Technical

Definitions: (1) having to do with the practical, industrial, or mechanical arts; (2) showing technique <a technical skill>; (3) concerned with the applied and computer sciences

Balancing Quality: Intuitive

Observation: The following table, “Man versus Machine,” is from Human Engineering Guide for Equipment Designers by Wesley E. Woodson and Donald W. Conover

MAN EXCELS IN:

• Detection of certain forms of very low energy levels

Sensitivity to an extremely wide variety of stimuli

• Perceiving patterns and making generalizations about them

• Detecting signals in high noise levels

• Storing large amounts of information for long periods

• Recalling relevant facts at appropriate moments

• Ability to exercise judgment where events cannot be completely defined

• Improvising and adopting flexible procedures and alternate solutions

• Ability to react to unexpected low-probability events

• Inductive reasoning

• Ability to profit from experience and alter a course of action

• Ability to perform fine manipulation, especially where misalignment appears unexpectedly

• Ability to continue to perform even when overloaded

Original problem solving

MACHINES EXCEL IN:

• Monitoring people and machines

• Performing routine, repetitive, or very precise operations

• Responding very quickly to control signals

• Exerting great force, smoothly and precisely

• Storing and recalling large amounts of information in short time periods

• Perform complex and rapid computation with high accuracy

Sensitive to infrared, radio waves, et cetera, beyond the human range

Able to do many different things at one time

• Deductive processes

• Insensitivity to extraneous factors

• Rapid, continuous, and/or precise repetition of operations the same way over a long period

• Operating in environments which are hostile or beyond human tolerance