How do you design a product that meets ergonomic and human factors requirements?

Suppose that a kitchen cabinet manufacturer conducted user research and discovered that many customers struggled to access items in corner cabinets. To address this, they designed a rotating shelf system that utilized the full cabinet depth. During testing, users found it significantly easier to access items in the corners. Additionally, they included an educational pamphlet on optimizing cabinet space efficiently.

Solving for ergonomics and human factors can be easier than working with Style, culture, politics or distribution. The Jobs-To-Be-Done framework and parameters of time, energy and attention, provide for measurable and manageable goals. Observing users in context is necessary. That goes without saying. Doing the work yourself is even better if allowed. It is also useful to observe both 'experts' and novices.

Begin by identifying and understanding the ergonomic standards and guidelines relevant to your product category. Utilize anthropometric data to ensure your product dimensions accommodate a wide range of users. For example. Ensure that your product is accessible to users with diverse abilities. Adhere to safety standards to prevent accidents or injuries. Conduct user testing to verify that your design aligns with ergonomic standards and guidelines. Gather feedback from users to identify any discomfort or usability issues. Use feedback and testing results to iterate your design. Make adjustments to address any ergonomic or human factors concerns that arise during testing.

Guidelines are just that - guidelines to give you direction. Standards, OTOH, are for compliance. You can get lost in the clauses and come up with nothing new. Important to avoid falling into analysis - paralysis.

Conduct usability testing with a diverse group of users to gather feedback on the product's ergonomics and user-friendliness. Act on the feedback received from users. Identify pain points and areas where ergonomic improvements are needed. Ensure that the product's dimensions and layout accommodate a wide range of users. Anthropometric data can guide adjustments in height, depth, and reach distances for optimal ergonomics. Verify that your design complies with established human factors principles and standards. These may include guidelines for reach zones, viewing angles, and control placement.

Prototype! Depending on the product type, you probably have a hoop to jump through with the Critical Design Review. Next, the Quality of Prototype is everything. Many professions - like healthcare - do not take kindly to tacky prototypes. Nor can you try products with some classes of users without passing it through a formal approval authority. Prior budget planning and good program management are necessary to get the most authentic feedback.

Begin with a solid foundation by incorporating ergonomic principles and human factors research into your initial design. Conduct usability testing and ergonomic assessments with real users. Gather feedback on the design's comfort, efficiency, and safety. Note any pain points or areas that need improvement. Analyze the feedback from testing. Identify specific issues related to ergonomics and human factors. This could include issues like discomfort while using the product. Make necessary adjustments to the design based on the feedback. Address ergonomic issues by modifying dimensions, angles, or interfaces. Ensure that the product aligns with human factors guidelines. Continue the cycle until the product achieves optimal ergonomics.

What did you learn from the user tests? This is where programs experience the most pivots. While the goal-driven strategy may have succeeded, the scope of the original problem should not harden the scope to exclude potentially more prize opportunities. If you're engaged as an independent consultant, your commercial relationship should be flexible to allow for this.

I'd use these methods further up the project plan at the time of Preliminary Design Reviews. Where you can draw reach maps, plot activities on a time scale, and describe cognitive/ attention specifics from research. All this of course should feed into excellent marketing material and end-user instructions for the best results. Without these the purpose of the program will remain unfulfilled.

Once I remember, in the development of ergonomic kitchen cabinets, a design team created a comprehensive manual that specified optimal countertop heights, cabinet depths, and handle placements based on anthropometric data. During prototyping, they ensured that every cabinet design adhered to these specifications. Testing involved users of various heights and abilities, with feedback meticulously documented. Adjustments were made to cabinet dimensions and handle designs based on this feedback.

The human factors associated with design activity are the essential premise that determines the focus of the designer's intervention, his approach/methodology, the final result and, above all, the contribution and consequences of his work to society. This entire process is validated by the inclusion of people (users) throughout all phases of the work, from identifying their characteristics, needs, desires and expectations, to their active participation in tests to validate intermediate and final results. The practice of collaborative methodologies is the most efficient and credible way to anticipate scenarios, correct inadequacies and validate designers' proposals for building a more humanized and sustainable reality.

These are essential and basic factors of the product design framework/ methodology. However, The Design Director/ Manager/ and the designer must set up a broader premise where they consider the purpose the product would serve, the Pains the product would relieve, and Profitability factors (for user/ purchaser/customer and producer), Sustainability (Raw Material choice, Material processing, Carbon mile, Manufacturing Processes, Assembly disassembly, all levels of packaging and disposal), and see to it how the brand would have the effortless ethical growth. We have too many product options and brands to choose from... also we need to develop product information to make informed choices. The design must serve beyond cosmetic frills and grills.