Understanding user needs

Question 1

meaning of ergonomics

Answer 1

designing a product so that it’s comfortable to use

Question 2

why does ergonomic design need to be considered when making a product

Answer 2

so that using the product won’t cause any health problems

Question 3

what is a target market

Answer 3

whoever the product is aimed towards

Question 4

what is anthropometric data

Answer 4

body measurement data to make sure the product is the right shape and size

Question 5

examples of anthropometric data

Answer 5

• upper arm length
• head circumference
• height
• knee height
• hand width

Question 6

how do designers use anthropometric data

Answer 6

1. They work out what measurements they need, (e.g if they’re making a mask, they dont need knee height)
2. they find out what these measurements are for the typical user of the product - these are collected by sampling lots of people from the target group
3. then, they design the product to fit a range of users within a target group

Question 7

how may products be more accessible for disabled users

Answer 7

• some packaging has Braile labelling to give blind people information
• control buttons can be made bright coloured and large so they’re easy to find and press
• smoke alarms designed with visible signals
• trains and buses need to be designed to have wheelchair access

Question 8

how can products be designed to be accessible to small children

Answer 8

• larger parts on products as children may find it hard to manipulate small parts and may have difficulty fastening and opening packages

Question 9

How can designers make products more accessible to elderly and infirm people

Answer 9

• they may have difficulty holding and using products, so designers may consider putting large and easy to grip handles on the product

Question 10

products are often designed to fit how many of the target market

Answer 10

90 percent

Question 11

what percentiles are used as cut off points

Answer 11

5th and 95the percentiles

Question 12

what do the 5th and 95th percentiles mean

Answer 12

5th percentile - 5 percent of people are shorter than this value
95th means 95 percent of people are shorter than this value