eziologia

Eziologia is a proposed interdisciplinary field that studies and promotes ease in human activities, systems, and environments. It encompasses how people interact with technology, processes, and spaces, aiming to reduce friction and cognitive effort while preserving accuracy and safety.

Origin and scope: The term eziologia is a neologism formed from elements meaning ease and study; it has appeared in contemporary design and human-factors discussions but does not have a single universally accepted definition. It overlaps with ergonomics, human factors, user experience, and simplification science, while seeking to integrate social and organizational dimensions.

Key concepts and methods: Core concerns include ease of use, cognitive load, task simplification, accessibility, and resilience of systems. Researchers employ usability testing, workflow analysis, ethnographic observation, task modeling, and experimental studies, often combining quantitative metrics (task time, error rate) with qualitative feedback.

Applications: eziologia informs product design, software interfaces, healthcare delivery, public services, education, and urban planning, where reducing unnecessary complexity can improve safety, efficiency, and satisfaction.

Critique and outlook: As a developing field, eziologia faces debates over definitional boundaries and risk of overgeneralization. Proponents argue that a focused study of ease can unify methods across disciplines, while critics urge clear distinctions from established domains. Ongoing work seeks theoretical refinement and case studies across sectors.