From Human Factors to Human-Technology Factors:
An HCI Perspective on Technology in Avalanche Safety

Abstract

The avalanche safety literature has identified human factors that contribute to accidents, yet researchers note a persistent gap between these insights and effective product design. Meanwhile, interactive technologies are shaping backcountry decision making with or without grounding in theory and research. We broaden the discussion of human factors into “human-technology factors,” examining how technology can both support and undermine judgment in avalanche terrain, from a human-computer interaction (HCI) perspective. We summarize relevant HCI concepts along four dimensions—attention, cognition, trust, and social interaction—and use them to revisit McCammon's FACETS framework, cataloging ways in which specific technologies may mitigate or exacerbate classic heuristic traps, grounded in accident reports and literature where possible. We identify recurring patterns, including technologies with dual-sided effects and a pervasive “digital expert halo.”