Observations Between Quantitative and Qualitative Methods: Shared Contributions from an Ergonomist and an Occupational Psychologist

Abstract

Dialogue between the activity clinic approach in occupational psychology and the activity ergonomics is part of the common history of our disciplines. We suggest going on feeding it with our singular cross-eyes with the reciprocal objective of deepening, at this stage of our debates, the questions of actions that drive us on how to define observation, its goals, the place it takes in the intervention, modalities, contributions sought for the various actors in the organization of work and its stakes in terms of transformations, efficiency and health at work. Observation is a common method in both our approaches, which are known to place their interventions and research in the co-construction of methodological frameworks with the relevant actors. We will draw attention to the relevance of using quantitative methods and tools to improve preventing problems such as musculoskeletal disorders.