Manufacturers are becoming more aware of human factors in product design as a major competitive issue. In many product areas, manufacturers have reached a technology ceiling, which simply means that it is increasingly difficult to get ahead of the competition in terms of, for example, functionality, technical reliability or manufacturing costs. As a consequence, design has become a major battleground for manufacturers, and usability is recognized as being a central tenet of good design. This book provides a unique snapshot of current practice in human factors, identifying methods and techniques that work well under tight constraints and providing case study evidence of their effectiveness. The commercial implications of usability are discussed, and special attention is paid to two key trends: inclusive design and smart products. Inclusive design is about meeting the needs of all users with one design, which includes the elderly and the disabled. Smart products are multi-functional products with electronic interfaces containing a vast array of "helpful" functions. Industrial designers and manufacturing executives will find this text enlightening.

Every day we interact with thousands of consumer products. We not only expect them to perform their functions safely, reliably, and efficiently, but also to do it so seamlessly that we don’t even think about it. However, with the many factors involved in consumer product design, from the application of human factors and ergonomics principles to reducing risks of malfunction and the total life cycle cost, well, the process just seems to get more complex. Edited by well-known and well-respected experts, the two-volumes of Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics in Consumer Product Design simplify this process. The first volume, Human Factors and Ergonomics in Consumer Product Design: Methods and Techniques, outlines the how to incorporate Human Factors and Ergonomics (HF/E) principles and knowledge into the design of consumer products in a variety of applications. It discusses the user-centered design process, starting with how mental workload affects every day interactions with consumer products and what lessons may be applied to product design. The book then highlights the ever-increasing role of information technology, including digital imaging, video and other media, and virtual reality applications in consumer product design. It also explores user-centered aspect of consumer product development with discussions of user-centered vs. task-based approach, articulation and assessment of user requirements and needs, interaction with design models, and eco design. With contributions from a team of researchers from 21 countries, the book covers the current state of the art methods and techniques of product ergonomics. It provides an increased knowledge of how to apply the HF/E principles that ultimately leads to better product design.

A comprehensive resource, this handbook covers consumer product research, case study, and application. It discusses the unique perspective a human factors approach lends to product design and how this perspective can be critical to success in the market place. Divided into two volumes, the handbook includes introductory and summary chapters on case study design, design methods and process, error and hazards, evaluation methods, focus groups, and more. It discusses white goods, entertainment systems, personnel audio devices, mobile phones, gardening products, computer systems, and leisure goods.

Recently, the use of human factors engineering in product design has become much more widely accepted. It is gaining recognition as an essential part of the product design and development process for both consumer products and commercial products. The aim of this volume is to show how human factors technology can be effectively applied during the product design and development process to improve product usability, user-product performance, user satisfaction, and product safety. A second objective is to assemble a wealth of design information for human factors practitioners and others involved with the design of consumer and commercial products for both national and international markets. The book is also suitable as a text for courses and seminars concerned with the application of human factors technology to design. Earlier works on this topic have focused mainly on designing a few specific types of products, or have considered product design only within the context of human factors engineering in general. Available both in hardback and paperback, this is the first publication of its kind to focus on the subject of human factors in product design, providing a blend of theory, data, detailed examples, guidelines, and practical advice in one volume. With over 180 tables, figures, and photographs, as well as 640 references, extensive cross- referencing and keyword index, the volume will be essential reading for all those involved in work, research or study, related to product development.

This book presents a co-design detailed methodology that will enable the reader to develop human-centered product designs, considering the user’s needs, skills, and limitations. The purpose of this book is to produce an ergonomic design methodology in which the "user’s voice" can be translated into product requirements in a way that designers and manufacturers can use, characterizing it as a co-design methodology. It discusses important topics including ergonomics and product design, design specifications, project evaluation, modeling and prototyping, product safety, human error, kansei/affective engineering, usability and user experience, models of usability, methods for research and evaluation of usability, methods for evaluation of user-experience, preliminary strategic design planning, detailing design, and design, ergonomic and pandemics. The book offers a human-centered design methodology that allows the reader to carry out analysis and design projects for both products aimed at the disabled user population and those that serve the general population. It will be a valuable reference text for undergraduate and graduate students and professionals in the fields of ergonomics, design, architecture, engineering, and related fields. It can also be used by students and professionals of physiotherapy and occupational therapy interested in designing products for people with special needs.

The underlying principle of this book is the African philosophy of Ubuntu, which acts as a guide for developing empathic products and services. The book makes the case that empathy is the key to any successful product and service design project because it enables designers to make wise design choices that align with users' demands. Fifteen chapters provide the latest industrial design developments, techniques, and processes explicitly targeting emerging economies. At the outset, it covers the design context and the philosophy of the Ubuntu approach, which places people and communities at the centre of the development agenda. The book covers new product development, design research, design cognition, digital and traditional prototyping, bringing products to the market, establishing a company's brand name, intellectual property rights, traditional knowledge, and the business case for design in Afrika. It concludes with a discussion about the future of design and the skills aspiring designers will need. African Industrial Design Practice: Perspectives on Ubuntu Philosophy will be an essential textbook for undergraduates, postgraduates, instructors, and beginner designers in emerging economies to provide regionally contextualised design processes, illustrated examples, and outcomes. Chapter 2 of this book is freely available as a downloadable Open Access PDF at http://www.taylorfrancis.com under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license.

Unrivaled coverage of a broad spectrum of industrial engineering concepts and applications The Handbook of Industrial Engineering, Third Edition contains a vast array of timely and useful methodologies for achieving increased productivity, quality, and competitiveness and improving the quality of working life in manufacturing and service industries. This astoundingly comprehensive resource also provides a cohesive structure to the discipline of industrial engineering with four major classifications: technology; performance improvement management; management, planning, and design control; and decision-making methods. Completely updated and expanded to reflect nearly a decade of important developments in the field, this Third Edition features a wealth of new information on project management, supply-chain management and logistics, and systems related to service industries. Other important features of this essential reference include: * More than 1,000 helpful tables, graphs, figures, and formulas * Step-by-step descriptions of hundreds of problem-solving methodologies * Hundreds of clear, easy-to-follow application examples * Contributions from 176 accomplished international professionals with diverse training and affiliations * More than 4,000 citations for further reading The Handbook of Industrial Engineering, Third Edition is an immensely useful one-stop resource for industrial engineers and technical support personnel in corporations of any size; continuous process and discrete part manufacturing industries; and all types of service industries, from healthcare to hospitality, from retailing to finance. Of related interest . . . HANDBOOK OF HUMAN FACTORS AND ERGONOMICS, Second Edition Edited by Gavriel Salvendy (0-471-11690-4) 2,165 pages 60 chapters "A comprehensive guide that contains practical knowledge and technical background on virtually all aspects of physical, cognitive, and social ergonomics. As such, it can be a valuable source of information for any individual or organization committed to providing competitive, high-quality products and safe, productive work environments."-John F. Smith Jr., Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer and President, General Motors Corporation (From the Foreword)

The first encyclopaedic source in this interdisciplinary field. This is a unique professional reference available in either three hardback volumes or CDROM.

The last five years have seen a major paradigm shift in the role of human factors in product design. Previously this was seen as pertaining almost exclusively to product usability, but new recognition is being given to "pleasure-based" human factors. This emphasizes the holistic nature of the experience of person-product interaction. While traditio

This book is about how to develop future automotive products by applying the latest methodologies based on a systems engineering approach and by taking into account many issues facing the auto industry such as meeting government safety, emissions and fuel economy regulations, incorporating advances in new technology applications in structural materials, power trains, vehicle lighting systems, displays and telematics, and satisfying the very demanding customer. It is financially disastrous for any automotive company to create a vehicle that very few people want. To design an automotive product that will be successful in the marketplace requires carefully orchestrated teamwork of experts from many disciplines, substantial amount of resources, and application of proven techniques at the right time during the product development process. Automotive Product Development: A Systems Engineering Implementation is intended for company management personnel and graduate students in engineering, business management and other disciplines associated with the development of automotive and other complex products.