Human Factors: Understanding People in Systems

Thomas Koester Human Factors Specialist, Force Technology / Noble Drilliing A/S

Human Factors: Understanding People in Systems
Since 2005, a shift in paradigm has taken place in the field of Human Factors. The models, concepts and methods developed before 2005 and used to describe and understand the human role in risk and safety are no longer capturing the complexity of what is happening within the systems as we understand them today. And the perspective on people in systems has changed, from being the weak link and responsible for the flaws and mistakes to being the glue binding the parts of the system together. This presentation will introduce and outline four principles or movements, which have changed the game in modern Human Factors and safety thinking: From linear to complex systems, from people being the weak link to being a capacity and resource, from preventing failure to reinforce success and from fixing people to fixing systems.

This is from the conference "Uncertainty Management - Risk Management in a Rapidly Changing World". Read about the conference themes here.

About the speaker:
Thomas Koester is the Senior Human Factors Specialist at FORCE Technology, working on assignment for Noble Drilling A/S. He is working with the development and implementation of the Human Factors based safety program Noble Peak, with development of methods in operational learning and with the integration of Human Factors in Noble’s organization. Thomas Koester has an academic background as MA in Psychology.