1.1A_Anthropometrics

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1.1 Anthropometrics

Understanding Human Factors and Ergonomics in Design

Learning Objectives

• Understand and define Human Factors, Ergonomics, and Anthropometrics
• Distinguish between different types of ergonomics and anthropometric data, and describe their importance in design
• Explain the tools used to collect Anthropometric Data and understand the concept of percentiles

What do you already know about anthropometrics and its role in design?

1.1 Anthropometrics

• “Design is human centred and, therefore, designers need to ensure that the products they design are the right size for the user and therefore comfortable to use. Designers have access to data and drawings, which state measurements of human beings of all ages and sizes. Designers need to consider how users will interact with the product or service. Use and misuse is an important consideration”. 

Ergonomics

As designers, many of the things we create will interact with human bodies. The user might wear them, hold them, swing them, look through them, or ride them. The products we make therefore have to fit the human body. This is called ERGONOMICS - The relationship between products and workplaces and the human body.

Find A EXAMPLE OF ERGONOMIC DESIGN

ANTHROPOMETRICS

Making sure a product or workplace fits the body is where anthropometrics come into play. Anthropometry is the measurement of the human body. Common measurements focus on length, girth, weight, body mass, angles and more, but the precise measurements required will depend on the product type. 

Look at the image of the headphones. What type of measurements would you need?

Sources of Data

SECONDARY

Collecting data isn't easy or cheap. For good data, you need a large number of users measured, maybe spanning a variety of age and genders. A designer working on an internationally distributed product will need to know the data of people from different countries to know how they vary, For this reason, if that data is already available, it makes sense to buy it rather than generate it. Secondary data is data collected by someone other than the user. It might come from commercial or government surveys, such as this one by the CDC. 

Sources of Data 

PRIMARY

Of course, there might be times when you need to generate this data yourself. Some products are bespoke for a single user, such as a prosthetic limb. Primary data is data collected personally for a specific purpose.

PERCENTILES and PERCENTILE RANGES

So you have all that data. The first thing you will notice is that there will be quite a range. This range is often presented in percentiles. A percentile shows the percent of people who meet or are below a certain condition. For example, if you are in the 20th percentile for height, 80 percent of the people out there are taller than you. If you are in the 50th percentile, you are average!

This data is used to decide what dimensions our product must adhere to in order to cater to our users measurements. A designer has to decide the range of measurements they want to cater for. 

CLEARANCE, REACH and ADJUSTABILITY

CLEARANCE- The distance or space between points, such as a head and a door frame.

REACH- Distance/range that can be reached from a certain position, such as a car brake.

ADJUSTABILITY - How a product can adjust form to fit users of different measurements.

Summary

• Human Factors: Combination of ergonomics and anthropometrics
• Ergonomics: Application of scientific information concerning human beings and design
• Anthropometric Data: Measurements of human bodies, static or dynamic
• Percentiles: Representations of where a measurement falls in relation to the 'average' person

What is Anthropometric Data and why is it important when designing things for people?

1. Anthropometric Data is information about how people work together as a team, which is important when designing products.
2. Anthropometric Data is information about how our minds work and remember things, which is important when designing products
3. Anthropometric Data is information about the measurements of the human body, which is important when designing products
4. Anthropometric Data is information about how we sit, work, and move things, which is important when designing products.

What are the three types of Ergonomics mentioned in this lesson?

1. Physical, Cognitive, and Organizational
2. Physical, Mental, and Emotional
3. Physical, Social, and Cultural
4. Physical, Chemical, and Biological

What is Human Factors and Ergonomics all about?

1. Designing things that are comfortable and fit well for people to use.
2. Designing things that are only safe to use.
3. Designing things that are difficult to use.
4. Designing things that are only meant for certain sizes of people.

What is the difference between Static Data and Dynamic Data in Anthropometric Data?

1. Static Data is when measurements are taken during physical activities, while Dynamic Data is when measurements are taken while someone is standing still.
2. Static Data is when measurements are taken while someone is standing still, while Dynamic Data is when measurements are taken during physical activities.
3. Static Data is when measurements are taken during physical activities, while Dynamic Data is when measurements are taken during mental activities.
4. Static Data is when measurements are taken while someone is standing still, while Dynamic Data is when measurements are taken during mental activities.

What tools can be used to collect Anthropometric Data?

1. Sliding callipers and cloth tape
2. Rulers and pencils
3. Computers and software
4. Cameras and microphones

What do percentiles tell us about Anthropometric Data?

1. If a measurement is average or above/below average for a certain dimension
2. If a measurement is accurate or inaccurate
3. If a measurement is precise or imprecise
4. If a measurement is big or small

What is the purpose of ergonomics?

What are the three types of ergonomics mentioned in the text?

What is Anthropometric Data and why is it important?

How do you think ergonomics affects your daily life?

Write down 3 things you learned in this lesson.

Have students enter three things they learned in this lesson. With this they can indicate their own learning efficiency of this lesson.

Write down 2 things you want to know more about.

Here, students enter two things they would like to know more about. This not only increases involvement, but also gives them more ownership.

Ask 1 question about something you haven't quite understood yet.

The students indicate here (in question form) with which part of the material they still have difficulty. For the teacher, this not only provides insight into the extent to which the students understand/master the material, but also a good starting point for the next lesson.

Simplyfied Topic Recap

Human Factors and Ergonomics is all about designing things that are comfortable and fit well for people to use. Designers think about how people will use the product and make it safe and easy to use. They also consider different sizes of people, which affects the clothes we wear. Ergonomics uses science to design things that work well with our bodies. Physical ergonomics is about how we sit, work, and move things. Cognitive ergonomics is about how our minds work and remember things. Organizational ergonomics is about how we communicate and work together as a team.

Anthropometric Data is important when designing things for people. There are two types of Anthropometric Data: Static Data and Dynamic Data. Static Data is when measurements are taken while someone is standing still, like measuring height and arm length. Dynamic Data is when measurements are taken during physical activities, like crawling or reaching overhead. Both types of data are useful in different ways. Tools like sliding callipers and cloth tape can be used to collect Anthropometric Data. Percentiles are also important and tell us if a measurement is average or above/below average for a certain dimension

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