Designing for Humans

IDSA Conference - Blogs as a Research Tool

Thanks for the good turnout (see photo in previous post) and great questions at the presentation today.  There was a balanced mix of interest in blogs from both the research and design/technical perspectives.

Download a PDF of the presentation "Blogs as Reference and Research Tools for Designers":

Download idsa_blogs_presentation_2005.pdf (3.5 MB)

I'll be adding the audio and video from the presentation next week.

Here are links to some of the key sites discussed in the presentation:

·       Feedster (blog search)

·       PubSub (blog search)

·       Technorati (blog search)

·       Catalyst (research on blog use)

·       Pew (research on blog use)

·       TypePad (blog publishing tool)

·       News Gator (Web-based RSS reader)

·       You Subscribe (Outlook-based RSS reader)

IDSA Blogs Presentation...Washington DC

Mapping Emotions

BusinessWeek Online features an article by Dan Formosa of SmartDesign, describing the general methodology for measuring emotional connections to products.  In this case, changes in  perceptions towards band-aids as a function of exposure time to the product.

IDSA Conference Blog

The 2005 IDSA conference next week will feature a conference blog at - http://idsa.blogs.com/reaction/

"Extra-Ordinary" Ergonomics: How to Accommodate Small and Big Persons, The Disabled and Elderly, Expectant Mothers, and Children

A new reference book has been published, focused assessment and design of the Ergonomics of special populations.

From the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society description:

"Underscoring the need for extraordinary ergonomics, the book illustrates various approaches to measuring the characteristics, capabilities, and limitations of those who differ from the norm. Kroemer explains how to assess and determine abilities and needs and demonstrates how to design tools, homes, and environments to make working space safe and living space easy.

Researchers and students will find helpful information about measuring people's sizes, strengths, weaknesses, and capabilities, and from this information determine the needs for specific ergonomic accommodations. The book enables human factors professionals, architects, and designers to devise work tasks, devices, tools, and environments for special populations – particularly for children. Health care professionals and employers will discover ways to help people who suffer from temporary or permanent disabilities so they can cope with the demands at work, at home, or in a care facility."

Anthropometric Reference Data, United States, 1988-1994

I've located some more recent data sets for the U.S. population from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey of the Center for Disease Control (CDC).  This is an extensive data set, focusing on a range of characteristics, primarily around health/nutrition attributes, but certainly applicable to many ergonomic design characteristics.  Includes 64 tables covering everything from weight, height to wrist and buttock circumference:

Anthropometric Data Sets