Gary Davis’s top tips on making the best of ergonomics research
- Consider ergonomics at the very beginning of a project. Don't wait for problems to arise later on because their remedy will rarely be as simple, as effective or as cheap as they are if the problems were predicted in advance. As a rule of thumb, in the case of product design, spend 70-80% of the ergonomics budget in the research and early design phases, with 20-30% for iterative evaluation of prototypes etc.
- Consider the full range of users. Don't design for the average person – he or she doesn't exist. Ergonomists have been publishing data on human abilities and characteristics for over 50 years - there is plenty of information available.
- Analyse how people really use products, systems and environments similar to those you are designing. Establish an empathy with the users - define their mental models, their knowledge and expectations. Identify and design for their tacit and latent needs.
- Analyse the tasks, conditions and environments in which the product might be used. Identify all possible hazards or human errors which could occur when using the product, then try to design them out or minimise their consequences.
- Involve user representatives in reiterative testing throughout the design process. Devise fair tests which avoid bias towards solutions preferred by the design team.
- Test the instructions as well as the product. These are legally part of the product and any usability problems can highlight opportunities to improve the instructions, and in some cases, to improve the product itself.