ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the Future Inquiry workshop, including an example of its use in the Keeping Rail on Track research into organisational culture and work health and safety in the Australian rail industry. The Future Inquiry process occurs through a workshop which engages a large group of people who are representative of the community, industry or organisation, and also representative of the particular focus of the activity, that is, the inquiry. Participatory ergonomics has a relatively history in the domain of organisational change but has rapidly growing acceptance as the modus operandi for ergonomists and human factors professionals seeking effective interventions to improve the working environment. Planning is crucial to the success of a Future Inquiry workshop and requires detailed knowledge of the system concerned. Such change involved the incorporation of new technology into the workplace and the evaluation of those technologies: specifically, new computer systems, new infrastructure, new systems for managing rosters and fatigue at work.
