making biases
• Situated cognition and joint cognitive systems

This module covers the following topics:                                                                                       

• cognitive psychology and ergonomics
• the human as an information processor: memory and attention, mental models
• human workload
• displays, controls, consoles and control rooms
• decision making, automation
• situation awareness
• problem-solving and artificial intelligence
• decision support systems, decision-making biases
• situated cognition and joint cognitive systems

This module aims to give a broad review of the measurement techniques which can be used in ergonomic analysis and evaluation of systems or products, together with an understanding of the need for experimental design and control in order to obtain valid and meaningful results. It also provides a theoretical basis for techniques which may be practised during laboratory work and exercises in other human factors modules.

The module covers:

• Introduction to experimental design; experimental controls; selection and recruitment of subjects; user trials; ethical considerations
• Observational methods: direct and indirect observation; recording techniques; measurement of behaviour; activity sampling
• Subjective measurements: ranking methods, rating scales, application in interviews and questionnaires
• Task analysis: task description; tabular and hierarchical task analysis; applications
• Introduction to SPSS
• Descriptive statistics
• Statistical analysis: Types of data; Normal distribution; Non-parametric tests; Parametric 2 samples tests, Correlation and regression, Chi Square, ANOVA

This module provides the knowledge and skills required to understand and utilise simulation as a tool for understanding peoples’ interactions with new technology.

The module uses case studies from a variety of research and training domains, equipping students with the ability to design and critically evaluate simulator-based research and training from a human-centred perspective. Students will visit our state-of-the-art simulation and VR facilities as part of this module.

Topics include:

• Factors important in human simulation design: fidelity, presence, immersion
• Validity and reliability of simulators in research and training
• Extended Reality technologies
• Negative effects of simulation
• Multimodal interactions and advanced human machine interfaces

This module develops professional and research skills including academic/technical writing, communication, critical literature reviewing, and project planning. The year-long nature of the module enables these developing skills to be applied to assessments in concurrent modules.

The module provides an important link to the PGT individual project by providing visits to research laboratories and time for specific project-relating training. Training in areas including statistics and data analysis, design of experiments and health and safety requirements and assessment will also be undertaken to equip students with the skills for their individual projects.

This modules aims to give an understanding of systems approaches to the design and analysis of effective and safe work, primarily in the context of industrial systems but also in relation to major projects, public and social systems and digital systems.

Particular attention will be paid to distributed (in time and space) systems and ones with elements of automated processes (all of which will have to interact with human and organisational elements at some point and time). The potential causes of accidents and of human error are explained, and an introduction given to methods of reporting and investigating accidents and techniques for analysing accidents and systems reliability which will lead to the design of safer organisations and work systems. 

Topics covered include:

• Risk and risk perception
• Risk assessment and management
• Accident models and accident causation
• Causes of human error
• Epidemiology, accident reporting and analysis
• Accident prevention
• Human reliability assessment
• Safety climate and culture
• Safety systems management

This module takes a human-centred design perspective on HCI, considering the overall human-computer system. A highly practical stance is taken and the module follows a typical user-centred design process, informed by weekly lectures and accompanying method-focussed group seminar sessions which develop students’ understanding of user requirements generation, design and evaluation.

Topics include:

• Introduction to HCI and the user-centred design process
• Usability and user experience
• Understanding and generating user requirements
• Context of use analysis
• Design guidelines, principles and initial sketching
• Low fidelity prototyping
• User and non-user-based approaches to interface testing 

This module aims to further develop students' skills in analysis and evaluation from a user-centred perspective. The module provides greater breadth in Human Factors/HCI methods by introducing techniques including predictive evaluation, psychophysical methods, verbal protocol analysis, qualitative approaches, eye tracking and physiological monitoring.

Students will learn about working as a Human Factors Engineer or HCI professional and will also cover the ethics of human factors research. 

Topics include:

• Working as a human factors engineer/HCI professional
• Predictive evaluation techniques
• Psychophysical methods
• Verbal protocol analysis
• Qualitative approaches and methodologies
• Eye-tracking and visual behaviour analysis
• Ethical considerations in human factors research
• Capturing and analysing human physiological data

This project involves students undertaking an original, independent, research study into an engineering or industrial topic appropriate to their specific MSc programme. The project should be carried out in a professional manner and may be undertaken on any topic which is relevant to the MSc programme, as agreed by the relevant Course Director and project supervisor.

The project has several aims, beyond reinforcing information and methodology presented in the taught modules; the student is expected to develop skills in research, investigation, planning, evaluation and oral and written communication.

Final reporting will take the form of a written account including a literature review and an account of the student's contribution. A presentation will be made to academic staff towards the end of the project.