A Course in the Human Factors Approach to Construction Engineering and Management

Kelli R. Kopocis-Herstein; Terry L. Stentz

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Conference: 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access
Location: Virtual On line
Publication Date: June 22, 2020
Start Date: June 22, 2020
End Date: June 26, 2021
Conference Session: Construction Engineering Division Technical Session 5
Tagged Division: Construction Engineering
Page Count: 11
DOI: 10.18260/1-2--33992
Permanent URL: https://peer.asee.org/33992
Download Count: 491

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Paper Authors

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Kelli R. Kopocis-Herstein University of Nebraska, Lincoln

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Dr. Kelli Kopocis-Herstein is an Industrial Engineering and occupational safety and health scientist. She is currently an assistant professor of practice in the College of Engineering at the University of Nebraska - Lincoln (UNL) and holds a courtesy appointment at the University of Nebraska Medical Center.

Dr. Kopocis-Herstein teaches university level courses in research methods, human factors, productivity, occupational safety and health, ergonomics, engineering management, engineering economy, operations research, and decision analysis under uncertainty. She was the recipient of an Associated Schools of Construction (ASC) Regional Teaching Award in 2018.

With her colleagues from the University of Nebraska, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Harvard, Johns Hopkins, George Washington University, University of Indiana, and Texas A&M University; Dr. Kopocis-Herstein has helped publish research journal papers, conference proceedings, and technical reports on the air transport of highly infectious patients, time-series analysis of non-fatal injuries and exposures, aerodynamic behavior of respiratory aerosols in hospital rooms, transient risk factor analysis of accident, safety and human performance alertness, transportation accident analysis, the analysis of RFID tracking on construction job sites, and engineering education.

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Terry L. Stentz University of Nebraska, Lincoln

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Associate Professor and Graduate Chair in the Durham School of Architectural Engineering and Construction, College of Engineering, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE, and Associate Professor in the Department of Environmental, Agricultural, and Occupational Health Science, College of Public Health, University of Nebraska Medical Center (UNMC), Omaha, NE.

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Abstract

While modern construction relies heavily on technology, materials, and methods, the execution of design and the profession of Construction Engineering and Management is largely human-centric.

Construction Engineering and Construction Management graduates need to be equipped with the knowledge, analytical methods, technical skills, and human perspectives that will allow them to lead and manage themselves so that they can successfully lead and manage others as well as the various resources necessary to complete complex construction projects and schedules that meet or exceed contract, budget, and safety objectives on a consistent basis. The key to construction productivity is human factors.

This paper describes 20 years of honing the design and presentation of an undergraduate senior level college course designed to immerse students in the vital and useful features of a human factors approach to construction engineering and construction management. Experiential and contextual learning dimensions include stress management; burn-out avoidance; sleep and shiftwork effects on productivity, safety, and well-being; scheduled overtime impacts; workplace violence prevention; lean construction; Total Quality Management (TQM); scientific work measurement techniques; human productivity analysis; conflict mode/conflict management; aging and diverse workforce issues; construction ergonomics; motivation and reward systems; management and learning styles; integrated communications approaches; personality profile; ethics and courage; individual and group authenticity; and the various types of leadership and decision-making situations that occur in a fast-moving stream of calculated risk-taking in construction projects.

The culminating course objective is for each individual student to know themselves and others within the framework of each human factors dimension so that they can know, manage, and motivate others more effectively. The outcome is a more fully integrated young construction professional who is better prepared to plan, communicate, lead, motivate, develop, and leverage human relationships for stronger commitment, higher performance, and teamwork.

Citation
Format

Kopocis-Herstein, K. R., & Stentz, T. L. (2020, June), A Course in the Human Factors Approach to Construction Engineering and Management Paper presented at 2020 ASEE Virtual Annual Conference Content Access, Virtual On line . 10.18260/1-2--33992

TY  - CPAPER
AB  - While modern construction relies heavily on technology, materials, and methods, the execution of design and the profession of Construction Engineering and Management is largely human-centric. 

Construction Engineering and Construction Management graduates need to be equipped with the knowledge, analytical methods, technical skills, and human perspectives that will allow them to lead and manage themselves so that they can successfully lead and manage others as well as the various resources necessary to complete complex construction projects and schedules that meet or exceed contract, budget, and safety objectives on a consistent basis.  The key to construction productivity is human factors.

This paper describes 20 years of honing the design and presentation of an undergraduate senior level college course designed to immerse students in the vital and useful features of a human factors approach to construction engineering and construction management.  Experiential and contextual learning dimensions include stress management; burn-out avoidance; sleep and shiftwork effects on productivity, safety, and well-being; scheduled overtime impacts; workplace violence prevention; lean construction; Total Quality Management (TQM); scientific work measurement techniques; human productivity analysis; conflict mode/conflict management; aging and diverse workforce issues; construction ergonomics; motivation and reward systems; management and learning styles; integrated communications approaches; personality profile; ethics and courage; individual and group authenticity; and the various types of leadership and decision-making situations that occur in a fast-moving stream of calculated risk-taking in construction projects. 

The culminating course objective is for each individual student to know themselves and others within the framework of each human factors dimension so that they can know, manage, and motivate others more effectively.  The outcome is a more fully integrated young construction professional who is better prepared to plan, communicate, lead, motivate, develop, and leverage human relationships for stronger commitment, higher performance, and teamwork.     

AU  - Kelli R. Kopocis-Herstein
AU  - Terry L. Stentz
CY  - Virtual On line 
DA  - 2020/06/22
PB  - ASEE Conferences
TI  - A Course in the Human Factors Approach to Construction Engineering and Management
UR  - https://peer.asee.org/33992
DO  - 10.18260/1-2--33992
ER  -