Application of interpretive structural modelling (ISM) for developing ergonomic workstation improvement framework

Abstract With increasing frequency and intensity of Musculoskeletal disorders(MSDs) and large number of people being affected by them, the subject of workstation design needs required more attention and a planned approach. In order to reduce the adverse impact of disorders and to improve the existing workstation design practices, academicians and practitioners are emphasizing on a number of diverse factors of workstation design/improvement by segmenting them into different clusters. This research is intended to address the critical contributing success factors (CCSFs). Through a review of literature and expert consultation, twenty-four critical contributing success factors leading to ergonomic workstation design have been identified. In this paper, the authors have used Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM) approach to interpret the interdependency among the selected CCSFs. In addition, MICMAC (Matrice d’Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée á un Classement (cross-impact matrix multiplication applied to classification)) analysis is also performed to illustrate the relative driving and dependence power among the selected factors. This paper infers that, Capital availability is the most dominating factor which has the highest driving power and the minimum dependence power as it drives others factors and forms the base of interpretive structure model. This is followed by physical attributes including anthropometric dimensions of worker. The top-level dependent factors are safety and flexibility requirement for any workstation design. Originality: ISM and MICMAC analysis applied in workstation design and is not available in the literature having twenty-four factors.