The Relationship of Working Posture to Performance in a Data Entry Task.
Authors
Swanson-NG; Sauter-SL
Source
Human-Computer Interaction: Applications and Case Studies, Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Orlando, Florida, August 8-13, 1993. Smith MJ, Salvendy G, eds. Amsterdam: Elsevier, 1993 Aug; 1:994-998
Abstract
The relationships among fatigue inducing postures, fatigued postures, frequency of fidgets and work performance were assessed to determine if work performance was related to work posture. The performance, postures and fidgets of 32 female video display terminal data entry operators was observed for 400 minutes (min). Work periods consisted of four 100min periods with two periods in the morning and two in the afternoon. The operators entered numeric data from bogus tax forms using the numeric keypad of a computer. Observations were recorded on videotape during 25min of each 100min work period on the third day of the test period. Postures resulting from fatigue and considered to be fatigue inducing were identified. A significant decline in performance was observed as the work periods progressed, accompanied by a significant increase in the number of fidgets and posture changes in the fourth period. Time spent in fatigue inducing postures did not significantly increase between the first and last periods, although time spent in a fatigued posture did increase significantly in the fourth period. The number of posture changes per day was significantly related to reduced work performance. Performance decreased with increasing number of fidgets per day, but not significantly. Performance was not affected by time spent per day in fatigue inducing postures. There was a significant association between lower performance and time spent in fatigued postures. The authors conclude that poor, fatigue inducing posture is not related to performance levels, but that fatigued posture and decreased work performance are a result of increasing fatigue over the course of a workday.
Keywords
Video-display-terminals; Data-processing; Repetitive-work; Work-performance; Ergonomics; Musculoskeletal-system; Body-mechanics; Keyboard-operators
Document Type
Conference/Symposia Proceedings
Editors
Smith-MJ; Salvendy-G
Priority Area
Musculoskeletal-system-disorders
Source Name
Human-Computer Interaction: Applications and Case Studies, Proceedings of the Fifth International Conference on Human-Computer Interaction, Orlando, Florida, August 8-13, 1993
