 | American Psychological Association | |
|---|---|---|
 | Usability Professionals Association | |
 | Human Factors & Ergonomics Society | |
A new concept that combines design criteria with marketing.
Today, ergonomics can refer to biomechanics, workplace ergonomics, human-computer interface, user interface design for hardware & software, and human factors. We get questions all the time about the definition of ergonomics and various uses for the word. To further complicate things, we talk about ergonomic marketing when designing products for market acceptance. The purpose of this page is to put the term "Ergonomics" into historical context and to introduce the concept of "Ergonomic Marketing."
Definition of ErgonomicsFrom Merriam-Webster's® Collegiate Dictionary online:
Main Entry: er·go·nom·ics
Date: 1949
Etymology: erg- + -nomics (as in economics) : an applied science concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely - called also human engineering.
Definition of Ergonomic MarketingFirst, there was Ergonomics...
Ergonomics is one of those buzzwords we hear so often these days, particularly in the high-tech industry. Few realize that it has been around since World War II, when necessity was the mother of invention. At that time, the need for a human interface component was recognized in the design of aircraft cockpits and other military hardware. All human interface contributions were known as either Human Factors or Ergonomics. It was primarily referred to as Human Factors in the U.S. and Ergonomics in the U.K. In today's usage, ergonomics is often thought of in terms of injury prevention in the workplace and includes topics such as: occupational safety, health, and environment, biomechanics, furniture and equipment design, workplace layout, and job training.
Technically, ergonomics encompasses two distinct disciplines that can be referred to as: interface design and workplace safety. In the first usage, successful businesses know that their products must be easy-to-use and aesthetically pleasing to gain customer acceptance. This form of ergonomics is known as User Interface Design, Human Factors and Human-Computer Interaction. We have all seen examples of products that have benefited from User Interface Design because they are more likely to have been successfully marketed. In the second usage, workplace safety has become a big business with the sale of ergonomic furniture and other ergonomic equipment. In addition, laws have been passed in the U.S. requiring that safety measures be taken in the workplace. Businesses and the public are now sensitive to approaching the workplace from an ergonomic perspective. The key for businesses to stay competitive is finding the right balance between productivity, quality, and safety. However, developing an ergonomically safe workplace can also complement an increase in efficiency and productivity. The objective is to reduce: time off work due to injury, Worker's Compensation complaints, compliance liability, and the cost of production.
Now, there is Usernomics...
Usernomics has expanded the definition of ergonomics once again, to include the concept of Ergonomic Marketing, which it strongly advocates for all product design requiring human interaction. The concept places the emphasis on the complementary interrelationship between ergonomic design and marketing. It recognizes that neither ergonomics alone, nor engineering alone, will ensure a products' success. Attention must also be given to design characteristics that influence marketability.
Designing with Ergonomic Marketing as an objective is quite compatible with designing for usability. Making a product easy-to-use and aesthetically appealing are part of the Ergonomic Marketing component. Achieving market acceptance and subsequent sales is a matter of attending to a few additional variables in the User Interface Design process.
Following are some suggestions for starting the Ergonomic Marketing process: First, consider the competition and ensure that the product is competitive from a functional and usability viewpoint. The product should "appear" to be superior to the competition on a first look as well as "being" superior in operation. Second, attend to the color and form of the product in terms of how it is viewed by prospective customers, both on and off the shelf. The product should appeal to customers when out of the box and distinguish itself when displayed on a store shelf. Third, design the operational components so that they are immediately intuitive when first examining the product. The idea is for the product to "look" easy to use as well as "be" easy to use. Fourth, look for additional product applications and uses if you change the form factor. By changing a few things, you can create a new market for the product. A simple example is designing a DVD player to fit an automobile, a computer, and as a stand-alone product - three different markets. All of these examples are design goals to consider and each one is compatible with User Interface Design.
Usernomics' multi-disciplinary team is well prepared to meet the challenge of designing products that are: usable, learnable, accepted by the user, and marketable.
Please contact us if you would like further information or wish to discuss our consulting services to discuss your needs.