Human factors-management: the key to success

The author outlines some important management concerns that determine the success of human-factors efforts. She identifies and discusses the issues involved in adding human factors to the design process. They are: scheduling; organizational roles; departmental independence; territoriality; project management; and communication. Also discussed are the need to ensure the availability of human resources at the right times for smooth product development, personnel organization (centralized versus distributed), management commitment and support, and startup.<>