A project management issue of new technology developments: A case study on lack of human factors' attention in human–robot interaction

Knut R Fossum, Brit-Eli Danielsen, Wenche Aarseth, Stig Ole Johnsen
2018 Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers. Part O, Journal of risk and reliability  
The complexity of today's sociotechnical systems has prompted researchers and practitioners to advocate new holistic approaches to safety. However, many engineering standards, methods and processes for addressing technical, human and organizational factors do not fully reflect this. This paper investigates known project management challenges and how they can explain the lack of attention to human factors issues in the design and development of new technology. As such, the work contributes to a
more » ... esearch stream investigating why the human factors discipline is repeatedly marginalized in engineering projects. The paper reports on findings from a case study -a research and innovation project developing technology and concepts for human-robot collaboration. We conclude that a narrow focus in early project phases and insufficient information coordination contribute to marginalizing the role of human factors in the design and development of new technology.
doi:10.1177/1748006x17728601 fatcat:gov7gyidqfc6jbi4wli65kmgia