The human factor

ERGONOMICS, A FIELD THAT ADDRESSES A HUGE RANGE OF ISSUES FROM A VARIED RANGE OF SECTORS, AIMS TO MAKE PRODUCTS AND SYSTEMS MORE EFFECTIVE, AS PROFESSOR ANDREE WOODCOCK EXPLAINS

The human factor

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rgonomics, a multidisciplinary field incorporating contributions from psychology, engineering, statistics, operations research and anthropometry, is traditionally viewed as an approach to designing equipment and devices that fit the human body and its cognitive abilities, especially in relation to the work place. However, with its primary emphasis on the human (or user), ergonomics is moving out of the workplace. Its holistic approach, taking cognisance of all factors that affect a person’s interaction with a product or system means that it is essential to the study of larger systems or organisations where the safety, comfort and wellbeing of the individual is as important as their productivity and effectiveness. These systems affect everyone throughout their lives – from the design of educational environment, through to new vehicles, assistive technology, through to the design of smarter, safer, more sustainable cities. Where ergonomics is successfully applied, products and environments become universal and inclusive, affordable and usable by all. As professor of Educational Ergonomics and Design at Coventry University, UK and the director of Grand Challenge in Integrated Transport and Logistics, Andree Woodcock is able to provide considerable insight into the myriad challenges facing ergonomics in today’s society. Speaking to PEN, Professor Woodcock underlines how a shift to a more holistic approach could lead to more effective schools and workplaces, how a userorientated approach to (assistive) product design could help develop more effective, context-suitable devices, and how understanding ‘transitional ergonomics’ could help to foster a greener and more sustainable society.

While, perhaps traditionally, ergonomics is associated with designing everyday objects such as computer keyboards and chairs to better ‘fit’ the user, how else is ergonomics being employed in modern society? While ergonomics is indeed concerned with better designing the workplace, such as office chairs or computer keyboards to prevent repetitive strain injury for the user, it is much more than that. Modern ergonomics not only involves the human interaction with their physical (working) environment, but also the interaction of the human within organisational systems and structures. Thus, a more holistic approach is now being taken in ergonomics, yet the overarching goal remains almost the same: to make systems and products safer, more comfortable, satisfying and effective.

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We do this by working closely with designers and engineers at the start of the design process, so that the product is designed from the user outwards; proceeding from an understanding of the psychological and physiological needs and capabilities of all potential end-users. If these are satisfied then the product will not only be safe, pleasurable and easy to use, but the user or consumer will also return to it again. As an example, in designing in-vehicle displays and controls we would start by understanding the psychology of the driver (such as their perceptual and cognitive abilities), their physiology (such as levels of stress, reach capabilities), applying this knowledge to early designs, and then testing prototypes or early design ideas bearing in mind the context of use (such as urban driving). In terms of the effectiveness, ergonomics is not only concerned with the design of a system, but also with the design of a product as well as with how levels of satisfaction, health, wellbeing and quality of life can be improved. Indeed, this is both a central tenet of ergonomics as well as a factor that is of huge importance in both, for instance the workplace and the school environment, because if those things can be increased, productivity and effectiveness will also grow. Modern ergonomics is therefore moving away from the traditional view of the Man/machine interface towards Man’s place in society more generally, which is a significant shift in focus. The user-centred approach – designing with, for and by users – which has been employed in the design of work environments and discrete products, directly transfers to the design of larger socio-technical systems and environments. Taking this approach, consulting a wide range of the population is essential for inclusivity.

How can this shift in focus benefit the elderly members of society,

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particularly with regard to the ageing demographic in Europe? The ageing demographic, along with the need for increased sustainability, are two key drivers in research across Europe. We want people to enjoy a healthy, independent old age. Returning to workplace ergonomics, this has two implications. We need to ensure that the work place environments and organisations are designed with both safety and productivity in mind. So that people who work in offices, shops, factories or even those who work from home, do not develop work related illnesses and injuries which may impact on their later health and wellbeing. Secondly, we can, and have to, start redesigning employment to accommodate the older worker, so that those over 65, or past the traditional retirement age, can carry on working if they want to, and are seen as valued members of the workforce. This may mean job redesign, changing working hours and conditions, providing different levels of support for older workers who bring a different but larger skill set with them which can add value to companies. In terms of product design, we are now all enjoying the design of more inclusive, trans-generational, aspirational products. Basically, if a product is designed taking into account the needs of older people, or those with limited capabilities, it is going to be easier to use for everyone. Well known examples include the design of menu systems and remote controls. If commands and menus map onto users’ mental models, they are easier to use, if text is clear and legible and the display discretely customisable, it will be more usable for everyone. Examples of this sort of technology would be the iPad and the Kindle, which are ‘cool’, socially acceptable products used by people of all ages, but they can be tailored to the elderly in a discreet way. So, for instance, there is the opportunity to read an increased text size on both devices, but, as far as anyone observing the user is concerned, they are simply using new technology. One of my current research projects is looking at the design of assistive technology (which includes anything that helps people maintain the best quality of life possible, such as wheelchairs, spectacles and walking sticks, through to telematics and telemedicine), and,


more specifically, we are investigating the reasons why many people seem reluctant to use assistive technology. Indeed, despite the fact that, in general, people begin to decline as they get older, there is a low take-up of assistive technology. One factor may be the stigma attached to it, and people feel that, if they are seen as being reliant upon something – whether it be a large-screen mobile telephone so that they are able to read their text messages, or a mobility scooter, then they are not only admitting their age and potential decline, but they are also going to be perceived as such. Our project is concerned with identifying the barriers which prevent people from taking advantage of assistive technology, and then creating ways through which these can be overcome. Assistive technologies are going to be more prevalent and widely used by all members of society. So, although we are saying older people, we really have a continuum, we are focusing on those over the age of 55. If these can be designed bearing in mind the needs of the older person, then they will enable healthy, independent and enjoyable ageing. Here, ergonomics is concerned with understanding the psychology and physiology of ageing and making sure products are designed which are usable (e.g. packaging which can be opened by people with limited strength and eyesight, technology which does not require you to remember a lot of commands), the needs of older people (such as to be independent, to be treated with dignity) in particular finding ways to understand these and how they can be incorporated into more new products, and the context of use. Understanding the context of use is important and has been found to be a major barrier to use. Products which work well, and fit in with office and medical environments, or even in the design studio, have to be designed to fit in to the home and lifestyle of the older user. All too often they do not, and are only used once before they are discarded.


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What are the ergonomic drivers in this field? The drivers concern the provision of systems that will help people age, as well as providing work opportunities for people after they pass the age of retirement, so they can continue to have active and productive lives. Alongside this holistic approach, the drivers are also concerned with the design of assistive products, but these will, hopefully, no longer be designed just for the elderly, in that they will be trans-generational. So, in addition to trans-generational design, it is also important to investigate how people actually live inside their own homes. As people get older, they need an increasing amount of support, but, currently, the design of assistive products is taken from a medical model; the designers have not taken into account the context in which those products are going to be used. This is important, because some elderly people, especially if they have mobility issues, or if they do not have any family who can help them, can live in a cluttered environment, and this could interfere with the effectiveness of, for instance, a fall detector. If the context in which devices are going to be used is properly understood, then more appropriate products can be designed. Aftersales support is also a significant issue with regard to assistive technologies for the older generations, and Age UK are petitioning for better aftersales care, which could be as simple as being able to return a device, whether it be a monitoring device or a mobility scooter, if, after a time, the user feels they do not need it. Moreover, the aftersales care needs to be of a certain quality, and indeed, the customer should not feel pressurised to keep something they do not want or need. In this sense, it is important for businesses to work with their customers and spend time with them in order to properly assess what they need, before finding the right product for them. Telemonitoring and telehealth, of course, will play a large part in helping to prolong independence, such systems range from the remote monitoring of medical conditions (such as blood pressure), through to monitoring of bed occupancy, fall detection, and movement in the house. However, the context, the needs and concerns of the end-user – those being monitored – need to be considered. Furthermore, sophisticated, failsafe support systems need to be in place and adequately resourced to ensure that carers and healthcare professionals are not only alerted when necessary, but have the capacity and knowledge to respond swiftly and appropriately. The design of public spaces is also important in the context of the elderly, and this concerns both safety and accessibility, and not only for the elderly, but also for disabled users. Indeed, one of the drivers of ergonomics has always been making the design of products or spaces as accessible as possible, and if the accessibility is increased for those at the far end of the spectrum, then it becomes more inclusive for everyone. This means that if accessibility is increased for people with disabilities, for wheelchair users and for those with walking sticks, then the space also becomes accessible for mothers with pushchairs and for children and those who have other mobility problems.

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You mentioned accessibility for children with regard to public spaces. Is there the same focus on the younger generations within, say, the school environment? Absolutely; in recent years there has been a huge focus on this type of ergonomics, although much of the research has taken place in America. Nevertheless, a lot of work has been done on the design of backpacks, for instance, as well as school furniture and, indeed, the design of the school itself, and one of the drivers behind this has been to make sure that young people enter the work force as fit and as able as possible. Regarding backpacks, these should be just 10-15% of the child’s body weight, which will help prevent back problems later on in the child’s life. The fact that children grow at different rates is also now being taken into consideration, as, while there is a large variation of sizes in one classroom, all the furniture is the same size, meaning that it doesn’t actually fit many of the children at any one time, and research has shown, as I have already mentioned, that tailoring a workstation to the worker promotes satisfaction, happiness and wellbeing, and therefore boosts effectiveness and productivity. My work in this area concerns a more holistic approach by investigating the organisation of both the school and the school day. We know that smaller schools produce better learning outcomes, and we know that if it is very light in the school there is a 10-20% increase in reading and writing skills, while the temperature of a school also has a positive learning effect, as does the arrangement of the children in the classroom. However, these things are not looked at in terms of the design of the school.

Do you think that will change? It is changing in the USA, so we can only hope that this will begin to have an effect in Europe, because if the design of the school itself is taken into account with regard to how it is possible to design a healthy environment, for both the children and the teachers, substantial benefits will be seen across the board. In a similar way, different teaching and learning styles are now also coming to be looked at from an ergonomics perspective, and it is now almost commonplace for children to have to understand their own learning style from the


beginning of their education, and to become independent learners.

meaning that less fuel is spent trying to find somewhere to park, while simultaneously reducing congestion levels.

This is important, because children develop in different ways and they develop different skills and learning styles. E-learning materials will have a huge impact in this area, with children learning through ‘apps’ and looking at information on the internet but, rather than simply copying it, as was the old way of teaching and learning, trying to understand it.

Is ergonomics also playing a role in autonomous vehicles?

Will developmental psychology come to play a role in developing these e-learning materials? Indeed, this has helped us to understand more about the different learning styles, and, along with haptics, has helped develop our understanding of the way in which some children are visual learners and some are audial learners. My work at Coventry University has involved investigating the design of educational materials for autistic children, but while a lesson could be tailored for an autistic child, the same could be done for every child in the classroom, which would enable each and every one of them to achieve their true potential. The holistic approach certainly seems to be central to ergonomics in the areas of education and assistive technologies. Is this the same for the automobile and building sectors? Safety has always been the biggest ergonomic driver in the automobile and building industries, and now, in addition to this, the focus is being placed on the sustainability agenda. It is important that both cars and buildings are made to be as eco-friendly as possible, meaning that ultra-low carbon vehicles are now being designed, while different materials are being used in their construction in order to ‘lightweight’ them. With regard to safety, a variety of in-vehicle telematics are now being designed that will help people drive in a safer and more efficient manner, as they will be able to monitor their performance and compare it to other drivers through the cloud. Congestion is also a huge issue, and in-vehicle systems are being designed that will inform drivers where the congestion is, so that they can avoid it. This technology will also enable people to book car park spaces in advance,


Yes, and there have been some quite high-profile tests by companies such as Google, but it seems that the market is not quite ready for fully-autonomous vehicles just yet. There are a lot of barriers that need to be overcome, and so while many manufacturers are ready to move to autonomous vehicles, public perception will need to be changed in order for them to understand the benefits. At Coventry, we are actively pursuing most, if not all, of these research areas, and, indeed, I am currently researching something known as ‘transitional ergonomics’, which concerns how, as a society, we move from where we are now to the green and sustainable world envisaged by so many. Within this, it is evident that products are designed, which, once they become available, inspire innovation, but the problem lies in how to take that innovation forward and spread it. Indeed, it must be acknowledged that there will be those who will either not want to, or be unable to, access the latest technology, assistive or otherwise, and we need to understand how they can become involved in order to make society truly sustainable.

How do you feel this should be approached? Persuasion will be key here, and that is where the ‘gaming’ element comes into play, in that, for instance, with regard to economical driving, the fact that people will be able to compare their performance with their peers will, we hope, mean that people approach it as a game, as they will strive to better their driving style, thereby reducing their carbon footprint, in order to ‘win’. The design of such persuasive products is an interesting change in perspective, and one which has occurred over the last five years or so. This change is being aided by the establishment of ‘Living Labs’, one of which is based at Coventry University. Here, technology is developed by interacting with citizens, as people are invited to work with the design teams in order to share their opinions and ensure that products are developed with, rather than simply for, people, which is an important move in the direction of involving the larger community and the municipalities in terms of furthering product design. For this to be successful, it is imperative that collaboration between designers, universities and societies be established, so that innovative products can not only be used to assist those who need them (in a context that works), but also to drive forward a green and sustainable future.

Professor Andree Woodcock Leader of the Integrated Transport and Logistics Grand Challenge Director of the Centre of Excellence in Product and Automotive Design Coventry School of Art and Design browse www.coventry.ac.uk/csad/Pages/csad.aspx


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