Emergence and evolution of ergonomics as a discipline: Reflections on the school of human factors and the school of ergonomics of the activity

Abstract

Ergonomics is now considered a consolidated scientific discipline that is continually expanding globally. This current scenario is the result of different visions that have permeated the evolution of ergonomics. This article presents a historical overview of ergonomics as a discipline considering human factors and the activity-oriented ergonomics schools. The origins of these two schools of thought on ergonomics and their underlying paradigms are presented, and a comparison between them is made. The reflections presented in the article on ergonomics are based on the idea that progress is built on differences and diversity. The authors of this article support the idea of approaching ergonomics as a single discipline, recognizing the convergence and complementarity between the two schools. Beyond the existing differences, ergonomics’ practice should be focused on the design of human-centered work systems. It is hoped that the reflections made in this article will enable professionals in ergonomics and other related disciplines to understand how to approach human at work to transform working conditions positively.