• project management, especially of multi-disciplinary teams, often geographically dispersed 
• problem solving involving people and technology 
• evaluating usability, typically of computer systems 
• ergonomics in retailing 
• VDU and office ergonomics 
• communication and presentation especially to senior management
• expert witness in the field of ergonomics 
• international collaboration.

Tom started his ergonomics career as a founder member of Brian Shackel's Human Sciences and Advanced Technology Research group at Loughborough University in 1970. He had just qualified with two BSc degrees from the University of Glasgow; one in Mathematics and Natural Philosophy, the other in Psychology. He worked closely with Ken Eason and Leela Damodaran in studies on the impact of computer information systems on managers, professionals and clerks in various industries. He also led a number of international research and consultancy projects on office communications and the ergonomics of VDUs (one of these studies for IFRA the International Newspaper Research Association resulted in the book 'Visual Display Terminals' which he co-authored with Ahmet Cakir and David Hart in 1979).

He joined the management consultancy, Butler Cox and Partners, in 1979 and carried out consultancy assignments and seminars in Europe, North America and Australia. In 1982, he moved to Willis Faber (one of the world's largest insurance brokers) to become Manager of Special Projects in the Systems Division. He was mainly concerned with making computer systems usable by and acceptable to non-computer staff at all levels. He joined System Concepts in 1983 and became Managing Director in 1986. System Concepts is now one of the largest independent ergonomics consultancies in Europe.

Since 1983, he has been active in British, European and International ergonomics standards. He chairs the British Standards Applied Ergonomics Committee (PH9) and the sub-committee (TC159/SC4) of the International Standards Organisation which is responsible for the ergonomics of human-system interaction (including ISO 9241 and ISO 13407). He is also Convenor of the European Committee for Standardisation (CEN TC122 WG5) working group on VDU ergonomics.

He is a regular author and sought after public speaker in Europe, the US and Japan and is particularly known for bringing ergonomics standards to a wide audience in an entertaining and informative way.

Tom was founder editor of 'Behaviour and Information Technology' and serves on the Editorial Advisory Boards of the journals Displays, Service Industry Journal and Interactions.

Tom is currently President of the Ergonomics Society, helping them to promote the benefits of putting users at the centre of all design processes to a wide range of industries.

He has received numerous awards during his career including:

• The Auerbach Annual Best Computer Papers 1975.
• The Leon Gaster Medal awarded by The Chartered Institute of Building Services Engineers  in 1980 for his work on the problems caused by the continual use of visual display units.
• The Otto Edholm Medal awarded by the Ergonomics Society for his contributions to the practical application of ergonomics in 2000.

Tom is an acknowledged expert on the Display Screen Equipment regulations, and has written a management guide to the regulations.

You can find out some of Tom's views on current usability issues, by visiting his expert blog.

• Developing and implementing user interface standards in foods systems in Marks and Spencer
• Advising Marks and Spencer on a variety of retail ergonomics projects. In addition to work on checkouts, CCTV and office ergonomics he was external Project Director on a four year project to develop a new generation of refrigerated display equipment for the M&S food business. The design was selected as a Millenium Product for its innovation including energy efficiency and ergonomics
• Developing VDU test methods for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) as part of the UK's input to International and European Standards. 
• Advising the European Patent Office in the Hague and Munich on the implementation of an in-house ergonomics programme. 
• Providing expert advice on human computer interaction standards to the Information Management Group of the UK National Health Service
• Helping to establish a Human Factors culture with respect to the development and use of information technology in the UK Employment Department

• Sailing (anything from dinghies, cruisers to square rigged barques), and being Chairman of the Jubilee Sailing Trust. 
• More sailing, when time permits. 
• Gardening (well cutting grass really). 
• Family travel, eating etc.

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