Participation in group / staff led workshops / seminars highlighting and reflecting upon pertinent ergonomics issues in relation to case studies and specified design brief. Synthesis of researched data into appropriate visual and written media (knowledge & understanding / learning / working with others)

Origination of written report, clearly identifying specific user / ergonomic issues and speculating / illustrating potential solutions or key design parameters (enquiry / analysis)

Origination of a practical design solution that uses team and self originated ideas and concepts, leading to the resolution of the defined problem/s. These ideas will be presented to an appropriate standard, using a range of visual media and physical sketch models / rigs (application)

Assessment of your own input to the team - you may be asked to evaluate how group work and staff liaison contributed to your own approach. (working with others)

Above FIVE outcomes / criteria equally weighted, unless specified differently within the module pack.

Using the Library, Internet, CD-Rom and other current information resources you will research and improve your awareness of ergonomic / anthropometric issues relevant to the specified problem or topical for the discipline of product / industrial design.

Working as a member of a design and research team.

Investigation of sources of ergonomic data and evaluating them against the needs of the selected user requirements.

Work with a user group to test and evaluate your ideas and designs based on your initial research.

Visits to 'expert' groups, interviewing the relevant user groups and having discussions about their needs, recording this visually and verbally to inform the development of your test rig.

Building test rigs and using these to develop design solutions.

Evaluate data from research and testing and communicate this to your team and peer group.

Take responsibility for your own and your peer group's learning using peer and self assessment strategies.

Discuss with your peer group and staff; the issues which arise from the research and user group sessions.

Fully equipped 3D workshop, product design studio, video player, OHP, slide / data projector, library, CD-ROM and reader, telecommunications equipment, seminar room

Non-specialist computing facilities for email, internet access, word processing, database, spreadsheet and basic presentations will be available through LLRS/ITS facilities on campus, not from within the Faculty itself - the exception being the Faculty's Student Browsers based in studios which will support email and internet access.

Pheasant S (1986) Bodyspace: Anthropometrics Ergonomics and Design (Taylor Francis) ISBN 085-6634-7
McCormick, Ernest J. and Sanders, Ernest J. (1993) Human Factors in Engineering and Design (McGraw-Hill Education - ISE Editions) ISBN: 0071128263
Jordan, Patrick W. (1998) An Introduction to Usability (Taylor & Francis) ISBN: 0748407626
Bridger, Robert (2003) Introduction to Ergonomics (Taylor & Francis) ISBN: 0415273781

You will learn about the way in which people interact with spaces and environments and the artefacts within them and be significantly involved with the practical application of Ergonomic and Anthropometric data.

You will gain an understanding of the influences of anatomy, anthropometry, bio-mechanics, physiology (visual, audio and thermal), Human Cognitive Psychology (stress, work psychology, environment, light, noise, vibration and thermal factors) upon Product / Industrial Design and end users.

You will examine systems design and work flow patters and at the way in which Human Factors and Operability can be used as a way of development design opportunities and solutions.

Throughout the module you will operate as a member of a design and research team, helping to propose new ideas, to be realised through the construction of test rigs, helping you and the team to evaluate a design concept and practically demonstrating how it improves human factors performance.

You will be expected to use human factors research methods to identify design opportunities and write a 'Product Development' brief

You may be expected to work on a 'real' problem, as identified by an external source - eg. a manufacturing company of consultancy (design or ergonomics based)