ABSTRACT
Key requirements for system stability and sustainability are described together with the psychosocial principles needed to design human-centered organizations. Sustainability in human factors is discussed in relation to energy usage at home and battery electric vehicles. The HF principles underpinning the design of successful systems are described. The “human-centered organisation” tries to make optimum use of human resources by providing satisfying, meaningful work. Key requirements for successful job design are described. In order to investigate sustainable behavior in individuals and organizations, it is essential to collect data. Questionnaire surveys are one way of doing this and there is a detailed discussion of the principles for designing valid and reliable questionnaires. The statistical requirements for accurate surveys are also described and include sample size and sampling strategy; sampling method and postal versus computer-administered or online surveys. The main sources of bias in questionnaire surveys are described as are methods for avoiding them, such as tactics for maximizing response rates. A statistical treatment of nonresponse is given with advice for dealing with low response rates. There is a discussion of “big data” and the threats and opportunities it presents. The chapter ends with a discussion of some of the wider issues affecting HFE and its application. These include the aging workforce, global supply chains, and immigration. While HFE is put back in a “bigger box” during this discussion, the main drivers of human behavior that may either limit or promote sustainable behaviors are discussed in the context of temporal discounting.
