Industrial Design

Chapter 9

Industrial Design is:

• Service of creating & developing concepts and specifications that optimize the function, value, and appearance of products and systems for the mutual benefit of the user and manufacturer.

Work also includes:

• User-centered ergonomics• Improving manufacturing methods• Client image considerations,

including advertising and layout• Standards setting & verification• Normal professional

responsibilities

Involved Professions• Marketing experts – appeal, value• Design engineers – layout, improv.• Biomedical engineers – usefulness,

usability• Human factors experts - safety• Manufacturing engineers - mfgability• Service personnel – complaints, ease• Returns - complaints

Lots of people involved!

Industrial Design Steps• Set usability goals

– Provide quantitative basis for acceptance testing– Objective or subjective– Typically 50 goals, combination objective

and subjective

• Examples– Anesthetist will rate alarm control/reset

controls as 5 or better on a scale of 1-7– Machine will be calibrated and ready to go

in 30 seconds or less

Industrial Design Steps (ctd.) • Design user interface concepts

– Develop conceptual model– Develop user interface structure– Define interaction style– Develop screen template– Develop hardware layout– Develop a screenplay– Develop a refined design– Develop final design

Industrial Design Steps (ctd.)

• Model the user interface– Build a prototype to evaluate dynamics of

user interface– Software, hardware, mockup

• Test user interface– At start of development effort– When prototype is developed– When marketing claims may be displayed– Conferences, office, lunchroom

Specifying the User Interface

• Style guide• Screen hierarchy

map• Screenplay• Specification

prototype• Hardware layouts

Additional Industrial Design Considerations

• Consistency and simplicity

• Safety• Environmental/

Organizational Considerations

Documentation-Not only for Human Factors!

• Written to meet needs of various target populations

• Study capability and information needs of documentation users– Mental abilities– Physical abilities– Previous experience– Understanding of general operation– Special needs of environment

Attempt to avoid

this!

Alarms and Signals

• Purpose is to draw attention of operator• 3 categories:

– High priority: immediate response required• Red flashing light

– Medium priority: prompt response required• Yellow flashing light

– Low priority: awareness required• Steady yellow light

• Audible signal when not in line of sight

Displays

• Visual displays should clearly indicate system status

• Graphic displays should be used when perception of pattern of variation is important

• Numeric displays should be sued when quantitative accuracy is important

• Displays should be consistent

Interactive Control• System response

times should be consistent with operational requirements

• Control-display relationships should be straightforward and explicit

• Menu selection for interactive controls

Feedback and Error Management/ Data Protection

• Present status, information, confirmation, and verification throughout the interaction

• Standby should be accompanied by ‘WAIT’ message

• Feedback should be self-explanatory

• Easy methods of correcting errors

Think about:

• Your limits in designing a new device, such as an anesthesia machine. Where would you need help?