Team ergonomics and human engineering methods for the design of collaborative work environments: A case study

Everyday, in both the workplace and the home, we see evidence of how human engineering has advanced software technologies. The advances in computer software were enabled through the application of standardized methodologies grounded in sound systems engineering. It is increasingly apparent that these methodologies have applications to domains other than Human Computer Interface (HCI) development. Specifically, the design of collaborative work environments benefits greatly from the application of human engineering processes. The Tactical Information GUI Engineering & Requirements Specification (TIGERS) methodology was developed to define, articulate, and integrate user requirements into tactical computer interface design (Wallace, Dawson, & Blaylock, 1995). This proven human engineering methodology has been applied to the redesign of the Naval Space Operations Center (NAVSPOC) at the Naval Space Command, in Dahlgren, Virginia (Wallace, Bohan, & White, 1996). This paper discusses the successful application of this human engineering method to the operations center domain.