TS EN ISO 10075-1

TS EN ISO 10075-1 is the first part of the ergonomics series that organises the core concepts, terms and definitions used in the field of mental workload. It clarifies the relationship between mental stress, mental strain, and the short- and long-term positive or negative consequences that may result from mental strain. In practice, it provides a common technical language for human-centred design, task analysis, and the assessment of working conditions.

How the mental workload concepts are separated

In general technical terms, mental workload refers to the demand placed on cognitive processes such as attention, memory, decision-making, information processing, and response selection. Mental stress describes the external demands imposed by the task or system, while mental strain refers to the individual’s internal reaction to those demands. This distinction matters because the same task can produce very different levels of strain in different people. The standard’s purpose is to keep these concepts used consistently.

Why this terminology standard matters

• It provides a shared conceptual basis for ergonomics, human factors, and occupational health work.
• It helps prevent confusion between workload, strain, and outcomes.
• It offers a technical framework for distinguishing short-term and long-term effects.
• It supports consistent use of the same terms across disciplines and documents.

This part is a conceptual and definitional reference rather than a test method standard, so it should not be read as imposing specific procedures, numerical limits, or instrument requirements. Its value lies in making the language of mental workload assessment more precise and in establishing common ground for more applied standards and workplace evaluations.