Design Technology - Topic 1

Adjustability

The ability of a product to change in size, commonly used to increase range of percentiles that a product is appropriate for

Alertness

The level of vigilance, readiness, or caution of an individual

Anthropometrics

The aspect of ergonomics that deals with body measurements, particularly those of size, strength, and physical capacity

Biomechanics

The research and analysis of the mechanics of living organisms.

Clearance

The physical space between two objects

Cognitive Ergonomics

How mental processes affect the interactions between users and other components of a system

Comfort

A person’s sense of physical or psychological ease

Dynamic Data

Human body measurements taken when the subject is in motion related to range and reach of various body movements

Environmental Factors

A set of psychological factors that can affect the performance of an individual that comes from the environment that the individual is situated

Ergonomics

The application of scientific information concerning the relationship between human beings and the design of products, systems, and environments

Fatigue

A person’s sense of physical or psychological tiredness

Functional Data

Dynamic data measurements while performing a required task

Human Error

Mistakes made by users, some of which can result in catastrophic consequences for people, property, and the environment, as they are considered key contributors to major accidents

Human Factors

A scientific discipline concerned with understanding how humans interact with elements of a system. Can also be the practice of designing product, systems, or processes to take account of the interaction between them and their users

Human Information Processing System

An automatic system that a person uses to interpret information and react. Comprised of inputs, processes, and outputs

Interval Data

Based on numeric scales in which we know the order and the exact difference between the values

Nominal Data Scale

Classification of objects into discrete groups, each of which is identified with a name

Ordinal Data

Data type that exists on an arbitrary numerical scale where the exact numerical value has no significance other than to rank a set of data points

Percentile Range

That proportion of a population with a dimension at or less than a given value

Perception

The way in which something is regarded, understood, or interpreted

Physiological Factor Data

Human factor data related to physical characteristics used to optimize the user’s safety, health, comfort, and performance

Primary Data

Data collected by a user for a specific purpose

Psychological Factor Data

Human factor data relating to psychological interpretations caused by light, smell, sound, taste, temperature, and texture

Qualitative Data

Typically descriptive data used to find out in depth the way people think or feel

Quantitative Data

Data that can be measured and recorded using numbers

Range of Sizes

A selection of sizes a product is made in that caters for the majority of a market

Ratio Data Scale

Allows for the comparison of differences between numbers, e.g. 1-10 scale

Reach

A range that a person can stretch to touch or grasp an object from a specified position

Secondary Data

Data collected by someone other than the user

Static Data

Human body measurements when the subject is still

Structural Data

Refers to measurements taken while the subject is in a fixed or standard position

Workplace Environmental Factors

Factors that can be considered to maximize performance of a user in a role and reduce the risk of accidents, (management, physical environment, equipment design, nature of the job, social/psychological environment, and the worker.