7. Read the text to see how many of your ideas are mentioned. Ergonomics and its application

Ergonomics is also known as human engineering, human factors en­gineering, user-centered design, inclusive design. Ergonomics is about en­suring a good fit between people, the things they do, the objects they use and the environments in which they work, travel and play.

Ignoring ergonomics may lead to designs which do not fit the physical, psychological or sociological needs of the users, leading to ineffective, inefficient or unsafe designs, which are unlikely to be commercially successful. The human sciences of psychology, anatomy and physiology provide information about the abilities and limitations of people, and the wide differences that exist between individuals. People vary in many ways: body size and shape, strength, mobility, sensory acuity, cognition, experience, training, culture, emotions, etc. Good designers and ergonomists are trained to consider the people who will use the products, systems and environments they design, but they also have many other factors to consider.

In recent years, crowded and competitive markets, raised consumer expectations, and new legislation have lead to a more rigorous application of ergonomics. Fundamental themes of ergonomics, such as 'user-centered design', 'user-friendly', 'inclusive design' and 'usability' have become buzzwords within the design industry. Ergonomics methods can be applied at the earliest stages of the design process, defining user needs and identifying opportunities for innovation.

Some design consultancies employ qualified ergonomists and many other design groups work closely with specialist ergonomics consultan­cies. Large manufacturers, such as Ford, Philips and Nokia employ er­gonomists to work alongside their in-house design teams. Most design projects involve multidisciplinary teams, including designers, engineers, marketing researchers, brand managers and, increasingly, ergonomists.

Ergonomics is a broad subject area and is applied in many areas of industry, commerce and government. It can be considered under three broad headings:

Physical ergonomics: Concerned with human anatomical, anthropo­metric, physiological and biomechanical characteristics as they relate to physical activity. The relevant topics include controls and displays, work­ing postures, manual handling, repetitive movements, workplace layout, safety and health, lighting, and the thermal and acoustic environment.

Psychological ergonomics: Concerned with mental processes, such as perception, cognition, memory, reasoning and emotion, as they affect interactions among people and with products, systems and environments. The relevant topics include mental workload, cognition, decision­making, skilled performance, human-computer interaction, human re­liability, work stress, training, cultural differences, attitudes, pleasure and motivation.

Organizational ergonomics: Concerned with the optimization of so-ciotechnical systems, including their organizational structures, policies, and processes. The relevant topics include communication, staff resource management, work design, design of working times, teamwork, partici­patory design, community ergonomics, co-operative work, new work models, organizational culture, virtual organizations and quality management.