This is HFN

Human Factors is the scientific discipline that investigates and produces knowledge concerning:

• Human physical, cognitive and psychological prerequisites in relation to the character of the task, technical requirements with respect to design, complexity, and organizational premises regarding resource allocation, organizational culture, methods, competence and leadership as well as following up and evaluating systems.
• The utilization of the knowledge about human capabilities and needs in design, implementation, deployment, operation and maintenance of products, systems (of humans, machines and organizations) in order to optimize system functionality as well as human wellbeing, health and safety.

Areas of Human Factors Applications

• Transportation area
  o Aviation
  o Ship industry and maritime safety
  o Automotive industry and traffic environments
  o Rail traffic
• Medicine and medical technology
• Information technology
• Process industry
• Manufacturing industry
• Design of complex systems
• Maintenance

HFN was founded in 1996 in order to create a network of national competence and stakeholders within the area of aviation-related Human-System Interaction together, having an increasingly dynamic and global aviation sector in mind, with a more sophisticated technology and organizational complexity. At that time the network was called the Swedish Centre for Human Factors in Aviation. In 2003 a decision was made to expand the network activities to include any organization with competence or need of knowledge within the field of Human Factors. The network was renamed HFN which stands for the Swedish Network for Human Factors.

HFN's basic idea

HFN strives for an open and active network that can contribute to improved system safety, system effectiveness and improved operator environments. This is achieved by collecting, producing and distributing relevant Human Factors knowledge within the HFN network, thereby taking advantage of existing resources among its members

The organization today
HFN is a network organization with its service unit at Linköping Institute of Technology (see below).

Member collegium
The member collegium elects the board and the scientific leader and decides on matters presented by the board. The collegium meets two or three times a year. Each member oganization has one vote. Single majority decision is applied.

HFN board
The board is administrating HFN in accordance with the rules decided by the Member Collegium. The board consists of seven members.

Program and scientific advisory board
The Program and scientific advisory board is a fora for discussions and preparations of material and activities for HFN.

Aim
The aim is to gather research and education efforts of Human Factors nation-wide and to offer that support to the members of the organization and to make them, as well as Swedish research in this area, competitive in an international perspective.

Network support
The purpose of the network support unit is to meet the needs of coordination and service from the different education and research institutions, civilian and military authorities as well as industry in the network. It can also coordinate and support relevant research among the members. Further, Linköping Institute of Technology can offer, together with the other participating universities of HFN, education of students and graduate students in order to satisfy the needs for competence support. Other tasks for the service unit is to

• arrange specific open courses with topics of special interest for the members, all at a high international level
• distribute research results and conference papers from the HFN activities via the HFN website
• regularly distribute information about ongoing as well as planned activities of interest for the members
  
• through various channels distribute information about HFN and its activities, both nationally and internationally.

Vision
The vision is to develop and maintain a leading position for the members of HFN, both as regards the competitiveness of industry and academic research results in Human Factors. This can be achieved through updating performance requirements in systems and through coordination at all stages, from education and research to product development and operational use.

HFN is open to membership for organizations presently active or planning to start activities within the field of competence of HFN. At present, the following industries, authorities, and universities are members of the HFN:

• Chalmers University of Technology. Product and Production Development
• Entry Point North
• LFV
• Linköping Institute of Technology. Quality Technology and Management division
• Linköping Institute of Technology. Media and Information Technology - MIT
• Lund University, Change@Work
• Lunds University/TFHS
• MTO Safety AB
• OKG AB
• Royal Institute of Technology. Indusriell management
• Saab Aeronautics
• Swedish Armed Forces
• The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration
• Swedish Radiation Safety Authority
• Swedish Transport Agency
• Swedish Transport Administration
• Uppsala universitet, Department of Information Technology

Contact for HFN membership: Martina Berglund, Head of operation.

*Size defined according to EU-definition. For further information, please contact HFN.

Uppdaterad: 2015-10-27