ERGONOMICS A widespread increase in the availability of technology in the second half of the twentieth century has meant that more and more people come in contact with a variety of product designs on a daily | CHAPTER 15 ERGONOMIC FACTORS IN DESIGN Bryce G. Rutter . Principal Anne Marie Becka Editor Metaphase Design Group Inc. St. Louis Missouri ERGONOMICS 329 Motion Analysis 335 Thermographic Imprint HUMAN PERFORMANCE 329 Analysis 336 Physical Ergonomics Perceptual and Cognitive 330 Low-Speed Cine Analysis 336 Ergonomics 330 DESIGN RESEARCH METHODS 336 THE DESIGN PROCESS 330 Competitive Product Analysis 336 DESIGN RESEARCH 331 Product Performance Analysis 336 ERGONOMIC ANALYSES 332 Usability Studies 336 Anatomical Analysis 332 Biomechanical Analysis 333 COST- -BENEFIT ANALYSIS OF Task Analysis 335 ERGONOMICS AND DESIGN Link Analysis 335 RESEARCH 337 ERGONOMICS A widespread increase in the availability of technology in the second half of the twentieth century has meant that more and more people come in contact with a variety of product designs on a daily basis. Regardless of this increase in the number and types of human users many engineers still concentrate their design efforts on the machine or system alone forcing the user to adjust to fit the product. Such readjustments on the part of the user can lead to discomfort and dissatisfaction with the design as well as more serious effects such as safety hazards and personal injury. Ergonomics also called human factors is an applied science that makes the user central to design by improving the fit between that user and his or her tools equipment and environment. Key here is that designs are developed to fit both the physiological and psychological needs of the user. Ergonomists examine all ranges of the human interface from static anthropometric measures and movement ranges to users perceptions of a product. This interface involves both software displays electronic controls etc. and hardware knobs grips physical configurations etc. issues. Ergonomics grew into a distinct scientific
