ERGOPOLIS: An ergonomics approach applied to a city

Abstract

Ergopolis defines itself as an idea for thinking and transforming the city from the understanding of its own complexity and the complex human activity in it. The city is a living social organism where social production and reproduction take place. It is a sociotechnical and human-technological system where transformations and adaptations occur. The current article aims to gather and present cognitive ergonomics approaches, ranging from anthropotechnology, macroergonomics, resilience engineering and situated economy as a feasible theoretical and methodological path to be used in the understanding of the urban problems related to health, safety, accessibility, usability, mobility, people comfort and environmental sustainability of the city. The city is a situated space through which people with distinct features, capabilities and limitations perform daily singular activities i.e. leisure, entertainment or work notwithstanding whether they have economic and/or profitable aims or not. © 2012 - IOS Press and the authors. All rights reserved.