We welcome technical presentations, reports of case studies, techniques regarding the application of scientific knowledge and methodology in any ergonomics related topic or project. In particular, professionals working in industry, production, health care, and product development, are invited to share their experiences with scientific researchers.

Members of the Program Committees will review the proposals for papers or posters submitted. Those authors who are not familiar with the conventions for submitting a paper submission and paper structuring may look forward to receiving support and additional feedback, given by a group of dedicated ergonomists.

Both scientific papers and posters, technical case study papers, and application papers (or posters) will be presented at the Parallel Sessions.

Specials sessions comprise round tables, specials interactive sessions (hands-on activities) or others.

Round Table

A Round Table comprises a thematic discussion presented by the coordinator and a group of participants. The number of participants is limited to five including the coordinator. The session will last 90 minutes. The Organizing Committee may propose modifications in the themes and suggest the names of participants.

Special interactive sessions

The IEA 2012 Organizing Committee encourages alternative ways to present ergonomic developments, practical experiences, and the development and use of practical methods and techniques. Interactive specials are sessions with a high level of interaction between participants, hands-on activities (instead of sitting and listening), and active ways of learning by doing. A session may take up to 2,5 hours. The number of participants will be relatively low (maximum 12-25).

Examples of Special interactive sessions are:

• building and reviewing a mock-up (full size model);
• working with 3D-CAD drawing programs;
• experiencing the world as a person with impaired vision does;
• reviewing drawings of civil buildings;
• graphics display (re)design, ergonomics of web design;
• master classes.

A workshop is a brief intensive course emphasizing interaction and exchange of information among a small number of participants. The audience is encouraged to participate in a more in-depth discussion. Therefore, workshops have a more practical aspect requiring the facilitator to have an open dialogue, to involve participants and to encourage discussion. During workshops there are, usually, focused themes, panels, and a plenary and multimedia resources are used.

A symposium consists of one or several sessions on a specific theme, either scientific, technical or a mix of both. It focuses on a specific field of interest. They may consist of any combination of Scientific papers, Technical papers or Specials. A moderator takes the initiative for such a symposium, convenes it, and is responsible for programming it as well as the review process. Early organization is crucial.

Therefore, individuals, organizations, technical groups, committees, and societies are encouraged to start planning and communicating ideas with each other as soon as possible and to communicate these with the Program Chair (program@iea2012.org, chair@iea2012.org).

Proposals shall describe the theme, objectives, name of moderator, and the expected number of papers or the length of the program. If possible, titles and authors of individual presentations should be specified. Examples of symposia in specific fields of interest are:

• Hospital Ergonomics;
• Ergonomics in the built environment;
• Ergonomics in schools;
• Interaction Software
• Ergonomic design for a sustainable future.

Human Factors Professionals working in applied ergonomics projects are invited to submit case study papers. The professional may be a member of the human factors/ergonomics area within a company, consulting or engineering companies, or research institutes working in real work situations.

The value of case studies

Company Case Studies will be a new feature of the IEA-World Congress. The congress gives you an opportunity to show results of applied Human Factors Engineering Projects. The aim is to learn from practical experiences, give feed back to researchers on applicability of theories, methods and techniques, and last but not least, to market ergonomics.
Practitioners evaluating work situations, designing work and implementing design solutions may develop best practices. Best practices deserve a place within the theoretical framework of system ergonomics. By presenting case studies we hope to identify most relevant (engineering) issues that need to be studied by the ergonomics community.

Format

The format will be 90 minute sessions, including 4 x 15 minutes presentations and subsequent discussion. At the end of the series a summary of all cases will be given and general conclusions drawn.

Invitation

Submitting a proposal, your case study needs to meet two requirements: 1) Case is (largely) based on a systems ergonomics approach, and 2) the case description needs to comply with the following fixed format.

• Project scope (short description, level of investment, relative importance of Human Factors contribution to the full project);
• Project organization, in particular the role of the Human Factors Professional(s);
• Human Factors topics covered;
• Project phases, in particular regarding system ergonomics design steps;
• Lessons learned.

The fixed format will enable comparisons over several case studies.

• Send a short e-mail message asap to the session moderator (ruud.pikaar@ergos.nl) to show your interest in Company Case Studies;
• Submit your maximum 800 words Abstract to the Congress (following the formal procedures) as well as directly to the session moderator ruud.pikaar@ergos.nl (your deadline for abstract submission: 30th June 2011);
• Feedback and notification of acceptance will be given latest: 31th August 2011;
• Full paper submission (your deadline: 1st October 2011);
• Feed back on full paper within 2 weeks after submission.

It is explicitly our goal to assist you in formatting and writing a case study according to a unique and recognizable format.

Background material and examples of case studies can be found in "New Challenges: Ergonomics in Engineering Projects", published as a result of the IEA2006 Congress in "Meeting Diversity in Ergonomics" (edited by Pikaar, Koningsveld, Settels; Amsterdam, Elsevier). A copy of this text can be requested by sending an e-mail to the session moderator (ruud.pikaar@ergos.nl).

• The usable area for the poster is 115 cm (height) and 75 cm (width).
• Your poster should be mounted by yourself five minutes before the time scheduled for the presentation. Pins/tacks will be available on the poster board. The posters must be taken down by the author immediately after his or her presentation, thus freeing the space for the next presentation.
• The Organizing Committee is not responsible for posters that were not collected by authors after the presentation.
• It is recommended that the author(s) be present at the time the poster is on display in order to answer any questions.

• All presenters should introduce themselves to the session coordinator five minutes before the session begins.
• The time of a presentation is limited to 15 minutes per presentation and five minutes for questions. The criteria for the five minutes questioning may be determined after each presentation or by forming a group panel with the presenters at the end of the session at the discretion of the coordinator.
• The session coordinator should introduce the presenters and will signal five and one minute warnings prior to the finish of the presentation. The total of twenty minutes per session cannot be extended and the session coordinator must stop the presentation precisely after 20 minutes in order to guarantee the order of the sessions runs on time.
• In the absence of the presenter, the time remaining must be shared with other presentations or incorporated in the time of the final discussion, at the discretion of the session coordinator.
• Presenters can use the Speakers’ Room with computer access as needed.
• Please bring your presentation on a pen drive or CD or similar to the Speakers' Room at the latest two hours before your session starts. All audiovisuals are to be presented in a computer generated format. Overheads and personal laptops are not permitted. If you have questions or if you require additional information, please contact secretary@iea2012.org.

Please go to the Submission page for instructions.