DT🫶🏾

• anthropometric and economics
• Ergconomics

  Human factors, understanding humans in the context of systems around them
• Facious Lille Bomin


  • What a designer has to consider when developing a product to make it fit
  • Study of the human body, including different shapes and sizes, measurements like height and weight
  • These help designers get a sense of the human form
• Antropomenic factors


  Measurements of the human body, including dimensions of the human form
• Ergonomic factors


  • Comfort - how will the product feel to the customer?
  • Safety - are there any sharp edges the customer could get injured on?
• Anthropometric data


  • Hand size
  • Hip
  • Height
  • Hand height
• 90% of population are catered for
• Different people have different needs, which need to be taken into account when making and designing a product
• Primary research methods


  • Original sources
  • Market research
  • Questionnaires
  • Client interviews
  • Existing product reviews
  • Focus groups
• Anthropometrics


  The study of body measurements and their relationship to the surrounding environment
• Systems thinking


  A top-down approach that starts with an overview of the system, its inputs, processes and outputs
• Advantages of systems thinking

  • Doesn't require specialist knowledge
  • Easy to communicate how the system will work
• Disadvantages of systems thinking

  • Larger system cost
  • Can lead to unnecessary complexity
• Design philosophies


  • Iterative design
  • User-centred design
  • Systems thinking
• User-centred design


  • Focuses on the needs and considerations of the end user at each stage of the design process
  • End user feels listened to and has a greater sense of ownership of the final product
  • Product is more likely to meet customer expectations
• Iterative design


  • Allows for the discovery of problems early in the process
  • Each iteration is tested and evaluated, leading to changes and refinements
• The Dyson vacuum cleaner was designed using an iterative approach, with multiple prototypes
• Disadvantages of iterative design

  • Designers can become too focused on a particular task
  • Requires more time to meet a final design that the customer is happy with
  • Difficult to move forward if the design becomes too specific
• User feedback is crucial in iterative design, as it provides evidence of progress to stakeholders and encourages focus on critical areas of the product
• Each design is thoroughly tested and evaluated in iterative design, leading to a better overall product
• Systems based approach

  Often used when designing electronic and mechatronic systems, a top-down approach that starts with an overview of the system (input, process and output)
• Systems thinking

  • Doesn't require specialist knowledge
  • Philosophies that guide the design process (iterative design, user-centred design, systems thinking)
  • Easy to communicate how the system will work
  • Helps designers become experts in a particular field
  • Helps with collaboration
  • Easy to find errors
• Systems thinking

  • Larger system cost
  • Can lead to unnecessary complexity
• User-centred design


  An approach where the user's needs are considered extensively at each step
• User-centred design


  • End user feels listened to and has a greater sense of ownership of the final product
  • Product is more likely to meet customer expectations
• User-centred design

  • Requires more time to meet and discuss with customers
  • Customer feedback can be difficult to obtain
  • If the design becomes too complex it can become unviable to sell to the public
• Iterative design


  The process of repeatedly testing and evaluating a design, making changes and improvements with each iteration
• Iterative design


  • Encourages focus on critical areas of the product
  • Each design is constantly repeated and varied
  • Evidence of progress can be given to stakeholders
• Iterative design


  • Designers can become too attached to a particular solution
  • Can lead to an endless cycle of changes without a final product
• Primary research methods

  • Market research
  • Questionnaires
  • Client interviews
  • Existing product reviews
  • Focus groups
  • Interviews with target market
  • Anthropometrics (body measurements)
  • Ergonomics (relationship between body measurements and surroundings)