Design Technology: Topic 1

Adjustability

The ability of a product to be changed in size, commonly used to increase the 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

Concerned with mental processes, such as perception, memory, reasoning, and motor response

Comfort

A person's sense of physical or psychological ease

Enhanced Work Environment

Designed spaces for Healthy Workforce, Enhanced Productivity, Reduced number of sick days

Environmental factors

Psychological factors affecting performance of an individual due to the environment that the individual is situated

Ergonomics/Human Factors

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/Dynamic data

Human body measurements when the subject is in motion/physical activities/performing a task e.g. reaching

Human error

Factors associated with major accident, catastrophic consequences to people, property and the environment

Human information processing system

How user interprets information and reaction through inputs, processes (which can be sensory, central and motor) and outputs

Interval data scale

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

Nominal data scale

Based 'by name' and used in classification or division of objects into discrete groups

Ordinal data scale

Numerical scale where the exact numerical value has no significance other than to rank a set of data points on from qualitative data

Percentile range

The 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 optimise the user's safety, health, comfort and performance (motor processes)

Primary data

First hand data collected by a user for a specific purpose

Psychological factor data

Human factor data related 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 - their perception

Quantitative data

Quantitative data is information about quantities; that is, information that can be measured and written down with numbers

Range of sizes

A selection of sizes a product is made to cater for the majority of a market

Ratio data scale

Scale allows you to compare differences between numbers

Reach

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

Secondary data

Data collected by someone other than the user

Structural/Static data

Refers to measurements taken while the subject is in a fixed position, e.g. height, arm length

Workplace Environmental Factors

Maximising performance and reducing risk of accidents of Physical Environment, Equipment design and the Workflow of the task of the user

Workspace Envelope

A 3-dimensional space within which you carry out physical work activities when you are at a fixed location