Human Factors And Ergonomics In Consumer Product Design

A comprehensive resource, this handbook covers consumer product research, case study, and application. It discusses the unique perspective a human factors approach lends to product design and how this perspective can be critical to success in the market place. Divided into two volumes, the handbook includes introductory and summary chapters on case study design, design methods and process, error and hazards, evaluation methods, focus groups, and more. It discusses white goods, entertainment systems, personnel audio devices, mobile phones, gardening products, computer systems, and leisure goods.

Every day we interact with thousands of consumer products. We not only expect them to perform their functions safely, reliably, and efficiently, but also to do it so seamlessly that we don’t even think about it. However, with the many factors involved in consumer product design, from the application of human factors and ergonomics principles to reducing risks of malfunction and the total life cycle cost, well, the process just seems to get more complex. Edited by well-known and well-respected experts, the two-volumes of Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics in Consumer Product Design simplify this process. The first volume, Human Factors and Ergonomics in Consumer Product Design: Methods and Techniques, outlines the how to incorporate Human Factors and Ergonomics (HF/E) principles and knowledge into the design of consumer products in a variety of applications. It discusses the user-centered design process, starting with how mental workload affects every day interactions with consumer products and what lessons may be applied to product design. The book then highlights the ever-increasing role of information technology, including digital imaging, video and other media, and virtual reality applications in consumer product design. It also explores user-centered aspect of consumer product development with discussions of user-centered vs. task-based approach, articulation and assessment of user requirements and needs, interaction with design models, and eco design. With contributions from a team of researchers from 21 countries, the book covers the current state of the art methods and techniques of product ergonomics. It provides an increased knowledge of how to apply the HF/E principles that ultimately leads to better product design.

Every day we interact with thousands of consumer products. We not only expect them to perform their functions safely, reliably, and efficiently, but also to do it so seamlessly that we don’t even think about it. However, with the many factors involved in consumer product design, from the application of human factors and ergonomics principles to reducing risks of malfunction and the total life cycle cost, well, the process just seems to get more complex. Edited by well-known and well-respected experts, the two-volumes of Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics in Consumer Product Design simplify this process. The second volume, Human Factors and Ergonomics in Consumer Product Design: Uses and Applications, discusses challenges and opportunities in the design for product safety and focuses on the critical aspects of human-centered design for usability. The book contains 14 carefully selected case studies that demonstrate application of a variety of innovative approaches that incorporate Human Factor and Ergonomics (HF/E) principles, standards, and best practices of user-centered design, cognitive psychology, participatory macro-ergonomics, and mathematical modeling. These case studies also identify many unique aspects of new product development projects, which have adopted a user-centered design paradigm as a way to attend to user requirements. The case studies illustrate how incorporating HF/E principles and knowledge in the design of consumer products can improve levels of user satisfaction, efficiency of use, increase comfort, and assure safety under normal use as well as foreseeable misuse of the product. The book provides a comprehensive source of information regarding new methods, techniques, and software applications for consumer product design.

The design of consumer products has a central role in its potential for contributing to a healthier living and working space. However, too often consumers are only aware of the designers' role when bad practice manifestly exacerbates the easy application of basic functionality. This important book places human factors perspective firmly at the centre of good practice in consumer product design, encouraging rigorous human factors evaluation and methodology as an essential component of the design process. The book's central theme is to introduce human factors techniques to consumer product design and the efficacy of the approach is illustrated with several case studies from a diverse variety of products. Products addressed range from scissors to strimers, from pens to power tools, from kettles to cookers, from radio-cassettes to rucksacks, adn from razors to VCRs. Techniques brought to bear on the devices include: checklists, hierarchical task analysis, observations, interviews, error prediction, questionnaires, guidelines, focus groups, simulations and user trials. Key Features: * Foreword by Sean Blair of the Design Council * Valuable resource for professionals, academics and students in both human factors engineering and design * Fosters an approach which integrates the skills of both professions in a successful approach to consumer product design * Includes plenty of examples throughout the book

Recently, the use of human factors engineering in product design has become much more widely accepted. It is gaining recognition as an essential part of the product design and development process for both consumer products and commercial products. The aim of this volume is to show how human factors technology can be effectively applied during the product design and development process to improve product usability, user-product performance, user satisfaction, and product safety. A second objective is to assemble a wealth of design information for human factors practitioners and others involved with the design of consumer and commercial products for both national and international markets. The book is also suitable as a text for courses and seminars concerned with the application of human factors technology to design. Earlier works on this topic have focused mainly on designing a few specific types of products, or have considered product design only within the context of human factors engineering in general. Available both in hardback and paperback, this is the first publication of its kind to focus on the subject of human factors in product design, providing a blend of theory, data, detailed examples, guidelines, and practical advice in one volume. With over 180 tables, figures, and photographs, as well as 640 references, extensive cross- referencing and keyword index, the volume will be essential reading for all those involved in work, research or study, related to product development.

Proceedings of the 14th International Conference on Applied Human Factors and Ergonomics (AHFE 2023), July 20–24, 2023, San Francisco, USA

This edited book concerns the real practice of human factors and ergonomics (HF/E), conveying the perspectives and experiences of practitioners and other stakeholders in a variety of industrial sectors, organisational settings and working contexts. The book blends literature on the nature of practice with diverse and eclectic reflections from experience in a range of contexts, from healthcare to agriculture. It explores what helps and what hinders the achievement of the core goals of HF/E: improved system performance and human wellbeing.?The book should be of interest to current HF/E practitioners, future HF/E practitioners, allied practitioners, HF/E advocates and ambassadors, researchers, policy makers and regulators, and clients of HF/E services and products.

Manufacturers are becoming more aware of human factors in product design as a major competitive issue. In many product areas, manufacturers have reached a technology ceiling, which simply means that it is increasingly difficult to get ahead of the competition in terms of, for example, functionality, technical reliability or manufacturing costs. As a consequence, design has become a major battleground for manufacturers, and usability is recognized as being a central tenet of good design. This book provides a unique snapshot of current practice in human factors, identifying methods and techniques that work well under tight constraints and providing case study evidence of their effectiveness. The commercial implications of usability are discussed, and special attention is paid to two key trends: inclusive design and smart products. Inclusive design is about meeting the needs of all users with one design, which includes the elderly and the disabled. Smart products are multi-functional products with electronic interfaces containing a vast array of "helpful" functions. Industrial designers and manufacturing executives will find this text enlightening.