Ergonomics in the design and evaluation of a system for "postal video letter coding"

In co-operation with the German Central Post Office for Technological Development, the authors designed and investigated the task of and workplace for "Postal video-letter-coding". Experiments including measures of performance, errors, heart rate, arrhythmia, EMG's, and EOG's were used to experiment with variations in the design of displays, codes, keyboards, shifts and rest pauses. As a result of this work the following recommendations have been made by the authors and accepted by the authorities: An optimal display configuration has been developed with two vertically arranged tv displays. Coding-rules are to be simplified by modifications of the postcode. The usual flat keyboard has been replaced by an inclined and angular keyboard. Night-shifts must be avoided because of the tedious nature of the task. A work-rest-schedule of 50 min work and 10 min rest is proposed. In 1978 the complete work-system-design will be introduced in the standard postal service.