Driver Interface Group - U-M Human Factors Classes

Paul Green teaches 2 human factors/ergonomics courses for students at the University of Michigan and a Human Factors Short Course intended for Industry Professionals. In addition to the courses listed below, he has also developed and taught specialized short courses for several companies and professional organizations.

1. Human Factors Engineering Short Course (Co-leader with Dr. Christopher Wickens)

This course is the flagship continuing education course in the human factors profession, having been offered since 1961. The course is offered through the University of Michigan's Center for Professional Development, and is intended for practitioners and researchers in government and industry, both new to the profession and those with considerable professional accomplishments.

This course is offered during the first week in August, though the first few days may fall at the end of July. It is extremely intensive, running from 8:30 until 6 most days with some evening sessions and a half day on Saturday of the first week. The course provides both a broad overview of the topic (week 1) and covers information systems in depth (week 2). The course can be taken 1 week at a time. Enrollment is 60-100 students. More information on the course is available at the following URL: http://www.umich.edu/~driving/shortcourse/index.html.

2. Ergonomics Laboratory (Industrial and Operations Engineering 334)

This 1 credit course is companion to a 3 credit lecture course (IOE 333) taken by every undergraduate student in Industrial and Operations Engineering. The course is offered in both the fall (September-December) and winter (January-April) semesters. There are 4 sections of 16 students. The essence of the course are 5 experiments (lighting, response time to speedometers, sound, anthropometry, metabolic cost of work) each accompanied by a lab report. For more information contact the Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering.

3. Human Factors in Computer Systems (Industrial and Operations Engineering 436)

This 3 credit course is offered during the winter semester only. Enrollment is 40-50 students. The purpose of the course is to teach students how to design and evaluate computer systems to make the easy to use. The focus of the course is on controls, displays, GOMS analyses, rapid prototyping, and interface evaluation. There are roughly 6 major projects and no tests. For more information contact the Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering.

4. Automotive Human Factors (Industrial and Operations Engineering 491)

This new course is concerned with how to design motor vehicles to make them safe and easy to use, and is intended to prepare students to work for auto industry manufacturers and suppliers. Topics covered include human factors design standards and guidelines, driver demographics, rod design and traffic, crash statistics, crash investigation and reconstruction, crash injuries and biomechanics, how to conduct driving studies, driver interface design, vehicle dynamics, driver assistance systems, road roughness and ride quality, occupant packaging and driver anthropometry, and driver vision. For more information contact the Department of Industrial and Operations Engineering.


Other human factors courses taught at the University of Michigan include the following:

1. Ergonomics (Industrial and Operations Engineering 333)
2. Human Factors in Engineering Systems (Industrial and Operations Engineering 533)
3. Cognitive Ergonomics (Industrial and Operations Engineering 536)