Ergonomic for who? (Aug 05)

An increasing number of products in today’s marketplace are promoted as "ergonomically designed." Some are. Many, however, wear the label only as a marketing 'gimmick' to further entice consumers to make a purchase.

All too often, manufacturers add a cushioned handle or a curvaceous shape to an existing tool and suddenly, it’s “ergonomic.” But really making a product “ergonomic” takes much more; user-friendly ergonomic designs take research, testing, and considerations far beyond just adding a curved handle.

What is 'Ergonomic design'?

According to the Ergonomics Society:

"Ergonomic design is a way of considering design options to ensure that people's capabilities and limitations are taken into account. This helps to ensure that the product is fit for use by the target users."

For a product to truly be ergonomic, user anthropometry, workspace design, task and usage as well as human capabilities have to be considered by the designer or manufacturer.

How do you find an 'Ergonomically’ designed product?'

While it is good to choose ergonomically designed products for your use, you have to be careful in choosing a genuine product. It need not necessarily look too different from the one’s that you already use. We often wrongly associate ergonomic items with fancy looking products on which the manufacturers thrive. Simple design can sometimes imply simple use

If the product will result in a reduction of the following risk factors; then it was probably designed with ergonomics in mind.

Forceful exertions
Awkward postures
Repetitive exertions
Exposure to environmental factors (extreme heat, cold, humidity or vibration)

Sometimes the simplest solutions include correct use of products regardless of design features, for example:

placing equipment at the correct height on the workstation (i.e. relaxed neutral postures for the upper body)
using supports and aids correctly (e.g. sitting ‘in’ the chair and not perching on the chair)
taking suitable breaks and changing postures where possible
avoiding excessive twisting, bending, reaching or worse, all of these at the same time
trialing products prior to purchase (remember to use a range of User types and conditions) and where possible obtaining views and opinions from other User groups.