PROFESSOR KEN EASON

Ken Eason studied psychology in Marie Jahoda's Department at Brunel University from 1963 to 1968 and then joined EMI Electronics to work with Brian Shackel as an ergonomist and occupational psychologist. In 1970, as his interest grew in people using computers at work, he moved to Loughborough University and helped Brian Shackel set up the HUSAT Research Group. From 1970 to 2002 he worked with colleagues in HUSAT on a wide variety of projects investigating the impact of technical change on people at work and on their organisations. Using an action research approach he also worked with organisations on the work design and organisational change processes involved in implementing new technology. This work was in many domains including electricity distribution, job centres, scientific publishing, construction, banking, freightforwarding and the armed services. It led to a form of sociotechnical systems theory described in 'Information Technology and Organisational Change'. A growing concern with the processes by which social scientists worked with organisations led to a two year study with Lisl Klein and to the book 'Putting Social Science to Work'.

Ken Eason became Professor of Cognitive Ergonomics in 1989 and took on a variety of management roles: Head of the Department of Human Sciences from 1989-1992 and 1998-99 and Director of the HUSAT Research Institute from 1992-1996. He became the Director of the Bayswater Institute in 2002 when he retired from Loughborough University where he now has Emeritus Professor status.

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