Managing Ergonomics Course Projects in Operational Facilities So That Everyone Benefits

This paper presents methods of managing ergonomics course projects at operational facilities at the senior-level of an industrial engineering curriculum. Incorporating external projects into the course provides the students with an opportunity to apply the material that they have learned in class, as well as experience the issues related to applying the concepts in the “real world.” This paper discusses the benefits and challenges of conducting external projects. In particular, the methods of selecting projects, assigning groups, documenting progress, presenting results and assigning grades are discussed. Effectively managed projects can be a very beneficial learning experience for the student, as well as provide visibility for the university, department and discipline. In addition, experience has shown that the implementation of the recommendations made by the students can provide significant improvements for the participating companies.