Course overview
People do not perform in the abstract; they perform within workplaces, interfaces, and tasks that either support them or work against them. Human factors engineering studies how humans interact with systems and environments, and applies that understanding to design out error, strain, and risk. When a task is designed around human capabilities and limits, performance rises and mistakes fall.
This course covers human factors and workplace design across the physical and the cognitive. It runs from the fundamentals through ergonomics and physical design, cognitive human factors, workplace safety and risk reduction, digital and future workplaces, sustainable and inclusive design, and applying it all in practice. It is built for safety, engineering, HR, and design professionals who want workplaces that fit the people in them.
Why this matters
Poorly designed work causes injury, fatigue, and error, and these are expensive in compensation, lost time, and accidents. Many incidents blamed on human error are really design failures: the system made the mistake easy and the safe action hard.
Human factors matters because designing for real human capabilities is one of the most effective ways to improve both safety and productivity. It treats error as something to design against rather than simply to punish. This course builds the understanding to apply that thinking to tasks, tools, and environments.
What you will be able to do afterwards
By the end of the course, participants should be able to:
- Explain human factors engineering and its value.
- Apply ergonomic principles to physical workplace design.
- Account for cognitive factors in task and interface design.
- Use human factors to reduce workplace risk and error.
- Apply inclusive and sustainable design thinking.
Course outline
Unit 1: Introduction to human factors engineering
The course opens with the discipline and its scope.
- What human factors and ergonomics are.
- How people interact with systems.
- Designing for human capabilities and limits.
- Documented examples of human factors at work.
Unit 2: Ergonomics and physical workplace design
This unit covers the physical fit of work.
- Anthropometry and workstation design.
- Posture, movement, and manual handling.
- Reducing musculoskeletal risk.
- Designing comfortable, effective workspaces.
Unit 3: Cognitive human factors
This unit covers the mental side of work.
- Attention, memory, and workload.
- Designing interfaces and displays.
- Reducing the chance of human error.
- Decision-making under pressure.
Unit 4: Workplace safety and risk reduction
This unit covers designing for safety.
- Human factors in safety and incidents.
- Error-tolerant and fail-safe design.
- Linking design to risk assessment.
- Building safety into the workplace.
Unit 5: Digital and future workplace design
This unit covers changing ways of working.
- Human factors in digital systems.
- Automation and the human role.
- Remote and hybrid work design.
- Emerging technologies and their fit.
Unit 6: Sustainable and inclusive design
This unit covers designing for everyone.
- Inclusive and accessible design.
- Designing for an aging workforce.
- Sustainability in workplace design.
- Balancing competing design needs.
Unit 7: Applying human factors in practice
The final unit turns theory into action.
- Assessing a workplace or task.
- Recommending design improvements.
- Building the case for change.
- A practical application to take back.
How the course is delivered
The course is led through structured explanation, documented case studies, worked examples, and group discussion of how design shapes performance and safety. Participants examine real workplace and task scenarios and work through how to assess and improve them. For the safety-management angle, it connects to Human-Centered Engineering and Ergonomics.
Who should attend
This course suits health and safety professionals, engineers and designers, HR and workplace staff, and managers responsible for work environments. It works for those new to human factors and for experienced staff who want to apply ergonomic and cognitive principles more systematically. No specialist background is required.
About EuroQuest International Training
EuroQuest International Training was founded in 2015 by a team with more than 25 years of combined experience in professional training. The institute has delivered over 1,000 courses to more than 15,000 participants, and is headquartered in Bratislava, Slovakia, with training hubs in Dubai, London, Barcelona, Istanbul, Vienna, Paris, and Geneva. Courses are designed and reviewed by practitioners and updated to reflect current practice in each field.
Frequently asked questions
Does the course cover both physical and cognitive ergonomics?
Yes. It covers physical workplace design and ergonomics alongside cognitive human factors such as attention, workload, and interface design, since both shape performance and error.
Do I need an engineering or design background?
No. The course explains human factors principles in accessible terms and suits safety, HR, and management staff as well as engineers and designers.
Is it relevant beyond industrial settings?
Yes. Human factors applies to offices, digital systems, and remote work as much as to industrial environments, and the course covers digital and future workplaces directly.
Related courses
- Industrial and Workplace Safety Management
- Developing Safety Culture in the Workplace
- OSHA Compliance and Workplace Safety
- Human Factors for Airlines, ATC, and Airports Staff
Register for this course
To reserve a place or ask about scheduling and city options for the Human Factors Engineering and Workplace Design course, use the registration and enquiry options on this page and the EuroQuest team will follow up with the details you need.
All Course Dates & Locations
28 dates · 16 cities · Sep 2026 – Jun 2027