The research work of the IfADo is organised in project groups that work on outlined questions in a problem-oriented way. According to the institute's mission, performance and health of the working human are the central aims of research. The emphasis on either of these subjects is different throughout the project groups. Of course, the transition is fluent. If health is to the fore, performance is also measured and conversely, if performance is to the fore, health is considered too.
Problem definitions on occupational research are hardly ever one-dimensional. So, the project groups are interlinked in order to accomplish a global approach to an existing problem. These interlinks have found an organizational form as "research initiatives".
Central units take on the scientific-technical support of the project group work. Autonomous scientific support is executed in the central units "Occupational Clinical Medicine", "Analytical Chemistry" and "Perceptual cybernetics". Technical assistance is accomplished by the central support units "Simulation Laboratories", "Computer applications" and "Library/Publication".
The research work of the IfADo is coordinated
and linked up with the research of other institutions beyond the Technical University
of Dortmund - in a diverse and multilevel way.
Besides the multitude of informal co-operations, there are formal ways of collaboration
that are arranged by contracts with partner institutions or by contributions
to coordinated research programs of the DFG and other research consortia like
the EU, the BMBF, the BMAS or the DGUV.