Human Factors: Added Value to Retail Customers

This paper describes the role played by Human Factors in providing ergonomic added value to IBM customers in the retail point-of-sale area. Serving primarily in a consulting role, Human Factors assists the retail customer in the areas of cashier workstation analysis and redesign, field evaluation of equipment, employee training, on-line interface design, and education in other ergonomic-related topics. Human Factors expertise in task analysis, anthropometry, experimental design, and data analysis, combined with engineering tools such as computer-aided design, has proved to be much desired among retailers. The added value perceived by the retailer from the services and expertise provided by Human Factors is matched by the benefits perceived by Human Factors from its increased knowledge and experience in the retail area.