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  3. Education / Pedagogy

Der Mensch im Mittlepunkt technischer Systeme

English translation: building technology around people

10:01 Dec 10, 2011
German to English translations [PRO]
Science - Education / Pedagogy
German term or phrase: Der Mensch im Mittlepunkt technischer Systeme
I'm reviewing a translation that interpreted this as "The human in the center of technical systems", which sounds rather denglishy to my yank ear. So far I've come up with "Keeping humans at the center of technological systems", but would appreciate any other suggestions you might have.
This saying appears to be used by various universities and technology companies.
TIA for your help.
Jonathan MacKerron
English translation:building technology around people
Explanation:
something alternative...
Selected response from:

Daniel Frisano
Italy
Local time: 01:07
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
3 +4building technology around people
Daniel Frisano
4 +2Human factors in systems design
Matthew Fisher (X)
4man at the centre of technical systems/technology
Kirsten Bodart
4Technology with man at the center
Susan Welsh
3 +1Humanity at/is the heart of technology
Ramey Rieger (X)
4Person-centered technology
Lirka
4Putting people at the center of technology
Darrel Knutson
3customizing/customized technology for people
Usch Pilz
2Humanity as a pawn in the game of technical systems
Stephen Sadie


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


15 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +4
building technology around people


Explanation:
something alternative...

Daniel Frisano
Italy
Local time: 01:07
Native speaker of: Native in ItalianItalian
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Selected automatically based on peer agreement.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Usch Pilz: I like it, because it is catchy and consise.
50 mins
agree  Phoebe Indetzki
7 hrs
agree  casper (X): Good suggestion in the context (It's a "university department of planning, building and environment that uses this blurb as its motto").
8 hrs
agree  John Hein-Hartmann
21 hrs
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5
customizing/customized technology for people


Explanation:
If you want to stress that it is technology that has to adjust, not the human being.

Usch Pilz
Local time: 01:07
Specializes in field
Native speaker of: German
PRO pts in category: 4
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
man at the centre of technical systems/technology


Explanation:
That is how I would put it, but it really depends what the department does. If they are technology oriented, I would go with the above two answers. However, if the department studies or revolves around how people (man) deals with such systems and tries to find systems (socilogy type thing) then I would go for my take.

As in all academic things, it is better to read the article, or bit of text first, and then come up with a title and not the other way round.

Kirsten Bodart
United Kingdom
Local time: 01:07
Native speaker of: Native in DutchDutch, Native in EnglishEnglish
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1 hr   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +2
Human factors in systems design


Explanation:
... seems to be the subject of this German course:

http://idw-online.de/de/news336540

Or, if you want a slightly more literal translation, "human factors in technical systems".

A related term is "human systems integration", as studied for example at NASA:

http://human-factors.arc.nasa.gov/

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-12-10 11:53:17 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Somehow the example sentence got truncated. Trying again...

The course, "Human Factors in Systems Design", deals with basic concepts of human factors, and their application in systems design and engineering.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr (2011-12-10 11:57:28 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

Another alternative, which may better capture "Der Mensch im Mittelpunkt", is "Human-centered systems design".

Example sentence(s):
  • The course, \

    https://secure.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/wiki/Human_factors#Human_Factors_Engineering
    https://www.google.com/search?q=%22human+factors+in+systems+design%22
Matthew Fisher (X)
Local time: 19:07
Native speaker of: English

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Lancashireman: Appropriate register
12 hrs
agree  British Diana
1 day 8 hrs
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Technology with man at the center


Explanation:
another option (I eschew the politically correct "humans" in this context, which makes it sound like a biological species, homo sapiens)

Susan Welsh
United States
Local time: 19:07
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 12
Notes to answerer
Asker: my first suggestion was "keeping people at the center of technilogical systems"

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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 3/5Answerer confidence 3/5 peer agreement (net): +1
Humanity at/is the heart of technology


Explanation:
another one..................

Ramey Rieger (X)
Germany
Local time: 01:07
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 109

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Horst Huber (X): I'd cut "at/is", if necessary put in ":". If it's not too un-PC, use "Man"?
7 hrs
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8 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 2/5Answerer confidence 2/5
Humanity as a pawn in the game of technical systems


Explanation:
just a shot

Stephen Sadie
Germany
Local time: 01:07
Works in field
Native speaker of: English
PRO pts in category: 47
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9 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Person-centered technology


Explanation:
or Man-centered technology, if you prefer :)

Googles really well. How about it?

Lirka
Austria
Local time: 01:07
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 68
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22 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
Putting people at the center of technology


Explanation:
Most definitely one way of expressing this. Active, philosophical, and can easily be used in sentences such as "For over 70 years the Dept. of XXX has been putting people at the center of technology."

Darrel Knutson
Germany
Local time: 01:07
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 6
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