Designing work and technology on human terms requires knowledge across a wide variety of subject areas and scientific disciplines. That is why a number of concepts have emerged to describe what this work entails and what it consists of. It can be valuable and useful for you to be aware of these concepts and how they relate to each other.
A list of concepts is provided below.

HTO (Human Technology Organization)

HTO has several different definitions. The following definition is the one that fits the context of this training course best:

The HTO concept is today a well-established unifying concept within the Swedish nuclear power industry (Strålsäkerhetsmyndigheten [Swedish Radiation Safety Authority], 2014). The concept was initially developed for improving nuclear power plant safety but has over time acquired a wider application. Today it includes an extensive range of aspects of interaction between the H (human), T (technology), and O (organizational) components in various operations and settings, and it is also related to systems performance and health issues, not only safety. By focusing on the interaction between the three major interdependent system components: Human, Technology and Organization, rather than on the elements themselves, the relationship with the Human Factors/Ergonomics system (HFE) becomes more obvious. Further, this indicates ongoing activities in a dynamic system, which implies that the relationship to well-functioning activities and organizational processes and systems performance as a whole is easy to detect.

Source: Karltun, A, Berglund, B, Karltun, J, Eklund, J. (2017). HTO – a complementary ergonomics perspective, Applied Ergonomics, 59, 182-190.

Human Factors

See the definition of Ergonomics. Human Factors and Ergonomics are considered to be synonyms.

Human Factors Engineering

There are several different definitions of Human Factors Engineering. The following definition is the one that fits the context of this training course best:

Human Factors Engineering is the application of Human Factors information to the design of tools, machines, systems, tasks, jobs, and environments for safe, comfortable, and effective human use.

Source: Human Factors Society Bulletin, Vol 34:11, Nov 1991, pp 1-4; article by Alphonse Chapanis “To Communicate the Human Factors Message, You Have to know What the Message Is and How to Communicate it”.

Ergonomics

Ergonomics and human factors are today used as synonyms, which is shown in the following definition by The International Ergonomics Association, 2000:

Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline concerned with the understanding of interactions among humans and other elements of a system, and the profession that applies theory, principles, data, and methods to design in order to optimise human well-being and overall systems performance.

The field of ergonomics is a broad one. It includes physical, cognitive, and organizational ergonomics:

Physical ergonomics is concerned with human anatomical, anthropometric, physiological, and biomechanical characteristics as they relate to physical activity.

Cognitive ergonomics is concerned with mental processes, such as perception, memory, reasoning, and motor response, as they affect interactions among humans and other elements of a system.

Organizational ergonomics is concerned with the optimization of sociotechnical systems, including their organizational structures, policies, and processes.

Read more at the International Ergonomics & Human Factors Association's website.

Work Science

Work Science is a concept that is broadly consistent with the definition of Ergonomics.

Work Science is a research field that includes analysis, design, and development of products, production systems, and work organization based on people’s physiological, psychological, social, and cultural conditions.

Work Organization

Work organization is a concept that is broadly consistent with the definition of Organizational Ergonomics.

Work Environment

The Swedish Work Environment Authority defines the work environment as follows:

The work environment encompasses all factors and relationships at work: technical, physical, organizational, social, work content, i.e. all factors that can affect health, well-being, and productivity for humans at work.

Read more at http://www.av.se/en

Human-Machine System

One definition of Human-Machine System from www. dbpedia.org, 2016 is:

A system in which the functions of a human operator (or a group of operators) and a machine are integrated. This term can also be used to emphasize the view of such a system as a single entity that interacts with external environment.

Human-Machine Interaction

According to the definition from www. dbpedia.org 2016, Human-Machine Interaction is:

… how humans interact with machines, and user interfaces.

OSH, Occupational Safety and Health or OHS, Occupational Health and Safety

OSH deals with all aspects of health and safety in the workplace and has a strong focus on primary prevention of hazards.