Lecture 1: Usage oriented product design
Focus
- Usage oriented product design: looking at the design of products from the perspective of the
user.
Design: total process of developing a product
- Ergonomics + product functionality usability: when the characteristics of a product fit the
characteristics of a user
History of ergonomics
- A good fit between humans and tools was already important in ancient times
- Industrial revolution: development and improvement of tools, machines etc. in working
conditions
- Association between occupation and musculoskeletal injuries was first described in 1713 by
Ramazinni
- The word ergonomics was created by Jastrezebowski in 1857, who based science around
work on theories in natural sciences: Useful work versus harmful work
- 1870: Human engineering
- Taylor: work order and time studies, with the aim of efficiency: to determine the one best
way.
- Ford: social engineering
- Frank and Lilian Gillbreth made jobs more efficient and less fatiguing through time motion
analysis
- WOII: human-machine interaction in aviation: fitting the machine to the size of the soldier
and logical/understandable control buttons
- After WOII: worker safety and productivity
- Early 60’s: founding of ergonomics associations
- Early 70’s: absence due to sickness and automation of work
Reaction: Humanisation of the work: health, safety, efficacy and efficiency
- 80’s: Law on working conditions
- 90’s: Usability of products and software, emotional design and pleasure
- Now: user experience
Definition of ergonomics
- Change during the years depending on developments in society: work, well-being and
optimisation of conditions: place to work, adapting products to the human and not the other
way around
- Adapting work to the worker in such a way that it can be done in a safe, efficient and
comfortable way
, Theories and models
Focus
- Usage oriented product design: looking at the design of products from the perspective of the
user.
Design: total process of developing a product
- Ergonomics + product functionality usability: when the characteristics of a product fit the
characteristics of a user
History of ergonomics
- A good fit between humans and tools was already important in ancient times
- Industrial revolution: development and improvement of tools, machines etc. in working
conditions
- Association between occupation and musculoskeletal injuries was first described in 1713 by
Ramazinni
- The word ergonomics was created by Jastrezebowski in 1857, who based science around
work on theories in natural sciences: Useful work versus harmful work
- 1870: Human engineering
- Taylor: work order and time studies, with the aim of efficiency: to determine the one best
way.
- Ford: social engineering
- Frank and Lilian Gillbreth made jobs more efficient and less fatiguing through time motion
analysis
- WOII: human-machine interaction in aviation: fitting the machine to the size of the soldier
and logical/understandable control buttons
- After WOII: worker safety and productivity
- Early 60’s: founding of ergonomics associations
- Early 70’s: absence due to sickness and automation of work
Reaction: Humanisation of the work: health, safety, efficacy and efficiency
- 80’s: Law on working conditions
- 90’s: Usability of products and software, emotional design and pleasure
- Now: user experience
Definition of ergonomics
- Change during the years depending on developments in society: work, well-being and
optimisation of conditions: place to work, adapting products to the human and not the other
way around
- Adapting work to the worker in such a way that it can be done in a safe, efficient and
comfortable way
, Theories and models
