Effects of gender difference on emergency operation interface design in semiconductor industry

Abstract

This research investigates the effects of gender difference on emergency operation interface design through studying monitoring operations performed at emergency response center. An experiment is designed to test the performance differences between fifteen male and fifteen female college engineering students. The signal detection time, incident processing time, number of errors, and duration of experiment are dependant variables to measure the participants' performance. Statistical analysis indicates that no significant differences can be found between males' and females' performances except the number of errors. Female participants make more errors than male participants. A training program is suggested to help female workers familiar with the emergency operations. The research results provide evidences for adjusting current disaster prevention personnel recruitment policy and suggestions for further improvements of emergency operation interface design in semiconductor industry. © 2009 Springer Berlin Heidelberg.