Many businesses seek ‘ergonomically’ designed products to improve their safety efforts. However, the selection of ergonomic products for work can be a frustrating and potentially costly process if they fail to live up to expectations upon implementation. This presentation aims to shed light on the differences between good design and ergonomic design, a distinction that is important for safety outcomes. Ergonomic design principles are discussed to highlight some important distinctions that can de-mystify some misnomers that exist associated with products claimed to be ergonomically designed. Examples of redesign projects are shared to highlight how matters relating to context and individual differences influence the user experience and ultimate successful adoption of the product.

1. Ergonomic Design is More
Than Good Design
An Important Distinction for Safety
Dr Elise Crawford
22-23 May 2019 Back to the Future

2. Overview
• Good Design
• Discipline of Ergonomics
• Why ergonomic products fail to deliver
• Ergonomic Design
• Implications for Safety

3. Design
• Is everywhere
• In every aspect of our lives
• Shapes our world
• Products, services, built environment,
digital world, systems, user
experience
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

4. Good Design
• Good for business
• Good for the environment
• Good for cultural and social wellbeing
• Industrial Design Council of Australia
(IDCA) (1958)
• Promote design quality
• Standards Australia became
custodians of IDCA (2010)
• Good Design labels
• Visible indicators of quality design and
manufacturing

5. The Black Box
Flight Recorder
Now standard on all
aircraft, vital to the
safety of aviation!
Designer: David Warren
Source: Hawkins, J 2019, Sixty year of good design

6. What is Good Design
when safety is critical
• Robust
• Built to industry standards
• Made with quality materials
• Durable
• Maintainable & Cleanable
• Functions as expected
• Reliable & Glitch free
• Follows platform protocols
• Compatible with existing systems
• Secure (no fear of lost data or outside
interference)

7. What?
Ergonomics design is more
than good design?

8. What is Ergonomics? https://www.iea.cc/

9. It’s not just about anthropometrics
Kevin Gilchrist in his 2010 blog
posted:
’It feels good in your hands, and
you can play for hours on end.
This is an ergonomic design that
is set up for comfort,’
-------------------------------------------
Another perspective
‘I was told I could turn on the TV
with it, but had no clue how to
do that. I pressed every button
but nothing happened. It’s a
stupid device.’

10. A word from
the wise
[Don Norman]
‘No single design will satisfy everyone’
Emotional Design: Why we love (or hate)
everyday things (2005)

11. Human variability
• Size, shape, weight
• Culture
• Personal taste
• Age
• Abilities
• Needs
• Goals
• Interests
• …
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND

12. Context matters
• Who are your workers?
• What goals are to be achieved?
• What equipment/ tools are being used?
• Are tools effectively and efficiently used?
• What is the environment where work is done?
• What in the work environment impacts work?
• What is the job?
• Is the job interesting and satisfying?
• Are the rules clear?
• Does the worker have some control over her work?
• Who does the worker interact with?
• Are working relationships productive?
This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC B

13. Problematic expectations
• The only people who need to worry about ergonomics
are those who have already developed an injury.
• Ergonomics is only really important for people who work
on a computer or type all day.
• Investing in ergonomics is time consuming and takes too
many resources.
• There are too many types of people to be able to be
efficiently ergonomic.
• Ergonomics is just another term for ‘office products’.
• If labelled as ‘ergonomic’ it will provide for the needs and
comfort of my workers.
Source: Spivey 2018 Top five misconceptions about ergonomics

14. Overarching Design principles
• Human-centred
• Design to ‘fit’ the user
• Participatory
• Actively involve the user
• Holistic
• Physical
• Cognitive
• Organisational
• Environmental
• Evidence-based
• What’s the evidence?
• Systematic
• Conduct preliminary analysis to inform
subsequent analysis
• Evaluate solutions against the problem
definition and success criteria
• Consider design trade-offs
• Iterative
• Prototype and test regularly
• Co-create
• Work with other discipline experts
• Including SME, the end users

15. What do ergonomists do?
Empathise with the user
• What is the problem
• User experience
• User analysis (needs, limitations & capabilities)
• Task analysis
• Context of work (work environment)
Secondary analysis – Design principles
• Demands on the person (risk analysis)
• Physical
• Cognitive
• Organisational
• Environmental
Test Prototypes with users
Help users become familiar
Advocate for the user
Support user testing as design is refined
Support train the trainer
Monitor human-system
‘fit’ operate to disposal

16. Poor human interactions: Implications for safety
Solution
• If you design something that did not meet user needs it will be disheartening and they may
refuse to use it
Physical
• Working in unhealthy postures and ways lead to chronic injury & illness, fatigue
Cognitive
• Unsupported cognition can lead to slow or wrong responses
Organisational
• Unproductive working relationships, distrust
Environmental
• Harmful exposure can lead to physical and mental fatigue
Induce errors
and put
workers and
others at risk!

17. Avoid undermining safety
1. Don’t assume that you or others know the
needs of end users
• The client is not an end user
2. Involve end users throughout
conceptualisation
• To get the right idea
• To match their mental models
3. Provide the necessary resources for end-user
participation
• Relief staff
• Conducive to end-user shift design
4. Incorporate end-user participation with the
change management process
5. Engage an end-user advocate
Source: Crawford et al. (2018)

18. Ensure an
Ergonomist is
involved
• Unlike many health professions, the title
‘Ergonomist’ as a profession is not protected by
legislation. It would otherwise prohibit non-
registered users from using the title.
• Do your homework, check registration
• https://www.ergonomics.org.au/find-a-cpe

19. Certified Professional Ergonomist
• An active full member of the HFESA (or other IEA affiliated society)
• Completed an education program which provides a comprehensive
set of ergonomics competencies
• Expertise in ergonomics demonstrated through the provision of at
least one major work sample, supported by one or more work
samples or products of smaller magnitude
• A minimum of four years of full-time practice in human factors &
ergonomics or the part-time equivalent

20. Other Important Design Approaches
Good work design
• OHS Professional, PCBU
Consolidates: worker &
business needs, context,
work environment, across
supply chain
• Involves: workers,
decision makers, supply
chains and networks
Learns: experts, evidence
& experience
Manages risk for continual
improvement
Ergonomic design
• Ergonomist
Human advocate
Considers: human needs,
limitations and
capabilities
• Considers human
interactions: physical,
cognitive, organisational,
environmental
Participatory, holistic,
contextual, evidence-
based
Safe design
• Engineer, IT Developers
Protects from harmful
exposure
Incorporates:
• Good work design
• Ergonomic design
• Extends across the design
lifecycle (concept –
disposal)

21. Aim for
Great
Design
Ergonomic
Design
Safe
Design
Good Work
Design
Good
Design

22. Some useful resources
• Find a Certified Professional Ergonomist (CPE) in Australia (HFESA)
• https://www.ergonomics.org.au/find-a-cpe
• Ergonomics Design: International Ergonomics Association
• https://www.iea.cc/
• Andrew T. Miranda (2019) Misconceptions of human factors concepts, Theoretical Issues in
Ergonomics Science, 20:1, 73-83, https://doi.org/10.1080/1463922X.2018.1497727
• Good Design: 60 years of Good Design
• https://issuu.com/gooddesignaustralia/docs/60_years_of_good_design_yearbook?e=883284
7/68545684
• Safe Design Guidance
• https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/safe-design
• Good Work Design Handbook (Safe Work Australia)
• https://www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/good-work-design