Human Error: Cause, Prediction, and Reduction

by John W. Senders, Neville P. Moray

This volume examines the nature of human error -- its causes and origins, its classifications, and the extent to which it is possible to predict and prevent errors and their impact. One of the first texts to deal with this topic in detail, it draws into a single cohesive account contributions from experts in a range of disciplines including psychology, philosophy, and engineering. Offering an insightful discussion of fundamental and necessary questions about the nature and source of human error, the book draws significant conclusions and identifies areas worthy of further exploration. This volume will be of interest to all who are concerned with the impact human error has on both the individual and society.

168 pages, Hardcover

First published March 1, 1991

Reviews

[Moayad · Rating 4 out of 5]

When someone is confused or does not know how to operate a product (lets say a bathroom sink) they tend to blame themselves for their lack of knowledge or experience, but they are seldom to blame for such a situation. Different catastrophic events, such as the 3 mile island, lead a team of researchers to investigate the origin of erroneous behavior and what can be done to mitigate or to completely avoid them. In their work, they provided multiple taxonomies of error based on factors such as their reasons, or the way they are handled. Furthermore, they recognized that some errors may be avoided by thoughtful design and providing proper feedback to users so they can understand the results of their actions and what can be done once the product enters an erroneous mode.

I have read different parts of this book and had not completed it, but I can honestly say that I have learned a lot from it and it gave me some interesting perspectives of designing with error in mind, not just for expected behavior.

I would certainly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in user experience in general, but those who deal with safety critical products and applications would benefit from it the most.