Consumer goods

We don't often notice when something is well designed because it 'just works' or there is nothing about it that makes us feel frustrated or irritated. But we can all think of things we've bought that are difficult to use or that have baffling instructions. A product might be fine but the packaging may be difficult to get into! Text on a remote control might be too small to see easily or in low light. Buttons and switches may be difficult to use, especially if you have restricted dexterity. In these cases, problems are often caused because potential users haven't been considered or consulted in the design process.

An ergonomics design process is a user-centred approach where users' needs are investigated at the start of the process and their input is sought to generate ideas, to judge concepts and to test prototypes and finished products. It should be inherent to the design development project so that the users' requirements are properly reflected in the resulting product. User research should include the users themselves (who are they, what they want, need and desire), the environment in which the product will be used and the functional requirements of the product (what the product does and how it does it).

Why bother with ergonomic design? An ergonomics design process can help to develop a product which is not only usable, but also desirable due not only to its appearance, which in many technological products is not enough on its own, but also due to the way it works. A group of competing products may have reached the stage where they are all usable and have similar features, but the most successful product is then often the one which invokes desire in its users and is a pleasure to interact with. An ergonomics design process can help in identifying the features and attributes of a product which will enhance its desirability.

An ergonomics design process may have economical benefits compared to a process where ergonomics is considered as a rubber stamping stage, applied at the end of the development process. The cost of changes to the design of a product exponentially increase as the development progresses. Implementing an ergonomics design process where the requirements of the actual users are considered right at the start of the process and are translated into a specification should minimise the need for changes to improve the product's usability at a later and more costly stage.

Successful design development usually results from a multidisciplinary team which includes an ergonomist or human factors specialist who can facilitate elements of the creative process. This may include workshops or focus groups which can be used to generate concepts and ideas, and may include the use of tools which allow the concepts and ideas to be filtered and ranked. The ergonomist can then help to develop the ideas from the creative process into practical concepts.

Technical knowledge of users' capabilities can be used to ensure the concepts developed will be usable. This may include anthropometry (body measurement and movement), physiology, and psychology (their capability for processing information and interacting with the product).

The concepts resulting from the detailed design process should be tested with users to judge how well they match their requirements and ultimately how successful the product might become. Concept testing may involve expert analysis and product evaluation, user testing and user trials, and workshops or focus groups.

Once the product solution is delivered, further user testing should be undertaken to evaluate the product. The information from user testing of the final product can be very useful in identifying opportunities for future products and services. The information can be used to enhance the performance of the product through user instructions, for example, to avoid common errors or faults occurring through unintentional mis-use.

Text by Robin Ellis