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Human factors of a microelectronic product: the central heating timer/programmer.
1Bell-Northern Research, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Applied Ergonomics
|March 1, 1982
Summary
Designers use human factors techniques to select functions and components for new microelectronic products. This approach helps analyze existing consumer electronics and create innovative designs, focusing on central heating timers.
Area of Science:
- Human-Computer Interaction
- Product Design
- Microelectronics Engineering
Background:
- Microelectronics advancements offer extensive functionality and flexibility in product design.
- Designers face challenges selecting from numerous alternatives due to expanded technical capabilities.
- Behavioral sciences (marketing, ergonomics, psychology) are increasingly consulted to guide design decisions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To demonstrate the application of human factors techniques in consumer product design.
- To analyze problems within existing consumer products using human factors.
- To synthesize novel designs for products with advanced microelectronics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized human factors methodologies for problem analysis.
- Applied techniques for synthesizing new product designs.
- Focused case study on central heating timer/programmer design.
Main Results:
- Human factors techniques effectively identified issues in current products.
- The study facilitated the creation of improved and novel product designs.
- Specific insights were gained for the design of central heating control systems.
Conclusions:
- Human factors are crucial for navigating design complexity in the age of microelectronics.
- Integrating behavioral science improves functional selection and component specification.
- The approach is effective for both analyzing existing products and innovating new ones, exemplified by the central heating timer.