A1.1 Ergonomics
Define ergonomics and give one simple example of how ergonomic design improves a product's usability.
What is user-centred research? Give one quick example of a method used.
User-centred research: research focused on understanding users' needs, behaviors, and contexts. Example method: interviews.
What is a prototype? Give one low-fidelity example.
Prototype: a preliminary model used to test concepts. Low-fidelity example: paper sketches or paper mock-up.
Name three broad material classes used in product design
Three broad material classes: metals, polymers (plastics), ceramics (and also composites, woods).
What does “user-centred design” prioritize in the design process?
User-centred design prioritizes the needs, contexts, and experiences of users throughout the design process.
Name two anthropometric measures designers use when designing a chair and explain why each matters.
Two anthropometric measures: (1) Seat height — ensures feet rest flat and knees at ~90°; (2) Elbow-to-floor or elbow height — ensures proper desk height for comfortable arm support. Each matters to avoid awkward posture and reduce musculoskeletal strain.
Distinguish between qualitative and quantitative user research with one example of each.
Qualitative: open-ended, exploratory (e.g., interviews, observations) — yields insights, motivations, behaviors. Quantitative: numeric, measurable (e.g., surveys with Likert scales, usage analytics) — yields statistics and trends.
Compare a paper prototype and a functional prototype — one advantage of each
Paper prototype advantage: very quick and cheap to iterate and test layout/flow. Functional prototype advantage: demonstrates real behavior/interaction and lets you test actual performance.
Define tensile strength and state why it matters when selecting materials for a load-bearing component.
Tensile strength: maximum stress a material can withstand while being stretched before failure. Importance: ensures the material can handle expected tensile loads without breaking (critical for load-bearing parts).
List the basic steps of a user-centred design cycle (short answer).
Basic steps: research (understand users), define requirements, ideate, prototype, test with users, iterate.
Explain how ergonomic considerations might differ when designing for older adults versus young children.
Differences: Older adults — consider reduced strength, shorter reach, limited mobility, possible joint pain, and vision/hearing decline. Young children — smaller anthropometrics, different proportions, limited dexterity, and safety concerns (choking, sharp edges). Design implications: adjust sizes, grips, forces required, and safety features accordingly.
Describe how you would run a basic contextual inquiry for a kitchen appliance and one insight you might expect to gather.
Steps: observe user in their kitchen while they perform typical tasks, ask clarifying questions, take notes/photos, map workflows. Expected insight: common workaround (e.g., storing appliance in a hard-to-reach place) or pain point (e.g., hard-to-read controls when hands are wet).
Explain rapid prototyping and name two techniques commonly used in product design.
Rapid prototyping explanation: fast cycles to create and test prototypes to inform iterative design. Techniques: 1) 3D printing 2) laser cutting
Explain the difference between thermal conductivity and thermal resistance with an example of when each property is important
Thermal conductivity: measure of how well a material conducts heat (e.g., metals have high conductivity — important for heat sinks).
Thermal resistance: a material’s opposition to heat flow (e.g., insulating foams have high thermal resistance — important for thermal insulation).
Explain how feedback loops are implemented in user-centred design and why they are important.
Feedback loops: Collect user feedback during testing phases, incorporate findings into design revisions, and retest. Importance: ensures solutions meet real user needs and reduces wasted effort.
Describe three workstation adjustments that reduce musculoskeletal strain and explain the ergonomic principle behind each.
Chair height adjustment — maintains neutral hip/knee angles (principle: support neutral joint posture).
Monitor height/tilt adjustment — keeps top of screen at or slightly below eye level to reduce neck flexion (principle: minimize static muscle strain).
Keyboard and mouse position (forearms parallel to floor, wrists neutral) — minimizes wrist extension/flexion (principle: reduce repetitive strain and maintain neutral joint positions).
Explain how persona creation helps inform design decisions and list three pieces of data needed to build a reliable persona.
Helps prioritize features, empathize with users, and focus design decisions. Three pieces of data: demographics (age/occupation), goals/tasks (what they need to achieve), pain points/behaviors (limitations and habits).
For testing usability of a new app interface, choose a prototyping technique and justify why it's appropriate, including one limitation.
For app interface usability: choose a clickable digital prototype created in a UI prototyping tool (e.g., Figma). Justification: simulates navigation and interaction realistically for user testing, easy to update. Limitation: may not capture performance issues or detailed micro-interactions of final app.
Given three candidate materials (aluminum alloy, ABS plastic, and hardwood), compare them for durability, manufacturability for an outdoor bench.
Durability: hardwood (rot-resistant species) good; aluminum resists corrosion well; ABS less UV-resistant (may degrade).
Manufacturability: ABS easy injection-molded; aluminum needs machining/welding; hardwood requires woodworking.
Provide an example of a design decision that could harm users if user needs are ignored, and explain how user-centred design would prevent it.
Harmful design decision example: small touch targets on a public kiosk (causes accessibility problems) — UCD prevents this by user testing with diverse users and addressing reach/visibility requirements.
Given a product brief for a handheld power tool, list and justify at least five ergonomic design changes you would propose to minimize user fatigue and improve safety.
Design a mixed-methods research plan (brief outline) to validate user needs for a new wearable device, naming at least two methods and how their results would be used together.
Methods: 1) Online survey (quantitative) to quantify frequency of needs/features, 2) In-depth interviews or contextual inquiry (qualitative) to explore motivations and pain points, 3) Short usability tests on early prototype (observational data). Use together: surveys identify broad trends and target groups; interviews provide deeper reasons and detailed requirements; usability tests validate design assumptions and iterate.
Outline an iterative prototyping schedule (3 iterations) for a device, specifying goals for each iteration and how feedback would change the next prototype.
Iteration 1 (low-fidelity): paper/wireframes — goal: validate core concept and flow; feedback informs major structural changes.
Iteration 2 (medium-fidelity): clickable digital or foam/3D mock — goal: test interaction and ergonomics; feedback refines form and controls.
Iteration 3 (high-fidelity functional): working prototype with key electronics/mechanics — goal: test performance, reliability, and user acceptance; feedback determines final adjustments.
Describe how you would conduct simple tests to compare fatigue resistance and corrosion resistance between two metals in a classroom lab.
Fatigue resistance/longevity/durability: prepare wire or thin strip samples, apply repeated cyclic bending with fixed amplitude/counts until failure; record cycles to failure.
Corrosion resistance: expose samples to salt spray or saltwater soak for set period, inspect/measure mass loss or visual corrosion; compare condition after standardized exposure.
Critically evaluate a hypothetical product that looks good but has poor accessibility—for three major user groups—suggesting concrete redesigns.
Problem: product visually appealing but difficult for users with limited dexterity, visual impairments, and non-native language speakers.
Redesigns: increase button size and spacing; add tactile/raised markings and high-contrast labeling; provide multimodal instructions (icons, audio, multiple languages); test with representative users.