I would like to extend an invitation to attend my Inaugural Lecture
(details of which are below).  Please RSVP to Trish Swift by email
([log in to unmask]) or phone (01509 222475).

Regards
Mark



'Beyond Jack and Jill - Designing for Individuals within Populations'

J Mark Porter
Professor of Design Ergonomics
Department of Design and Technology
Loughborough University

6 pm - 7 pm   Thursday 11 October 2001
Lecture Room CC011, James France Building, Loughborough
University
Informal buffet with wine to follow lecture


Abstract
Mark's research has been primarily in the fields of vehicle ergonomics
and 3D human modelling CAD systems.  The research has ranged
from the formation of databases and the evaluation of prototypes,
through to the development of design tools (e.g. SAMMIE CAD) and
their industrial application.  His lecture will focus upon the importance
of 'designing for people'.  Whilst this is one of the simplest definitions
of ergonomics, it is also one of the most useful as it shows the
importance of being able to use ergonomics data and methods within
the design process.  However, many ergonomics databases and
methods focus upon supporting design for populations of people,
rather than the individuals themselves.  For example, anthropometric
data are typically presented as 5th, 50th and 95th percentile values for
each body dimension.  This encourages designers to think of people
as being either 'small', 'medium' or 'large' for all body dimensions ,
and who are correspondingly 'weak', 'normal' or 'strong' in all their
physical activities.  This is a gross over-simplification which results in
many individuals being 'designed out'.  Furthermore, the conventional
use of percentile values such as 5th or 95th to define the extremes to
be physically accommodated guarantees that some perfectly normal
people will be designed out for every dimension of importance.  This
problem is worsened when the product being designed requires
accommodation on a large number of dimensions, such as driving a
car or flying an aircraft.  Given these problems, how can designers
hope to successfully embrace the philosophy of inclusive design and
'design for all' which aims to 'design in' people of all ages and
abilities?

For example, consider Janet, an arthritic elderly lady who needs the
support of a wheelchair, who wants to check her bank account and
take out some cash.  She therefore has to achieve the following: gain
access to an automatic cash dispenser; view and interpret the screen,
instructions and controls; reach and operate the controls, sequentially
or simultaneously as required; and then collect the cash and receipt.
If Janet fails on one component task, then she cannot use the cash
dispenser and she has been effectively 'designed out'.  The
successful design of such products requires the estimation of
multivariate accommodation which, until recently, has been a
complicated statistical process rarely used by ergonomists, let alone
designers.

The title of the lecture makes reference to 'Jack and Jill'  because
these are the affectionate names given to the two full size
dimensioned drawings of a 50th percentile US adult man and woman
presented in the publication 'The Measure of Man' (Henry Dreyfuss,
1967).  'Beyond Jack and Jill' is making the point that we need to
collect and present data for real individuals so that multivariate
accommodation can be considered on an individual basis.  The
designer needs to know if the other inhabitants of the city where Jack
and Jill live can also use the new cash dispenser.  The designer
needs to know who is 'designed out' and what design modifcations
are required to include these people.   A different approach is required
and this will be discussed in the lecture.

The lecture will also describe Mark's involvement in the design of cars,
trains, trams and aircraft and in the establishment of best practice in
the management of high mileage business drivers to reduce back
pain.

----------End of Message----------

Archives for the Accessibuilt discussion list are located at

www.jiscmail.ac.uk/lists/accessibuilt.html

You can JOIN or Leave the list from this web page as well