Ergonomics

Ergonomics is a term that has been used for various fields, such as in health prospects or in marketing division.  For some subjects, it has a very specific meaning.  For others, it practically covers everything under the sun.  With all this different verbiage flying at you, you are probably starting to wonder, “What is Ergonomics?”

First off, we start by learning the origin of the name ‘Ergonomics’.  This term derives from two Greek words, ergon means work and nomoi means natural laws.  Therefore, with the two words combined, a whole new meaning has been brought to life, which literally means the science of work and a person’s relationship to that work.

“Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data and methods to design in order to optimize human well-being and overall system performance.” – International Ergonomics Association (Source, Wikipedia)

Obviously the above statement is a tad bit much of a technical definition on ergonomics.  Save yourself the complexity and let’s keep things simple.  Ergonomics is basically the science of making things comfy.  Ultimately, it places a positive impact on efficiency in work.  In layman’s term, it is doing a job in a comfortable work station, sit in a comfortable chair, work for long hours without feeling tired, and able to produce a great result!