Human Factors In Product Design

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.

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.

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.

An easy-to-use, in-depth manual, Human Factors Methods for Design supplies the how-tos for approaching and analyzing design problems and provides guidance for their solution. It draws together the basics of human behavior and physiology to provide a context for readers who are new to the field. The author brings in problem analysis, including test and evaluation methods and simple experimentation and recognizes the importance of cost-effectiveness. Finally, he emphasizes the need for good communication to get the new product understood and accepted. The author draws from his corporate experience as a research and development manager and his consulting practice in human factors and design.

Human factors considerations are increasingly being incorporated into the product design process. Users are seen more as being important factors in the overall look and usability of products than just as passive users. We are now treated as cognitive and physical components of the person/product system. The author, who is one of the leading lights in the field of cognitive ergonomics, looks at approaches that assume that if a task can be accomplished with a reasonable degree of efficiency and within acceptable levels of comfort, then the product can be seen as fitting to the user. In this book it is argued that in practice these approaches can be dehumanizing. People are more than merely physical and cognitive processors. They have hopes, fears, dreams, values and aspirations, indeed these are the very things that make us human. Designing Pleasurable Products looks both at and beyond usability, considering how products can appeal to use holistically, leading to products that are a joy to own.

Simplified and expedient techniques for immediate design application. The text is best suited as a supplementary volume to be used as part of substantive design courses in which human factors are integrated. Annotation copyrighted by Book News, Inc., Portland, OR

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

Human Factors in System Design, Development, and Testing describes engineering system design as a behavioral process, a process which raises questions the designer must answer. It focuses on the concepts underlying the design process, culminating in a behavioral theory of the design process. Special effort has been made to depict human facto