Ergonomics /Human Factors (HFE) Disability and Inclusive Design

1. Ergonomics /
Human Factors (HFE)
Disability and Inclusive Design
Dr. Sue Hignett
Reader in Healthcare Ergonomics & Patient Safety
Loughborough Design School

2. International Ergonomics Association (IEA)
Scientific discipline concerned with the
understanding of interactions among humans
and other elements of a system, and the
profession that applies theoretical principles,
data and methods to design in order to
optimise human well-being and overall
system performance (IEA, 2000)
Loughborough Design School

3. Ergonomics v Human Factors
‘ergonomics’ sometimes used to refer to interactions
with the physical environment
‘human factors’ sometimes used in connection with
psychological / organisational issues
can not sensibly consider one without the other so
terms now mostly used interchangeably
Key words: safety, performance, comfort and satisfaction
Loughborough Design School

4. 2012 Paralympics
Change in public perception of disability
How much has it changed practice?
What is the latest thinking about rehabilitation?
What does it mean for design?
Loughborough Design School

5. Models of Disability
Medical Model: Individual physical or mental limitations
• Solutions are found by focussing on the individual
• Service provider prescribes and acts for a passive client
Economic model: Policy making
• Perception of a person’s inability to participate in work
• Assess the degree to which impairment affects individual productivity
Social Model: Effects of environmental, social and attitudinal barriers
• Prevention of participation in society
• Failure of society to adjust to meet needs and aspirations
• If a wheelchair user cannot use a bus….. the bus must be redesigned
http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/gallery/2012/aug/31/paralympics-press-association-sport-graphics#/?picture=395465841&index=5
Loughborough Design School

6. Design Approaches
Accessible Design
Meets mandatory requirements for accessibility
Service specific user groups
Adaptable Design
Readily adjustable when need arises
Considers possible change of use during life span
Inclusive (Universal) Design
Serves every user in the safest possible and most convenient way
by providing for an independent and equal way of living
Goes beyond the minimum requirements of accessible design
Loughborough Design School

7. Loughborough Design School

8. Loughborough Design School

9. What does this mean for design?
Loughborough Design School

10. 1. Equitable Use
The design is useful and marketable to any group of users
Provide the same means of use for all users; identical whenever
possible, equivalent when not
Avoid segregating or stigmatising any users
Provisions for privacy, security and safety should be equally
available to all users
2. Flexibility in Use
The design accommodates a wide range
of individual preferences and abilities
Provide choice in methods of use
Accommodate right and left handed access and use
Facilitate the user’s accuracy and precision
Provide adaptability to the user’s pace
Loughborough Design School

11. 3. Simple and Intuitive Use
Use of the design is easy to understand, regardless of the
user’s experience, knowledge, language skills or
current concentration level
Eliminate unnecessary complexity
Be consistent with user expectations and intuition
Accommodate a wide range of literacy and language skills
Provide effective prompting for sequential actions
Provide timely feedback during and after task completion
Loughborough Design School

12. 4. Perceptible Information
The design communicates the necessary information
effectively to the user regardless of ambient conditions
of the user’s sensory abilities
Use different modes (pictorial, verbal, tactile)
for presentation of essential information
Provide adequate contrast between
essential information and its surroundings
Maximise ‘legibility’ of essential information in all sensory modalities
Differentiate elements in ways that can be described (easy to give
instructions or directions)
Provide compatibility with a variety of
techniques or devices used by people
with sensory limitations
Loughborough Design School

13. 5. Tolerance for Error
The design minimises hazards and the adverse
consequences of accidents or unintended actions
Arrange elements to minimise hazards and errors
most used elements, most accessible
hazardous elements eliminated, isolated or shielded
Provide warnings of hazards and errors
Provide fail-safe features
Discourage unconscious actions in tasks that require vigilance
Loughborough Design School

14. 6. Low Physical Effort
The design can be used efficiently and comfortably and
with a minimum of fatigue
Allow user to maintain a neutral body position
Use reasonable operating forces
Minimise repetitive actions
Minimise sustained physical effort
Loughborough Design School

15. 7. Size and Space for Approach and Use
Appropriate size and space are provided for approach, reach
manipulation and use regardless of user’s body size,
posture or mobility
Provide a clear line of sight to important elements for any seated
or standing user
Make reach to all components comfortable for any seated or
standing user
Accommodate variations in hand and grip size
Provide adequate space for the use of assistive devices or
personal assistance
Loughborough Design School

16. Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety
Loughborough Design School

17. DIAL-F model with service users as active
members in a falls management system
Loughborough Design School
17

18. Falls Risks through the Eyes of an Older
Hospital In-Patient: Hierarchical Task Analysis
HTA developed iteratively with visits to:
Coronary Care Unit
Medical Ward (Older People)
Orthopaedic (Trauma)
Top level activities:
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19. Step 1: Decide to go to the toilet
Loughborough Design School

20. Step 4: Locate the Toilet
Loughborough Design School

21. 2012 Paralympics
How much has it changed practice?
Individual – yes (especially younger & sports players)
Society – legacy design and plans to improve access
What does it mean for design?
Opportunity to make a step change from medical/economic models
of disability using accessible/adaptable design to….
Inclusive Design (social model of disability) as the
minimum standard
Loughborough Design School

22. Thank you
Loughborough Design School