How we can support you in taking a Human Factors approach to improvement in healthcare

What is Human Factors?

Human Factors is a scientific discipline which is concerned with the interactions between people and the system they interact with. System elements include: other people, equipment, environments, tasks and organisations. 

Human Factors Specialists apply theory, principles, data and methods to design systems that enhance both human wellbeing and system performance. As a bridging discipline, Human Factors integrates knowledge from fields such as anatomy and physiology, psychology and engineering. 

It ensures that systems are designed to align with human strengths and capabilities while minimising the impact of limitations.

When applied effectively, Human Factors enables people to perform tasks safely and efficiently. Conversely, poor Human Factors design—or its absence—can increase the likelihood of errors, compromising both safety and performance.

 

HF diagram

 

Examples of Human Factors tools that can be used on a project

 Hierarchical Task Analysis (HTA)
  Supports the mapping and breakdown of care pathways, providing a structured understanding of task sequences and interdependencies.
 Functional Resonance Analysis Method (FRAM)
 Used to capture and analyse system variability, highlighting how different conditions and contexts influence outcomes.
 Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety (SEIPS)
  Applied throughout the project to comprehensively model the work system, including people, tasks, tools, and environments.
 Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA)
  Facilitates proactive risk assessment by identifying potential failure points and their impacts within the system.
 AcciMap
  A powerful tool for system-level modeling, capturing the complex interactions between organizational factors, processes, and outcomes.
 Usability testing
  Conducted if user interface challenges are identified, ensuring the design supports intuitive and error-free interactions.
 Cognitive Task Analysis (CTA)
  Employed for complex or cognitively demanding tasks, such as prescribing, where understanding user decision-making is critical.

 

Health Innovation East Midlands’ in-house expertise can support healthcare teams, innovators and researchers to take a human factors approach to their improvement activity.

Human factors can help improve healthcare safety, efficiency, and experience. It’s a science-based approach that considers how people interact with systems, environments, and processes. By understanding these interactions, we help healthcare teams identify risks, reduce harm, and create sustainable improvements.

Recent examples of our work include:

  • Supporting innovators with user experienced design.
  • Helping healthcare service to better understand their systems and design improvements .
  • Developing personas to facilitate pathway improvement.
  • Reviewing how processes are applied in a real work environment.
  • Supporting evaluation of artificial intelligence used in diagnostic imaging.

If you would like to know more about the Human Factors support that HIEM provides, please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to arrange a call.