About the Author
Steven Shorrock is an interdisciplinary humanistic, systems and design practitioner interested in human work from multiple perspectives.
Chartered Psychologist (CPsychol) & Chartered Ergonomist and Human Factors Specialist (CErgHF)
Tag Archives: work
Proxies for Work-as-Done: 1. Work-as-Imagined
In this seres of short posts, I outline briefly some proxies for Work-as-Done. Continue reading
Posted in Human Factors/Ergonomics, Safety, Systems Thinking
Tagged work, work-as-done, work-as-imagined
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Ten Contextual Conversations
All human activity, along with associated emergent problematic situations and opportunities, is embedded in context. The ‘context’ is, however, a a melange of different contexts. An approach that I have found useful is to spend time considering contextual influences (e.g., on decision making, at multiple levels of organisations) on problematic situations or potential solutions, more explicitly. Continue reading
Posted in Human Factors/Ergonomics, Safety, Systems Thinking
Tagged context, human factors, opportunities, problems, systems safety, Systems Thinking, work
1 Comment
Learning About Aviation Work in a Pandemic
Everyday work in aviation COVID-19 pandemic has been affected almost beyond recognition, and with it how we feel about work and the future. So what might we learn about work from the perspectives of two front-line professions: air traffic controllers and professional pilots? Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Human Factors/Ergonomics, Mental Health, Safety
Tagged aviation, COVID-19, learning, Mental Health, safety, work, work-as-done
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Learning About Healthcare Work in a Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has had one of the biggest effects on work-as-done in healthcare in living memory. So what might we learn about work from the perspectives of frontline workers? I asked a variety of practitioners to give a short … Continue reading
Posted in Human Factors/Ergonomics, Safety, Systems Thinking
Tagged change, COVID-19, learning, work, work-as-done, work-as-imagined, work-as-prescribed
1 Comment
The Organisational Homelessness of ‘Human Factors’
In this post, I outline four common homes for HF/E within organisations, drawing on personal experience in each of the four organisational divisions in different organisations. I conclude with some of the implications of organisational homelessness. Continue reading
Posted in Human Factors/Ergonomics, Systems Thinking
Tagged ergonomics, human factors, organisations, silos, Systems Thinking, work
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Reflections from the edge
I have ‘worked on work’ for my whole professional career. For the majority of that time, I have worked primarily in aviation. Unlike many in the industry my primary interest is not in aviation, any more than it is in … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Humanistic Psychology, Systems Thinking
Tagged ethnography, observing, work, work-as-done
1 Comment
‘Human Factors’ and ‘Human Performance’: What’s the difference?
The term ‘Human Performance’ (and ‘Human and Organisational Performance’ (or HOP) has become increasingly common in recent years in a number of industries, especially those with a safety focus. It is often associated with ‘Human Factors’, or even used as … Continue reading
Posted in Human Factors/Ergonomics, Safety, Systems Thinking
Tagged behaviour, design, discipline, ergonomics, human factors, human performance, practice, profession, science, work
5 Comments
System Safety: Seven Friends of Explanation
In this short series, I highlight seven foes and seven friends of system safety, both for explanation and intervention. Each is a concept, meme, or device used in thinking, language, and intervention (reinforced by more fundamental foes that act as barriers … Continue reading
Posted in Human Factors/Ergonomics, Safety, Systems Thinking
Tagged ABCD, adjustments, assets, degraded system, goal conflicts, human performance, interactions, local rationality, patterns, performance adjustments, performance variability, Systems Thinking, trade-offs, work, work-as-done
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HindSight 28 on Change is out now!
HindSight Issue 28 is now available in print and online at SKYbrary and on the EUROCONTROL website. You can download the full issue, and individual articles. HindSight magazine is free and published twice a year, reaching tens of thousands of readers in aviation and other sectors worldwide. Continue reading
Posted in Human Factors/Ergonomics, Safety, Systems Thinking
Tagged ATC, aviation, change, community, counselling, hindsight, justculture, psychotherapy, shipping, technology, work
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