Ergonomics and User Centred Design

Question 1

Define Ergonomics

Answer 1

The discipline of ensuring a good fit between people and their objects, activities and environments

Question 2

What is one of the key differences between ergonomic design and user centered design?

Answer 2

Ergonomics takes a measured approach, with measurable outcomes or benefits from the ergonomic design

Question 3

What is physical ergonomics?

Answer 3

Looks at human anatomical, physiological and bio mechanical characteristics. These include working posture, manual handling, controls,displays etc.

Question 4

What is cognitive ergonomics?

Answer 4

Looks at human characteristics of perception, cognition, memory, reason and emotion. The tools in cognitive ergonomics looks at how people respond to the products and interacts with them. This includes, human computer interaction, mental workload and safety, product interfaces, etc.

Question 5

Do physical and cognitive ergonomics work collaboratively or separately?

Answer 5

Collaboratively. Most design challenges will have to address both the physical and cognitive ergonomics, for example, the BA business class plane seats.

Question 6

What is anthropometrics?

Answer 6

Matching the physical form and dimensions of the product/workspace to the user.

Question 7

What subset of ergonomics focuses on body measurements - specifically body size, shape, strength and working capacity?

Answer 7

Anthropometrics

Question 8

At what point do you decide how many extreme users you are designing for?

Answer 8

Typically design for 90% of users, excluding the top and bottom 5% of the curve.

Question 9

When do you not design to 90% of the population?

Answer 9

In safety critical situations e.g. escape hatch, we design to at least the 99th percentile.

Question 10

What do you do if ergonomic data is not available for the particular design task?

Answer 10

The ergonomist will carry out a fitting trial. Design an experiment to get the data required to be able to design ergonomically.

Question 11

Give a description/walk through of a fitting trial.

Answer 11

Take a representative sample of people in your population and design a rig.
This rig allows you to adjust the product you are making ergonomically.
Each participant must answer saying whether it is ‘too high’, ‘too low’, ‘satisfactory’, ‘just right’.
Then plot 4 curves based on the percentage of users providing hose answers at that height.
This will identify the best compromised fit for your population.

Question 12

Define User-Centered Design

Answer 12

A design process that is centered around the user. The system/product is designed to support the user need, rather than making a product to which the user must adapt to

Question 13

What is the general approach to user centered design?

Answer 13

• Early focus on the user
• Empirical data collection - using questionnaires, performance data, etc.
• Iterative design using prototypes

Question 14

What is the design process where users are directly involved? This is through either co-designing or providing creative input.

Answer 14

Participative Design

Question 15

Why is user-centered design needed for product success?

Answer 15

It allows for the delivering of products that users actually need. This is because it focuses on the behaviors of the user, and therefore what can be done to aid them

Question 16

What does Don Norman believe every user should be able to do while using the product?

Answer 16

1. Figure out what to do
2. Decipher what is going on

Question 17

What are the 7 Norman Principles?

Answer 17

1. Use both knowledge in the world and knowledge in the head
2. Simplify the structure of tasks
3. Make things visible
4. Get the mappings right
5. Exploit the constraints of the system
6. Design for error
7. When all else fails standardise

Question 18

Describe the first Norman Principle

Answer 18

Use both knowledge in the world and knowledge in the head.
It should be easy to learn how to use it, and then easy to use once it is learned.

Question 19

Describe the second Norman Principle

Answer 19

Simplify the structure of the task.
Think about different ways to accomplish your goal while keeping the structure the same. E.g. replacing shoe laces with velcro

Question 20

Describe the third Norman Principle

Answer 20

Make things visible, both before and after the action
This lets the user know what to do, and assess the effect of their actions afterwards

Question 21

Describe the fourth Norman Principle

Answer 21

Get the mappings right
Through the design of the system, the user should be able to understand possible actions, effects on the system and the system state. E.g. forward is for acceleration

Question 22

Describe the fifth Norman Principle

Answer 22

Exploit the constraints of the system.
The user can only do the right thing. e.g. an assembly that can only fit together in one right way.

Question 23

Describe the sixth Norman Principle

Answer 23

Design for error
Make it easy to recover from error/reverse unwanted outcomes. e.g. cancel button

Question 24

Describe the seventh Norman Principle

Answer 24

When all else fails, standardise
If there are no natural instincts (mappings) to use, choose an arbitrary way of doing something and stick to it. e.g. driving on the left, units of measurements, etc.

Question 25

What is interaction design?(IxD)
And provide a definition

Answer 25

Designing easy to use interactive systems.

Interaction design is about shaping digital things for peoples use.
Designing interactive products to support the way people communicate and interact in their everyday and working lives.

Question 26

Is interaction design a form of user centered design?

Answer 26

Yes

Question 27

Give an example of interaction design

Answer 27

A thermostat. Even though the round shape is harder to produce, people have a natural tendency to turn things clockwise to increase something. The design decisions was centered around the user interaction experience.

Now, devices like nest has revolutionized how users interact with their heating through merging software and hardware

Question 28

Define user interface

Answer 28

The software and input devices by means of which a computer and its user communicate

Question 29

What are some different types of user interfaces?

Answer 29

Digital/ on a screen - on a microwave
Tangible/Haptic - controller buttons
Mechanical - gumball vending machine

Question 30

What is a mental mode?

Answer 30

Small scale models of reality that the mind uses to reason/anticipate event and to underlie explanation.
Basically using something the user is already familiar with so that they know what it is - the files folder icon looking like a file

Question 31

What is a system image?

Answer 31

The way in which the mental model is embodied into the new product.
The designer is guessing/trying to figure out what the user will think of. The success of the design will depend on if the user will make the same association and relate the new activity to the same mental model the designer had in mind.

Question 32

What is the Depth vs Breadth paradox

Answer 32

Deciding how to show only the necessary information to the use while still allowing them to see all of the the other options
e.g. tab system

Question 33

What is the method that allows the embedding of learning in the long term memory?

Answer 33

Spaced retrieval.
The best way to achieve this is to increase the periods of time between each revision.

Question 34

What technique is used to gradually build the learners confidence in a new skill, and how does it work?

Answer 34

Scaffolding

Initially the designer assumes the user has little to no prior knowledge, so provides lots of support e.g. guided tutorials. Help is then gradually reduced from one lesson to the next until the scaffolding can be completely removed

Question 35

What is information architecture?

Answer 35

An approach to order information into an easy to use structure.
To determine the best architecture, one must assign priority to the different elements, in the order of the importance and frequency of use. This determines where they appear in the hierarchy of the interface.

Question 36

What are Nielson’s 10 heuristics?

Answer 36

1: Visibility of system status
2: Match between system and the real world.
3: User control and freedom.
4: Consistency and standards.
5: Error prevention.
6: Recognition rather than recall. 7: Flexibility and efficiency of use. 8: Aesthetic and minimalist design.
9: Help users recognize, diagnose, and recover from errors.
10: Help and documentation.