Assignment #2

This assignment requires that you consider a system, process, or product. This entity could be
related to the industrial or service sector, a leisure/home activity, or even to a job related
experience that you may have had (for example, from an internship).

The assignment involves applying the topic of Task Analysis, other human factors and
ergonomics knowledge in this course or elsewhere, or other relevant industrial and systems
engineering knowledge to analyze the entity in terms of issues that may exist during human
interaction with it, and ways to improve it. The problem you choose should have sufficient
complexity to warrant the need for an analysis that can identify potential issues and a basis for
improvement.

Some examples of systems, processes, or products are:

 A health system such as a pediatric intensive care unit, a radiological facility, a robotic
surgery system (the robot, physicians, and other medical team members comprise the
system), or applications within these systems such as a scheduling or billing system or an
incident reporting system.

 A transportation system such as a metro rail system, a hybrid autonomous bus and light
rail system, a current or proposed high speed rail system, or an autonomous driver
system (a large group of autonomous vehicles capable of communicating with one
another in some area). Even if such a system is not yet in operation, an analysis can be
performed on a proposed system.

 A financial system such as an intelligence-based trading system or a virtual financial

transaction or payment system.

 An advanced production control system, manufacturing (e.g., nanotechnology) process,

or a virtual assembly process.

 A cybersecurity system for protecting an organization’s sensitive data.

 An amusement park or smaller-scale entertainment system.

 A reusable, clean energy producing system such as a wind farm that uses wind power.

 A spaced-based system comprising tasks which may be performed on the international

space station, a space-based operation such as clean-up of potentially hazardous space
debris, or remote planetary exploration.

 A technologically-advanced hotel suite or room.

 An advanced wearable product such as Google Glass.

  An augmented or virtual reality system designed to provide training or instruction, or
other functions.

 A complex kitchen appliance.

 A technology-based product for managing pets.

 An advanced home workout system (for exercise).

 A remote classroom instruction system for elementary school students.

For whatever system, process, or product you choose to select, the objective is to perform a task
analysis, combined with a “human” failure mode and effects analysis that can identify potential
human factors and ergonomics issues. This analysis should serve as a basis for potential
improvements to the system, process, or product from the standpoints of system performance,
safety, usability, and other human factors and ergonomics considerations.

Specifically, you should perform a hierarchical task analysis (HTA) that should consist of two
interrelated components (refer to Topic 6):

1. A graphical representation of the HTA.

2. A corresponding tabular component (the “human” failure modes and effects analysis) that
is linked to the HTA, which provides insight into the HTA steps or components.

The HTA should correspond to the aspects of a human’s (or team’s) interaction with the system
or process that you are examining by providing a suitably labeled/numbered graphical
representation of the HTA. You should also provide a corresponding representation of your
graphical HTA in a tabular format that can provide important insights, such as concerns for
safety or productivity, human performance failures, or any other issues that you can think of that
might be meaningful, and which can serve as a basis for suggested design improvements.

You can create any types of columns that you feel are useful for the tabular format; they need not
replicate what was presented in class/lecture notes. It can be customized to your problem.
Your write-up should contain the following:

1. An introduction that describes the system, process, or product that you have chosen for
analysis, including its basic purpose and features.

2. You should note the basis (i.e., underlying motivation) for performing the task analysis.

3. The next section in your write-up should note the main findings from your analysis,
which should summarize your findings from your HTA and corresponding tabular
analysis of the system, process, or product.

4. Finally, you should note recommendations for redesign or improvement which could
benefit either the human or team that must interact with the system or product or
performance of the overall process or system. If necessary, you can include references.