Human factors integration with safety assurance on the man-machine interface

The user interface, or what is more readily known as the "man-machine interface" (MMI), is a fundamental part of any system. Unfortunately, it has been a common failing that the MMI is reviewed in isolation. Human factors (HF) advocates a wider remit - including such things as operational procedures, workforce cultures and norms as well as the tasks of the user. Encouragingly, the railway industry now embraces HF but there still remain many challenges in fully integrating this science into the safety assurance process.