Adaptation to difficult designs: Facilitating use of new technology

The interface between technology and people has long been the focus of human factors engineering. The past decade has been a growth period for cognitive psychologists and computer scientists to collaborate on research and design for human-computer interaction. Psychologists in general and organizational psychologists in particular can also contribute to this work with models that capture the dynamics of technology implementation and the impact of technology on people, their work and working relationships. Strategies to support and adapt technology can affect users' evaluation of new technology. Facilitation may take the form of job aids, training, access to technical support staff, or the design of a comprehensive service, of which new technology is only one component.