Human Factors

It's that time again - kids of all ages are going back to school. And it looks like I will be too!

Yes - that yearning to learn has bitten and I've decided to supplement my professional development by pursuing my doctorate in psychology. Specifically, the study of human factors.

What does that mean exactly? Well it turns out that psychologists are the people who are most interested in how man works with machine. Whether it's in manufacturing, like making the airplanes for Boeing or if it's in an office setting working with computers.

A small slice of this pie is the way that humans interact with the internet. And here in Wichita Kansas, at Wichita State University, there is a "usability lab" where research is done and people are tested while interacting with computers and the web.

Being the sort of person who loves learning about the internet and sharing what I've learned with others, human factors appeals to me greatly and it's something I'm sure that I'll be using when working with my clients to improve web performance.

If you want to know more about the WSU research in this area you can visit their website: UsabilityNews.org And stay tuned - I'll be sharing what I've learned as I progress through the program!