What concept refers to the study of the interaction between humans and elements of a system?

The concept of "human factors" refers to the study of how humans interact with elements of systems, focusing on understanding human capabilities, limitations, and behaviors to improve the efficiency and safety of systems and products. This field encompasses various aspects, including physical and cognitive dimensions, and considers how these elements impact user experience and performance within a system.

In designing systems, human factors play a critical role in ensuring that they are user-friendly and efficient, which means that understanding user needs and behaviors is essential for creating effective designs. This understanding helps in optimizing the interactions between people and the technical components of a system, making it a key discipline in fields like design technology, engineering, ergonomics, and usability.

In contrast, while human-computer interaction specifically focuses on the ways people engage with computer systems, and ergonomics addresses the aspects of designing for physical comfort and efficiency, both are subsets of the broader human factors field. Biomechanics concerns itself more with the physical movements and biological aspects of human beings rather than the broader interaction with system elements. Therefore, "human factors" is the most comprehensive term that encapsulates this interaction.