Ergonomics in Design Seminar

Overview

This seminar will include the announcement of this year's Ergonomics Design Award winner, as well as two workshops looking at designing for particular user needs.

Each workshop will run twice, once in the morning and once in the afternoon, so all delegates will be able to attend both.

Workshop 1: Designing for changing demographics

With an ageing population, how do we ensure inclusivity into later life? How do we design for physical issues of ageing and also cognitive impairments such as dementia?

This workshop aims to provide delegates with useful information on the full spectrum of user needs into older age and on the requirement to design inclusively. The principles of user centred design will be discussed and how they relate to users of all abilities. Delegates will be provided with some tools and techniques which can be adopted to inform the design process. By the end of the workshop, delegates should:

• Have a greater understanding of the requirement to design for an ageing population and knowledge that can be used to make persuasive arguments for an inclusive approach to design.
• Have an understanding of the spectrum of older users’ needs.
• Have knowledge of some practical tools and techniques that can be applied as part of an inclusive approach when designing products.

Workshop 2: Measuring improvement in new designs

The role of ergonomics and human factors in generating possible design solutions is increasingly understood but how do we measure just how successful design changes have been?

The workshop will focus on some of the most commonly used techniques (task analysis, error analysis and user requirements assessment). A strong emphasis will be placed on discussing and demonstrating how the application of these tools can be used to directly inform the design process and benchmark competing designs. By the end of the session, delegates should:

• Understand how human factors and ergonomics methods can be used to provide a business case for system change.
• Have experience applying a range of human factors tools and understand how these tools can inform the design process.
• Have a greater understanding of what human factors tools and techniques are available and where to find further information.

Timetable

09:30 - Registration
10:00 - Welcome
10:20 - 1st workshop session
12:20 - Lunch
13:00 - Presentations of shortlisted entries for the Ergonomics Design Award
13:45 - 2nd workshop session
15:45 - Announcement of the winner and presentation of the Ergonomics Design Award
16:00 - Round up
16:30 - Finish

Speakers

• Dr Dan Jenkins leads the human factors and research team at DCA Design International, working on a range of projects in domains including medical, transport, consumer goods and industrial products.
• Lisa Baker - a Chartered Ergonomist of the CIEHF and senior human factors researcher at DCA Design International.
• Robin Ellis of RED Design Ergonomics Ltd has a Degree in industrial design and a Masters in ergonomics.
• Adrian Woodcock of UXperience Ltd has a Degree in industrial design and a Masters in ergonomics.
• Kat Gough of Kitchen Table Design Research has an MA in Industrial Design Engineering.