Tread Softly Because You Tread on My Dreams: Reflections on a Poorly Designed Tram Driver-Cab

The human factors and ergonomics discipline is a broad church. All too often, scientists and practitioners working in this field are called on to fix issues of poor human–environment fit and sift through the debris of poor design. In the recess of my mind and not too distant past lingers a career-defining experience with a smorgasbord of insights that shaped my research practices for years to come. It is a story about tram design. I was called in to investigate its driver–cab interface in response to concerns from drivers and safety authorities alike. I conducted focus groups using novel scenario generation and cab rides. What I found alarmed me. Highly questionable designs around the seating, problems with various control inputs, and knock-on behavioural and safety impacts. There seemed to be a little of everything and it left me with lots of questions. The challenge then became to present these findings to those who did not see human factors and ergonomics from a scientific perspective. Through the course of this, I unintentionally provoked defensive reactions and learned that tram driving expertise had assumed the role of ergonomics design expertise. This story is an exposé on how not to design a tram driver–cab interface, but also a cautionary tale that confirms the importance of systems thinking within complex systems in all its facets.