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Introduction to Ergonomics.
This is a brief introduction to ergonomics, with some guidance on how
to set about adding ergonomics into a design project.
A key principle is that ergonomics is objective, and uses data. We need data because it is
almost impossible to imagine what it is like to be someone else, so your
own subjective judgements can be completely wrong. Most of the techniques
therefore entail acquiring data about people.
The other key principle is the user is always right - there is no such thing as "human error".
It's up to the design to take account of the way people are and serve its users
as they are,
rather than impose requirements on them. Obviously to some extent
this is impossible to achieve and so instructions and training are
sometimes necessary, but this is the mindset that ergonomics
advocates.
If you're starting out on a design project, here are some ergonomics questions to find answers to...
1. Who will be using the design? It's unlikely to be 'everyone',
or people like you. |
Ideally, you would use data such as market research demographics to identify age, sex, and social aspects.
Then among the characteristics you might want to define are:
- Physical size
- Strength
- Flexibility
- Skills like eyesight and coordination
Also cognitive capabilities like:
- Familiarity with similar designs
- Ease of learning
- Vocabulary
- Familiarity with concepts and metaphors used in the design
All these factors will influence basic aspects of the design, including its scope, complexity, display size etc. etc.
If the users are not well known to you as a group, it may be a good idea to involve some
representatives very early in the process, to make sure that your design does not set off in an
unsuitable direction at the outset.
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2. What do its users want to achieve with it? |
This is something to think about because it may not be quite obvious. For example the act of using the
design may not form any part of the user's objectives, or it may be secondary.
For many designs it can be helpful to set a testable criterion for design success, such as a percentage of users who can achieve their objective
within a certain time.
Then it follows that you consider what happens to those people who cannot achieve their objectives, and how serious that is.
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| 3. What percentiles are appropriate? |
This follows from the previous question, and the answer is different for every project. It is best to see it in terms of
excluding
a percentage of users from the design, then you can formally consider:
- What happens for excluded users - discomfort, inconvenience, danger etc.
- Do the excluded users expect this (e.g. a very tall person may be used to
being cramped in an aircraft seat, but not in a luxury car).
- Can you warn the excluded users.
- Are there degrees of exclusion that you should consider, beyond the basic
target.
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| 4. Where will it be used? |
Putting the design in its context can reveal key factors such as
- How much time people have to learn.
- If they will be distracted or under stress (which can decimate the ability to
learn).
- If reading instructions is really likely.
- What the users will be wearing.
- Things users may be carrying or holding.
- What happens to it while it is not being used.
- Temperature, humidity, wind, light.
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| 5. The Golden Rule |
If you were going to pick one golden rule it
would be: Test.
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