The PDMA Handbook of New Product Development

26.3. What Value Does Human Factors Engineering Add? What's in it for Me?

NOTE

Human factors engineering equals good economics.

HFE will save your company money. As you look at elements in the product life cycle, HFE not only reduces product development costs, use of HFE has been shown to reduce costs associated with customer service elements of the product life cycle.

Usability and safety leads to user acceptance and a preferred product. Effective use also leads to efficiency and increased productivity, job satisfaction, and improved quality of life. This leads to a competitive advantage, enhanced reputation, and loyal customers. Implementing a human factors engineering program early in the product development cycle, rather than during validation, reduces overall product development costs and time to market. It is much easier and faster to make revisions early in the design cycle rather than after the product is manufactured.

Human factors engineering addresses the safe, effective, and economical use of products. The objective of HFE is to minimize, with the goal of eliminating, use errors that not only impact product performance, but may also lead to injuries or death. By striving to achieve this goal, future company resources for reporting, follow-up, interacting with customers, recalls, and liability expenses are reduced.

All these benefits equate to reduced expenditures and increased sales.