For many,
ergonomics is limited to the design and use
of a tool or product.
But this discipline, still unknown,
includes many other aspects
of work and social life.
Since its creation in the mid-20th century,
ergonomics has evolved a lot.
It was necessary to capitalise on knowledge of this discipline.
Two professors from Lorraine and Picardy Universities
coordinated a book aimed at a wide audience
presenting 150 key concepts
with the latest ergonomics knowledge.
Ergonomics is a scientific discipline
relevant to work and daily life.
There are several ways to define it.
Ergonomics is good at two things:
dealing with questions, problems
related to health, well-being and safety at work.
And the issues of performance,
effectiveness, efficiency, satisfaction.
Ergonomics can be defined on an etymological level.
It comes from Ergon: work,
and Nomos: law.
It says something about the fact it can be defined
as the science of work.
The mainstream image tends
to be of an "ergonomic" table,
an "ergonomic" chair or armchair.
It's much more complicated. Ergonomists design
nuclear process control rooms,
are involved in the military,
in everyday products.
The coordinators naturally turned
to Véronique De Keyser, Professor Emeritus of Ergonomics,
Honorary Member of the European Parliament,
to comment on this work.
She has made a big contribution
to international development and recognition
of the discipline.
It is linked to the evolution of work, ergonomics.
Because it is the adaptation of work to people.
But this evolution has been dramatic.
When I started at the university, we didn't have a computer!
The encyclopaedia's virtue is that it covered everything.
But then, it's a bit of a maze, a bit of a labyrinth.
It is a kind of Bible.
And today we have not finished interpreting the Bible.
The interpretation of this book
deserves several dissertations or several doctorates.
I think.
But I really like it!
178 authors, both French and foreign,
specialists in the field,
contributed to writing these 150 concepts,
showing the knowledge and fields of action of ergonomics.
A large dose of high-level scientists was needed.
No discussion.
We wanted experts, individuals
who could be the best in their field.
So, first, scientific knowledge.
And we wanted practitioners,
all companies and ergonomics trends represented.
The latest years
have seen new issues emerge,
like teleworking, digital environments.
Research work is changing with new practices
that involve both the study
of real situations in the field and laboratories.
Ergonomics students propose work situations,
design work situations
based on the existing situation
but also on future uses of new systems.
The other part of ergonomics is evaluation.
This means asking participants,
potential clients of our web services,
to look for info on sites or services
and see whether or not people
find the info they want.
These are all indicators which allow us
to evaluate and modify,
so optimise the systems,
so they are adapted to the needs of the users.
Ergonomics researchers' and practitioners' work
is based on observations and exchanges made in the field.
Relationships with companies are essential.
Ergonomics is a discipline rooted in the field.
Born in and linked to work and industrial development.
That's the first thing.
But not the only thing.
At some point ergonomists also need to ratify, validate,
show the effectiveness of their theories, models
and methods.
Laboratory time is useful and necessary.
Ergonomic action is very often based
on social demands.
So we have companies or employee representatives
with difficulties who call in ergonomists
to deal with health and safety issues
and occupational risk agreements.
Collections of ergonomic concepts may exist,
but this is the first such complete encyclopaedic work.
A book like this
is knowledge to stabilise at a given time.
We know it will evolve.
There are concepts today
that were not present 20 years ago.
In 20 years, things will have changed again.
This book also contributes
to greater visibility of ergonomics
in societal issues.
There is teleworking,
which leads to new managerial methods,
new relations between colleagues,
which may, ultimately, lead to new risks.
Ergonomics can also help support
new forms of activity better.
Uberisation is changing
working conditions.
An encyclopaedic dictionary
is a kind of mirror of society.
Today, we are seeing the emergence of Industry 4.0
or sustainable development issues
which clearly did not exist 20 years ago,
there were no such concerns.