Simulation, human factors, and innovation in work system design

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Are productivity gains from new manufacturing approaches compromised by lack of attention to human factors? Are innovative production approaches safe for employees? While computer simulation technology is helping today's engineers develop tomorrow's workplaces, the technology rarely accounts for people's capabilities and limitations. This NSERC 'discovery' research program will develop new approaches for integrating the critical 'Human Factor' into factory design- using the latest in computer simulation technology. 'Human Factors Engineering' aims to use knowledge about people to improve the way we work for better productivity, and also for better employee safety and well being - a win-win proposition. The World Health Organisation reports that work-related ill health costs up to 4% of the world's gross domestic product. By including human traits, such our natural variations in performance time or how we fatigue over the day, into computer models it is possible to examine the 'match' between the proposed factory design and the human operators. This R&D program will develop and validate new simulation approaches to help design teams consider humans in their design work. Companies considering innovative concepts, such as lean parallel flow rather than serial line production, can use simulation to ensure they reach their intended goals without sacrificing their work-force. But what happens when gains in one department of the company lead to losses in another department? Here, simulations of the whole company, sometimes called 'Microworlds', can help managers examine the long term effects of their options - in just seconds. This is particularly helpful for managing the 'Human Factor' where the costs of poor design might emerge months or years after a manager has chosen a particular design. This program will adapt current simulation technology to help designers evaluate both human and productivity criteria in their designs, without the large costs of retrofitting or last-minute changes. Developing innovative workplaces that are highly productive and humanly sustainable is critical for Canada's future growth. Simulation technology can help reach this goal - if we develop its human side now.