According to recent developments in national and international acts, ordinances, directions, and regulations, ergonomics has significantly gained in importance. The substantially improved chances for production ergonomics, however, as an applied science with the bilateral target "optimizing human aspects of work while ensuring economic efficiency" can only be utilized appropriately, when both professionals and scientists who work in this field possess a strong ergonomics methodological competency. Therefore, applicable methods for the analysis and assessment of working conditions in the field, as well as the development of design proposals for a better working world, are described. The framework of a multi-dimensional recording of workload, which has been used successfully for a number of years, comprises objective data collection, subjective methods, and measuring physiological responses of the employees, i.e. physiological cost of work. After the improvement of the working conditions or the implementation of newly designed workplaces and work tools, it is always advisable to carry out a final evaluation in order to ensure working conditions which are close to reality and which are also accepted by the affected employees.
