Sarawak Campus

Faculty of Engineering, Computing & Sciences

Higher Education Division

Unit of Study Outline

MEE 40005
Human Factors
(Semester 1 / Year 2016)

Page 1 of 7

Unit of Study Outline

MEE40005

Unit of study code

Human Factors

Unit of study name

1, 2016

Teaching Term/Semester & Year

Contact Hours (hrs/wk) or total contact
hours

5
100CPs

Prerequisites

N/A

Corequisites

12.5

Credit Points

Aims
This unit of study aims to introduce you to the fundamental principles of human factors, and to
develop an understanding of the nature and application of these principles to Human-Machine
Systems. Unit Learning Outcomes
Learning Outcomes
Students who successfully complete this Unit should be able to:
1. Appraise and interpret scientific literature associated with human factors.
2. Describe physical, cognitive and perceptual processes of human behaviour relating to
systems design.
3. Apply the fundamental principles of human factors to the evaluation and design of HumanMachine Systems.
4. Use physical and cognitive assessment tools that are applied in industry.
5. Appreciate the basic requirements of workplace health and safety legislation.
Content
Week
1
2
3
4
5, 6
7
8, 9
10
11
12
13
14

Topic
Introduction to subject
Human information processing: Visual sensory system
Human information processing: Auditory, tactile and vestibular system
Human information processing: Cognition
Human information processing: Decision making
Human information processing: Displays
Human information processing: Control
Engineering anthropometry and workplace design
Physical ergonomics: Biomechanics of work
Physical + cognitive ergonomics: Stress and workload;
Physical + cognitive ergonomics: Safety, accidents and human error
Discussion
Page 2 of 7

Tutorial and Lecture Venues:

Full details are given on the Blackboard or Allocate website for this unit of study.
Learning and Teaching Method
Class contact time will be comprised of lectures and tutorials. The lectures will introduce the
material for each week, and will provide a context of application in industry. In the tutorials, by
applying human-factors concepts to assignments or case studies, you can develop an
understanding of the finer details of the material introduced to you in the lectures. The aim of the
assignments or case studies is the exploration and application of human factors, with a focus on
the application and not the development of the perfect solution.
Prescribed Textbook
Wickens, Christopher; Lee, John; Liu, Yili; Gordon-Becker, Sallie (2004). An Introduction to Human
Factors Engineering (International Edition) 2nd Edition. Pearson Education International.
References
Tayyari, F., Smith, J.L., Occupational Ergonomics, Chapman and Hall, 1997.
Kroemer, K.H.E., Grandjean, E., Fitting the Task to the Human, Taylor and Francis, 1997.
Kroemer, K., Kroemer, H., Kroemer-Elbert, K., Ergonomics, Prentice-Hall, 1994.
Sanders, M.S., McCormick, E.J., Human Factors in Engineering Design, McGraw-Hill, 1993.
Wilson, J. R., and Corlett, E. N., Evaluation of Human Work, Taylor and Francis, 2nd ed, Taylor &
Francis
Phillips, C.A. Human Factors Engineering, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 2000.
Chaffin, D.B., G.B.J. Andersson and B.J. Martin. Occupational Biomechanics (3rd Edition) J. Wiley
& Sons, New York, NY 1999 (although any edition is suitable)
Swinburne Graduate Attributes:
Swinburne graduate attributes signify that the university intends that its teaching programs assist
all its graduates to be:
capable in their chosen professional, vocational or study areas;
entrepreneurial in contributing to innovation and development within their business, workplace
or community;
effective and ethical in work and community situations;
adaptable and able to manage change; and
aware of local and international environments in which they will be contributing (eg sociocultural, economic, natural).
Swinburne Engineering Competencies for this Unit of Study

This Unit of Study will contribute to you attaining the following Swinburne Engineering
Competencies:
K1 Basic Science: Proficiently applies concepts, theories and techniques of the relevant natural
and physical sciences.
K3 Discipline Specific: Proficiently applies advanced technical knowledge of the specific
discipline within that context.
K4 Emerging Disciplinary Trends: Interprets and applies current or emerging knowledge from
inside and outside the specific discipline.
K5 Practice Context: Discerns and appreciates the contextual factors affecting professional
engineering practice.
S1 Engineering Methods: Applies engineering methods in practical applications.
S2 Problem Solving: Systematically uses engineering methods in solving complex problems.
S3 Design: Systematically uses engineering methods in design.
A1 Ethics: Values the need for, and demonstrates, ethical conduct and professional
accountability.
A2 Communication: Demonstrates effective communication to professional and wider audiences.
Page 3 of 7

A4 Information Management: Demonstrates seeking, using, assessing and managing

information.
A6 Management of Self: Demonstrates self-management processes.
A7 Teamwork: Demonstrates effective team membership and team leadership.

Learning and Teaching Structure

3 hours lectures and 2 hours tutorial per week, 2 hours laboratory class every second week.
In a Semester, you should normally expect to spend, on average, twelve and a half hours of total
time (formal contact time plus independent study time) a week on a 12.5 credit point unit of study.
In a Term, you should normally expect to spend, on average, twenty five hours of total time (formal
contact time plus independent study time) a week on a 12.5 credit point unit of study.

Teaching Staff
Name

Role

Campus &
Room No.

Phone
No.

Email Address
achai@swinburne.edu.my

Consultation
Times

Dr. Almon Chai

Unit of Study
Convenor

E204

260663

TBA

Stefan Kho

Tutor

Research
Centre

TBA

TBA

Amy Nyau

Tutor

Research
Centre

TBA

TBA

Blackboard Site for this Unit of Study

Important information concerning this unit of study is placed on a website on the Swinburne course
management system (Blackboard), accessible via http://blackboard.swinburne.edu.my
It is your responsibility to access on a regular basis
the Blackboard site for your unit of study,
the Announcements section on Blackboard, and
any emails sent by the teaching staff to your email address via Blackboard.
It is your responsibility to ensure that your email address on Blackboard is set to your preferred
email address. To set your email address on Blackboard, go to this unit of study on
Blackboard, click on TOOLS > PERSONAL INFORMATION > EDIT PERSONAL
INFORMATION
Assessment
a. Assessment Task Details:

Assessment Task

Individual/ Group
Task

Weighting

Final Examination

Individual

60%

Essay (Case-study)

Individual

20%

Application Reports (Assignments)

Individual/Group

20%

Due Date

TBA

Page 4 of 7

c. Minimum requirements to pass this unit of study:

In order to achieve a pass in this unit of study, you must:
Minimum requirements
To pass this subject, you must achieve:
(a) At least 35% of the possible final marks for each Assessment Component worth 20% or more,
plus
(b) An aggregate mark for the subject of 50% or more, plus
(c) At least 35% in the final examination.
If you do not achieve at least 35% of the possible final marks for each Assessment Component,
you will receive a maximum of 44% as your mark for the subject concerned. Assessment
Components are those that carry a weighting of at least 20% of the total mark available.
d. Assessment criteria:
To be discussed in lectures and tutorials.
e. Submission of Case-study and Assignments:
Each submission must be accompanied by a Turnitin report (front-page) and overall similarity
must not exceed 15%. Plagiarised work will result in penalties.
f. Extensions and Late Submissions:
To maintain equity with other students, applications for extensions will not be granted. Assessable
material submitted after the due time and date will normally lose 20% of the allocated mark per day
or part thereof.
g. Availability of Assessment Results, Retention of Assessed Materials:
Assessed material will be returned to you, but you must retain all assessed material that
contributes to the final grade up until such time as the final grades are published. The assessed
material must, after a reasonable time, be produced on demand for review by the Convenor. Noncompliance with this requirement may result in loss of all credit for the assessed material not so
produced.
h. Groupwork Guidelines:
A group project is the collective responsibility of the entire group, and if one member is temporarily
unable to contribute, the group should be able to reallocate responsibilities to keep to schedule. In
the event of longer-term illness or other serious problems involving a member of a project group, it
is the responsibility of the other members to make the project supervisor aware of the situation
straight away.
Group project reports must be submitted with the project cover sheet, signed by all members of the
group.
All group members must be satisfied that the work has been correctly submitted. Any penalties for
late submission will apply to all group members, not just the person who submitted.
i. Swinburne University of Technologys definition of plagiarism:
Plagiarism is the action or practice of taking and submitting or presenting the thoughts, writings or
other work of someone else as though it is your own work. Plagiarism includes any of the following,
without full and appropriate acknowledgment to the original source(s):
(i) The use of the whole or part of a computer program written by another person;
Page 5 of 7

(ii) the use, in essays or other assessable work, of the whole or part of a written work from any
source including but not limited to a book, journal, newspaper article, set of lecture notes,
current or past students work, any other persons work, a website or database;
(iii) the paraphrasing of anothers work;
(iv) the use of musical composition, audio, visual, graphic and photographic models,
(v) The use of realia, that is objects, artefacts, costumes, models and the like.
Plagiarism also includes the preparation or production and submission or presentation of
assignments or other work in conjunction with another person or other people when that work
should be your own independent work. This remains plagiarism whether or not it is with the
knowledge or consent of the other person or people. It should be noted that Swinburne encourages
its students to talk to staff, fellow students and other people who may be able to contribute to a
students academic work but that where independent assignment is required, submitted or
presented work must be the students own.
Enabling plagiarism contributes to plagiarism and therefore will be treated as a form of plagiarism
by the University. Enabling plagiarism means allowing or otherwise assisting another student to
copy or otherwise plagiarise work by, for example, allowing access to a draft or completed
assignment or other work.
The information outlined in this section above is covered in more detail in Swinburne Sarawaks
Plagiarism Policy and Procedure. Students must be familiar with the Policy and Procedure, found
at http://www.swinburne.edu.my/docs/plagiarism_guide_sc.pdf
j. Assessment and Appeals Policy and Procedure
The information outlined in the Assessment sections above is covered in more detail in Swinburne
Sarawaks Assessment and Appeals Policy and Procedure. Students must be familiar with the
Policy and Procedure.
The Policy and Procedure provides details about:

Assessment issues such as the conduct of examinations, plagiarism policies and details
explaining how to apply for a review of results and other appeals, and

Student progress issues such as unsatisfactory academic progress and early intervention
procedures, and

Information for students with disabilities and special needs and procedures for applying for
special consideration.

Students should make themselves familiar with all aspects of the Policy and Procedure, as failure
to do so is not grounds for appeal.
Student Feedback:
Swinburne seeks student feedback in a number of ways, including through periodic Student
Feedback on Units and Student Feedback on Teaching surveys, as part of the universitys
approach to quality assurance and improvement. Possible improvement based on both student
and staff feedback is considered by Unit Convenors, Unit Panels made up of relevant teaching
staff, Program Panels, Faculty Academic Committees, and the Academic Programs Quality
Committee, as appropriate.
Safety Standards and Conduct Requirements:
The University executes safety drills without warning. Be prepared to follow instructions from staff
and/or wardens to evacuate the building in a safe and orderly manner.
All students are expected to respect the rights and sensibilities of their fellow students and
teaching staff. This also applies in respect of the content of video and audio work submitted for
Page 6 of 7

assessment. The University had implemented anti-discrimination and harassment policies and
procedures to promote a discrimination and harassment free work and study environment for all
staff and students. The University had implemented anti-discrimination and harassment policies
and procedures to promote a discrimination and harassment free work and study environment for
all staff and students.
Safety procedures in laboratories must be followed. For your own safety, bare feet, thongs and
other open sandals are forbidden. Eating, drinking or smoking in laboratories is not allowed. A
mature, sensible attitude and a healthy respect for the equipment is always required. Juvenile, illmannered or reckless behaviour will not be tolerated, and the laboratory supervisor has the right to
exclude students from the laboratory should their behaviour constitute a danger to themselves or
others. Such behaviour would result in forfeiture of all marks for that experiment. The playing of
computer games is not allowed in the computer labs.
Special Needs
If you have special needs you should advise your Faculty and the Unit of Study Convenor by the
end of the second week of the teaching period. In addition, you are recommended to notify the
Equity Office if you have not already done so.

Page 7 of 7