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ELSEVIER International Journal of Industrial Ergonomics 16 (1995) 147-149

Industrial Ergonomics

Book reviews

Designing Usable Electronic Text, by Andrew Dillon. Taylor & Francis, London and New York, 1994. ISBN 0 7484 0112 1 (cloth); ISBN 0 7484 0113 X (paper).

Designing Usable Electron& Text is largely based on Dillon's working experiences at HUSAT Research Institute, Loughborough, UK. The book starts with a quote "To err is human, to forgive design".

The 195-page book has 10 chapters: 1. The reading proce.ss and electronic text 2. Electronic documents as usable artefacts 3. So what should we know? 4. Describing the reading process at an appro-

priate level 5. Classifying information into types: the con-

text of use 6. Capturing process data on reading 7. Information as a structured space 8. A framework for the design of electronic

texts 9. Assessing the frameworks in terms of validity

and utility 10. Designing usable electronic text: conclusions

and prospects The book's aim is to examine and describe the

reading process. It is philosophical in nature rather than engineering oriented; there are very few specific numerical recommendations or for- mulas. The book would be most useful for an advanced graduate course in human/computer interaction.

Stephan Konz Dept. of Industrial Engineering

Kansas State University Durland Hall

Manhattan, KS 66500 USA

0169-8141/95/$09.50 © 1995 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights SSDI 0 1 6 9 - 8 1 4 1 ( 9 5 ) 0 0 0 7 2 - 7

A Guide to Task Analysis, edited by B. Kirwan and L.K. Ainsworth. Taylor & Francis, London and New York. 425 pp.

Task analysis is central to the discipline and profession of ergonomics. Whether it is produc- tion or safety issue, the task analysis provides quantitative information to optimize the process. The usability of a product has a significant impact on design. Thus task analysis involving a product, e.g. tool or device, will have considerable value. For the foregoing reasons this book addresses one of the most significant aspects of human factors and ergonomics.

A Guide to Task Analysis is an edited book with contributions from a total of 36 ergonomists. This guide provides detailed description of 25 task analysis techniques covering the following areas: allocation of function, person specification, staffing and job organization, task and interface design, training, human reliability assessment, safety management, performance checking, and problem investigation. These techniques have been divided into five broad categories: (1) Task data collection methods, (2) Task description methods, (3) Task simulation methods, (4) Task behaviour assessment methods and (5) Task re- quirements evaluation methods. The techniques chosen and described vary in their sophistication ranging from direct observation to involved com- puter programs. Each of these have been de- scribed under the following headings: - Overview of the technique - Application - Description of the technique - Practical advice - Resources required - Links with other techniques - Advantages and disadvantages - References and further reading

reserved

148 Book reviews/International Journal of lndustrial Ergonomics 16 (1995) 147-149

The Guide is divided in three parts. The first part (Part I) deals with the task analysis process describing human factors application areas where task analysis is pertinent, issues deserving atten- tion, and appropriate techniques to address them. In Part II the book deals with the details of 25 specific techniques chosen. Finally, in Part III it presents ten case studies of real application in industry.

The document also provides suggestions on the selection of appropriate technique for the task in hand with a primary emphasis on perfor- mance and production goals in a cost sensitive manner. A unique feature of the Guide is that it provides information on flexible application of the task analysis techniques depending on the stage of a system from pre-planning stage to various stages of retrofitting.

The most valuable feature of this book for most practicing ergonomists is presented in Part III of the Guide. These are 10 case studies of actual applications of the task analysis techniques illustrating the results achieved. These case stud- ies are listed below:

1. Balancing automation and human action through task analysis.

2. Preliminary communications system. 3. Plant local panel review. 4. Staffing assessment for a local control room. 5. Simulation to predict operator work-load in a

command system. 6. Operator safety actions analysis. 7. Maintenance training. 8. A method for quantifying ultrasonic inspec-

tion effectiveness. 9. Operational safety review of a solid waste

storage plant. 10. Task analysis program for a large nuclear

chemical plant. In this, otherwise extensive Guide, little atten-

tion has been paid to the analysis of tasks from the point of load on the worker. Physical and physiological load, as we all know, has a signifi- cant impact on both productivity and safety. In our contemporary industrial society with no fault insurance the majority of occupational injuries and illnesses (well over 80%) are due to muscu- loskeletal problems. Inclusion of a chapter on this

vital topic would have further enhanced the Guide.

Finally this well organized, written, illustrated and edited book will be a valuable addition to any collection of ergonomics literature. Due to its pragmatic approach, it has the potential to prove a valuable resource to most industries, which the discipline of ergonomics sets out to serve.

Shrawan Kumar Book review editor

Principles and Practices of Disability Management in Industry, edited by Donald E. Shrey and Michel Lacerte. G.R. Press, Inc., Winterpark, FL, USA. $85.00.

The editors seek to address the "current need for a book that provides more specific informa- tion on the development of disability manage- ment programs, services, and interventions". Their comprehensive text combines historical and theoretical perspectives with a wide variety of practical guidance for all parties, including em- ployees, labor organizations, health professionals, and human resource managers. The interdisci- plinary approach of the book is evident in the spectrum of specialists who author chapters, in- cluding rehabilitation counselors, exercise physi- ologists, nurses, engineers, ergonomists, behav- ioral specialists, lawyers and physicians.

Section I (Worksite-based Disability Manage- ment Practice) offers an excellent framework for the clinical practice of disability management. Chapters 1 and 2 introduce key concepts, includ- ing the economics and epidemiology of disability. The general premise of this text is that disability is best managed when the following characteris- tics are included in program design: (1) Proactive systems (as opposed to reactive); (2) A commitment and emphasis on protecting

the employability of the worker; (3) A process that is consistent with current fed-

eral and state legislation in this arena (e.g., Americans with Disabilities Act, Family Med- ical Leave Act, etc.);

(4) A multidisciplinary approach;