Ergonomics and Its Applicability in the Design Process in Egypt Challenges and Prospects

Authors: Mohamed Moheyeldin Mahmoud

Abstract:

Egypt suffers from a severe shortage of data and charts concerning the physical dimensions, measurements, qualities and consumer behavior. The shortage of needed information and appropriate methods has forced the Egyptian designer to use any other foreign standard when designing a product for the Egyptian consumer which has led to many problems. The urgently needed database concerning the physical specifications, measurements of the Egyptian consumers, as well as the need to support the Ergonomics given courses in many colleges and institutes with the latest technologies, is stated as the research problem. Descriptive analytical method relying on the compiling, comparing and analyzing of information and facts in order to get acceptable perceptions, ideas and considerations is the used methodology by the researcher. The research concludes that: 1. Good interaction relationship between users and products shows the success of that product. 2. An integration linkage between the most prominent fields of science specially Ergonomics, Interaction Design and Ethnography should be encouraged to provide an ultimately updated database concerning the nature, specifications and environment of the Egyptian consumer, in order to achieve a higher benefit for both user and product. 3. Chinese economic policy based on the study of market requirements long before any market activities should be emulated. 4. Using Ethnography supports the design activities creating new products or updating existent ones through measuring the compatibility of products with their environment and user expectations, While contracting a joint cooperation between military colleges, sports education institutes from one side, and design institutes from the other side to provide an ultimately updated (annually updated) database concerning some specifications about students of both sexes applying in those institutes (height, weight, etc.) to provide the Industrial designer with the needed information when creating a new product or updating an existing one concerning that category is recommended by the researcher.

Keywords: Adapt ergonomics, ethnography, interaction design.

Digital Object Identifier (DOI): doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.1316702

References:

[1] Amira Abdurrahman barhmein, Human activity engineering, Health quality report, Access Date:14 February 2016
[2] The International Ergonomics Association (IEA), Access Date: 2 August 2016 http://www.iea.cc/whats/index.html
[3] Gavriel salvendy, Handbook of Human Factors and Ergonomics, 4th edition, john wiley & sons INC., USA, Access Date: 1 August 2016.
[4] Magdalen Galley, 50 Years of Ergonomics-Where have we been and where are we going?, Research School in Ergonomics and Human Factors, Holywell Building, Holywell Way, Loughborough, LE11 3UZ, Access Date: 2 August 2016.
[5] Deborah M. Licht and Donald J. Polzella, Human Factors, Ergonomics, and Human Factors Engineering: An Analysis of Definitions, Crew System Ergonomics Information Analysis Center (CSERIAC) Kenneth R. Boff, Harry G. Armstrong Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Access Date: 10 June 2016
[6] Gawdat bebawy (Dr.), The human engineering cycle in the interior architecture engineering, Egypt. faculty.ksu.edu.sa/sherbo/IE341%20Fall%202012/.../الهندسة%20البشرية.docx, Access Date: 1 August 2016.
[7] Nigel slack, Stewart chambers, Robert Johnston, (2010), operations management, 6th edition, Pearson education limited, UK, , Access Date: 1 August 2016. http://50.30.47.15/ebook/IPE/Operations_Management_6th_ed_N.Slack_et_al_(Pearson,2010)_BBS.pdf
[8] Ghassan kassem dawood allami (prof.), the effect of human engineering applications in decreasing the production operations cost, Human Development Uni. Magazine, Issue no. 1, Baghdad Uni., Iraq, Access Date: 15 June 2016. journals.uhd.edu.iq/assets/13--page-204---228-.pdf
[9] Mohamed moheyeldin mahmoud, Study of Artificial Intelligence technology & Industrial Designer role in its application in the field of smart products, Helwan Uni., Egypt, 2008.
[10] Dan Saffer, a Definition of Interaction Design, 2004, Access Date: 1 July 2016. http://www.odannyboy.com/blog/archives/001000.html
[11] Robert Reimann, So you want to be an interaction designer, 2008, Access Date: 2 July 2016. https://www.cooper.com/journal/2008/5/so_you_want_to_be_an_interacti
[12] Waleed Ibrahim Hassan and Borham mahmoud shafiq sakr, Ethnographic studies in the design of small environmental projects, 7th Arab Contemporary Art Conference ", Yarmouk Uni, 2010.
[13] Mabrouk boutakouka, Ethnography.com, Access Date: 10 June 2016 www.aranthropos.com/Ethnography-الإثنوجرافيا
[14] Marcel MAUSS, MANUEL D’ETHNOGRAPHIE, 2002, Access Date: 2 August 2016. http://gaogoa.free.fr/HTML/Noeudrondlogie/Topologie/Pianoeuds/Textes/manuel_ethnographie.pdf