Evaluation of working practices and new software specification

An accounting firm had just received an updated version of their bespoke software. Over the course of the next few weeks, a high incidence of upper limb pain was reported.

enricoSmog ergonomic practitioners was asked to evaluate the software and determine the root cause of the problem.

The ergonomic findings showed that the software had been updated but not user tested, as a result users expecting to use keyboard shortcuts had to use the mouse. This resutled in over use of the mouse which the user t experienced as upper limb pain and musculoskeletal discomfort.

The software was recalled and shortcuts reinstalled, a follow up questionnaire found that when the software was reinstalled, pain and discomfort subsided while productivity decreased. As a result the employer was able to reduce the expense of temporay staff as these were no longer needed, as absence had decreased and the use of shortcuts made tasks a third quicker.