Human Factors in Complex Systems

A special issue of Systems (ISSN 2079-8954).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2018) | Viewed by 15487

Special Issue Editors

Department of Industrial Engineering and Management Systems, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816, USA
Interests: human systems integration; ergonomics and safety; complex systems; soft computing; neuroergonomics
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
President, Kern Technology Group LLC, Virginia Beach, Virginia, VA 23452, USA
Interests: measures of performance for human-systems; deterministic chaos and human performance; human-system integration
Department of Intelligent Mechanical Systems, Graduate School of Natural Science and Technology, Okayama University, Okayama 700-8530, Japan
Interests: ergonomics; safety management; cognitive engineering
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The discipline of human factors (HF) focuses on understanding of the nature of human-system interactions, viewed from a broad perspective of science, engineering, design, technology, and management of human-compatible systems. Such interactions should be considered in the context of complex system behaviours that may involve adaptation, emergence, self-organization, fractal similarity, as well as chaos and nonlinear dynamics. At present, more research is needed to improve our understanding of the effects of the above-mentioned phenomena on human perceptual, physical and cognitive performance when interacting with complex systems and technologies from engineering, physiological, behavioural, psychological, social, or neuroscience perspectives.

This Special Issue aims to explore a broad spectrum of research questions related to human factors in complex systems. In particular, this Special Issue will publish papers advancing the current state of knowledge regarding the essence of human and system complexity, as well as human-system interactions that may exhibit emergent properties, nonlinearity, and deterministic chaos in human performance and human-system behaviors. We invite papers for peer review that are related to theories, methodologies, and applications of the complexity paradigm in all aspects of human activity, including, but not limited to, social, cognitive, biomechanical, neurophysiological, sociotechnical, ecological, and environmental, as well as other relevant considerations of the human dimensions of complex systems:

  • Complexity in human and system behaviour
  • Human factors and complex adaptive systems
  • Human systems integration and the design process
  • Uncertainty of human-system interactions
  • Ergonomics and safety of complex service and technological systems
  • Emergent properties of human-systems behaviours
  • Nonlinearity and human-systems dynamics
  • Entropy and chaos in human performance
  • Modelling and simulation of complex human- systems interactions
  • Paradigms of human-centred and human-inspired design for complexity.
  • Management of organizational complexity.

Prof. Dr. Waldemar Karwowski
Guest Editor
Dr. David Kern
Prof. Dr. Atsuo Murata
Co-Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Complex adaptive systems
  • Human factors and human performance
  • Ergonomics and safety
  • System modelling and simulation
  • Measures of complexity
  • Organizational complexity

Published Papers (2 papers)

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16 pages, 1754 KiB  
Article
Close the Loop! System Dynamics Modelling in Service Design
by Eva Svirakova
Systems 2018, 6(4), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems6040041 - 23 Nov 2018
Viewed by 8399
Abstract
Service design is a thought process using creativity, empathy in responding to a customer’s need and rationality in an analysis of a recommended, innovative solution. In this paper, we propose a research methods system which enables designers to integrate design and systems thinking [...] Read more.
Service design is a thought process using creativity, empathy in responding to a customer’s need and rationality in an analysis of a recommended, innovative solution. In this paper, we propose a research methods system which enables designers to integrate design and systems thinking into a system dynamics model of a creative project. Based on these research methods, topics and problems can be detected, and solutions can be proposed. The communicative game “Close the Loop!” which uses elements of visual language, and modifies the Grounded Theory method and its three processes: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding. The aim of the game is to create a Causal Loop Diagram which expresses a dynamic hypothesis, a Stock and Flow Diagram, which solves the problem visually and follows the Causal Loop Diagram. The accuracy of this set of method is demonstrated by its application in a case study from the service area. The article is intended for researchers who endeavour to use research methods in order to improve their services and meet a customer’s requirements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Factors in Complex Systems)
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13 pages, 2240 KiB  
Article
Supporting Advances in Human-Systems Coordination through Simulation of Diverse, Distributed Expertise
by Megan Nyre-Yu and Barrett S. Caldwell
Systems 2018, 6(4), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems6040039 - 30 Oct 2018
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 5906
Abstract
Distributed expertise task environments represent a critical, but challenging, area of team performance. As teams work together to perform complex tasks, they share much information and expertise to efficiently and effectively coordinate activities. Information coordination and alignment is affected by many factors, including [...] Read more.
Distributed expertise task environments represent a critical, but challenging, area of team performance. As teams work together to perform complex tasks, they share much information and expertise to efficiently and effectively coordinate activities. Information coordination and alignment is affected by many factors, including communication styles and distributions of domain and interaction expertise. This study was part of a series of work performed in the authors’ lab to explore feasibility of using software simulation methods as a complement to other human factors methods to explore information alignment in teams. More specifically, this study aimed to operationalize specific parameters identified in group dynamics, management, and cognitive psychology literatures. Such research can provide an operationalized model that incorporates some of these key factors in information alignment and how these factors impact overall task performance of teams in complex environments. Simulation methods were applied to explore time-based performance outcomes. Model convergence and functionality were established through a series of model-based statistical analyses, which can be later validated with supplementary field studies. Results indicate that this style of simulation modeling is feasible, and provides directions for additional examination of factors affecting team configuration, process, and performance in complex systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Human Factors in Complex Systems)
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