How can user trials support ergonomic analysis?

Users can try each product and rate comfort and ease of use. Observations often reveal problems users do not mention.

What are aesthetics in product design?

Aesthetics are how a product appeals to the senses, including form, colour, texture, proportion and finish. Aesthetics strongly influence buying decisions.

How can the aesthetic qualities of existing products be analysed?

The analyst describes each product's form, colour, texture and style and compares them. User opinions show which qualities appeal to the target market.

CCEA A-Level Technology and Design 8900

Material Selection and Wood

Topic overview Material selection criteria Physical and mechanical properties Hardwoods, softwoods and timber stock sizes Pine, ash, beech, oak and mahogany Manufactured boards Wood finishes, veneers and laminates

Metals

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Electronic Control SystemsOption A

Topic overview Control systems, feedback and electronics safety Resistors, Ohm's law and power ratings Capacitors and RC timing Potential dividers, sensors and comparators Switches, pull-up and pull-down resistors Output devices and LEDs Transistors, Darlington pairs and thyristors Logic gates, truth tables and flip-flops 555 monostable and astable timers

Microelectronic Control SystemsOption A

Topic overview Microcontroller systems, ADCs and DACs Strain gauges and bridge circuits Optical switches, encoded discs and Schmitt triggers Op-amp amplifiers and gain Zener diodes and voltage regulators Karnaugh maps and binary counters Seven-segment, LCD and dot matrix displays PIC flowcharts and programming DC motors, stepper motors and driver circuits

Mechanical and Pneumatic ComponentsOption B

Topic overview Open and closed loop mechanical and pneumatic control Safe working with compressed air and mechanisms Levers, linkages and moments Gear types and gear trains Pulleys, belts, chains and shaft fixings Cams, cranks and converting motion Compressed air supply and pneumatic valves Cylinders, shuttle valves, restrictors and reservoirs Pneumatic circuits for logic, timing and speed control

Mechanical and Pneumatic SystemsOption B

Topic overview Hydraulics, system limitations and plant safety Torque, work, power and air consumption Vacuum handling, proximity sensors and 5/3 valves Sequential and cascade pneumatic circuits Cam profiles and follower displacement diagrams Gear geometry, pulley blocks and ratchets Toggles, treadles, shafts and couplings Friction, brakes and clutches Bearings, lubrication and seals

Designing and Manufacturing ProductsOption C

Topic overview Research, questionnaires and specifications Idea generation, critiques and computer simulation Manufacturing planning and product evaluation CFRP, GRP, Kevlar and tungsten carbide Smart materials, nanotechnology and biophotovoltaics Isometric, perspective and assembly drawing Laminating, steam bending, cutting and printing processes Risk assessment and product safety law Scales of production, JIT and cell production Quality assurance, ISO 9001 and continuous improvement Design influences and intellectual property rights

Product Design in Industry and SocietyOption C

Topic overview Life-cycle environmental impact and climate change The 6Rs, waste and environmental legislation Sustainable metals, plastics and degradable polymers Product life cycles, consumer types and relaunches CAD, CAM, 3D scanning and quick-change moulding Market pull, technology push and market strategy Price, place and promotion Jigs, fixtures and ICT in quality control Design for maintenance, inclusion and scale production Rendering, typography and presentation Dyson, Baylis, Memphis and Apple

Product Development

Topic overview Choosing a product to redesign Analysing the function and fitness for purpose of existing products Materials, manufacture and sustainability of existing products Ergonomic and aesthetic analysis Redesign modifications, sketching and viability Modelling, testing and evaluating a redesign

Product and System Design and Manufacture

Topic overview Clients, end users and design briefs Researching existing solutions and writing a specification Generating and appraising design proposals Developing a concept with numerical analysis, ergonomics and aesthetics Working drawings and planning manufacture Testing and evaluating a prototype

Product Development

Ergonomic and aesthetic analysis

3 things to know
AS 2

Overview

Ergonomic analysis and user trials, hand-held products, aesthetics, mood boards, colour, texture and form, balancing ergonomics and aesthetics, semantics and accessibility.

What you need to know

Answer each one before you reveal it.

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Key term

Why is ergonomic analysis part of evaluating an existing product?

Key term

How can the ergonomics of an existing product be analysed?

Key term

What features affect the ergonomics of a hand-held product?

Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1
Why is ergonomic analysis part of evaluating an existing product?
Model answer
Ergonomic analysis shows how comfortable, safe and easy a product is to use. Poor ergonomics is a common reason to redesign.
2
How can the ergonomics of an existing product be analysed?
Model answer
The analyst measures key dimensions, compares them with anthropometric data and watches people use the product. Awkward grips or reaches are recorded.
3
What features affect the ergonomics of a hand-held product?
Model answer
Grip diameter, weight, balance, texture and the position of controls affect comfort. A good design suits a wide range of hand sizes.
4
How can user trials support ergonomic analysis?
Model answer
Users can try each product and rate comfort and ease of use. Observations often reveal problems users do not mention.
5
What are aesthetics in product design?
Model answer
Aesthetics are how a product appeals to the senses, including form, colour, texture, proportion and finish. Aesthetics strongly influence buying decisions.
6
How can the aesthetic qualities of existing products be analysed?
Model answer
The analyst describes each product's form, colour, texture and style and compares them. User opinions show which qualities appeal to the target market.

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Material Selection and Wood

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