Human factors engineering improves people’s lives by making technology work well for them. Most broadly, human factors engineering aims to improve human interaction with systems by enhancing:
• Safety: Reducing the risk of injury and death
• Performance: Increasing productivity, quality, and efficiency
• Satisfaction: Increasing acceptance, comfort, and well-being

In considering these goals, safety is always a critical concern, but the relative emphasis of each goal depends on the particular area of application: high-risk systems, such as a B787 cockpit; workplace design, such as a manufacturing assembly line; consumer products, such as an iPhone. Design of high-risk systems must focus on safety. In contrast, design of workplaces focuses more on performance, and design of consumer products focuses more on satisfaction.