Applications of digital twin in human factors, ergonomics and organisational dynamics

Digital twin (DT) technology has significantly advanced, integrating into various industries, however, its application and implications within the human factors and ergonomics and industrial and organisational psychology fields remains underexplored. This paper explores the potential of DT technology to advance human-centric design and streamline organisational processes through a narrative review. Our analysis highlights ten critical domains where DT applications can drive meaningful improvements. The human factors and ergonomics scope includes workplace design, safety analysis, equipment optimisation, human-robot collaboration, and training simulations. In the context of industrial and organisational psychology, the focus extends to workforce planning, performance analysis, managing organisational change, promoting employee well-being, and fostering leadership development. Our findings suggest that integrating DT technology with HFE and IOP principles can lead to more efficient, safe, and productive work environments. We also discuss challenges such as data privacy concerns, technological integration hurdles, and the necessity of maintaining a human-centric focus in DT implementations. This paper contributes to the dialogue on integrating advanced technological and human-centric approaches, proposing possible pathways for future research.