Design & Engineering Module-5

User Centered Design & Product Centered Design

User-centered design (UCD) is a framework of processes (not restricted to interfaces or
technologies) in which the needs, wants, and limitations of end users of a product, service or
process are given extensive attention at each stage of the design process. User-centered design
can be characterized as a multi-stage problem solving process that not only requires designers
to analyse and foresee how users are likely to use a product, but also to test the validity of their
assumptions with regard to user behavior in real world tests with actual users at each stage of
the process from requirements, concepts, pre-production models, mid production and post
production creating a circle of proof back to and confirming or modifying the original
requirements. Such testing is necessary as it is often very difficult for the designers of a product
to understand intuitively what a first-time user of their design experiences, and what each user's
learning curve may look like.
The chief difference from other product design philosophies is that user-centered design tries
to optimize the product around how users can, want, or need to use the product, rather than
forcing the users to change their behavior to accommodate the product.
These are some key principles that will ensure a design to become user centered:
1. The design is based upon an explicit understanding of users, tasks and environments
2. Users are involved throughout design and development
3. The design is driven and refined by user-centered evaluation
4. The process is iterative
5. The design addresses the whole user experience
6. The design team includes multidisciplinary skills and perspectives
7. Make it easy to determine what actions are possible at any moment.
8. Make things visible, including the conceptual model of the system, the alternative
actions, and the results of actions
9. Make it easy to evaluate the current state of the system.
10. Follow natural mappings between intentions and the required actions; between actions
and the resulting effect; and between the information that is visible and the
interpretation of the system state.

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How to involve user in Design?

It is necessary to think carefully about who is a user and how to involve users in the design
process. Obviously users are the people who will use the final product or artefact to accomplish
a task or goal. But there are other users as well. The people who manage the users have needs
and expectations too.
These are some methods which designer can practice to impart UCD in their designs.

Examples:

Consider these two equipment’s, first one offering more function than the second design more
ever it can replace to many other tools and providing a numerous number of tools within single
module but the second design only offers limited number of functions and tools.
Which one is better?
Obviously you will choose second one because of its usability and simple appearance. Since
second one can be handles easily and it won’t make any confusions to user this design is more
ergonomic than first one. However in this can you can notice that the second design is designed
under the considerations of user and his emotional requirements.

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Design & Engineering Module-5

Aesthetics & Ergonomics

Aesthetics:
Aesthetics is concerned with how things look. This can be influenced by an objects' appearance
and its style. The appearance of an object is the feature that people notice first. In some ways
appearance can be very personal and is influenced by things like the materials from which the
object is made and the type of finish applied to its surface.
It is important that products have visual appeal. In a world where many new products function
in a similar way, it is often the appearance which sells the product. Aesthetics is a pan of design
which is difficult to analyse and describe in words. However there are aspects of appearance
which can be considered separately.
Line: Lines are the basic starting point in our attempts to represent
design ideas. We use lines to enclose space and create shapes. Lines can
be used to express feelings and emotion. Lines may be thick or thin,
solid or broken, straight or curved. By changing the type of line many
visual effects can be created. Straight or wavy lines can express rhythm,
give the impression of light and shade as well as texture. A feeling of
anxiety, depression and calm can be created. Lines can be used to
deceive the eye.
Shape and Form: These terms are often confused. Shape is created
when lines overlap and cross to create an enclosed space. Shapes are
two dimensional. Shapes can be used as the starting point for a design.
E.g. Geometric shapes - Circles, squares etc. Natural shapes - Sea shells,
flowers etc. Manmade shapes - Bridge structures etc.
Form is three dimensional. To describe a form fully it is necessary to
give details of its shape, size, proportion, colour and texture. When experimenting with form it
is generally best to start with simple geometric forms such as cubes and cylinders. These forms
can then be manipulated to create more complex forms.
Size and proportion: The size of an object is found by measuring its length, width, and height.
These are known as linear dimensions. Proportion is the relationship between an object's
heights compared to its width.
Symmetry: Symmetry is when a shape or form can be divided down the middle and one half
is the mirror image of the other. A shape or form which is not symmetrical is asymmetrical.
Pattern: Pattern involves the division of area. Pattern helps to create interest to plain surfaces.
Patterns can be random or made up from elements which are repeated. Patterns can be used to
create rhythm and movement.

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Design & Engineering Module-5

Colour
Colour has no form, but can complement form. Used badly colour can
completely ruin a design. Alternatively, used well colour can make a good
design great! Colours can be mixed. Mixing rimary colours at the centre of
the colour wheel produces secondary colours. These secondary
colours can be further mixed to create tertiary colours. Colours close to each
other on the colour wheel produce harmony e.g. red and orange. Colours
opposite each other on the colour wheel create contrast e.g. red and green.
Colour has three properties:-
 Intensity - brightness e.g. bright red or dull red.
 Temperature - warm colours e.g. red and orange. Cold colours e.g. blue and green.
 Tone - the lightness or darkness of a colour. Small quantities of white or black can be
added to basic colours to create light and dark shades of a colour.

Style:
The style of an object is created by combining tone, colour, texture, form etc. Many designers
have a recognisable style which they apply to their work
e.g. Charles Rennie Mclntosh's Glasgow style.
Style is constantly changing, what is popular today may not be popular in a year or two. The
designer has the responsibility of making sure that the style of his or her design will appeal to
those who will buy it. Art Nouveau, Victorian and Gothic are well known styles. Each style
has its own particular look. Whilst designers have argued for years over the importance of
style and function, it is probably true to say that the best designs have a good balance of the
two.
When you come to design a product you should try to take account of aesthetics - but remember
a design which looks great but doesn't work or is difficult to use is not a good design!

Ergonomics:
Ergonomics is a design factor which is of critical importance. By using ergonomics the designer
is taking into consideration the user of the design. To help you consider the user you should
use the following checklist:-
1. Begin by looking closely at how the product will be used, decide on the characteristics
of the user and the product and the relationship between them.
2. Consider the factors which will ensure health, safety, convenience and comfort of the
user.
3. Compare your design ideas with what you find in 1 and 2 above, i.e. carry out tests to
see if the product is designed well from the ergonomic point of view.
Obviously when designing products for people you must take into account their physical size,
weight, reach and movement. In order to do this you will need data relating to human
dimensions.

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Design & Engineering Module-5

Anthropometry
Data on human dimensions can be found in tables of anthropometric data. Anthropometric
data is available on all aspects of human dimension e.g. height, arm length and distance
between the eyes. This data is available for men and women and for different age groups. As
people are all different sizes it is necessary to select data which is appropriate to the design
situation. For example let's consider the height of a doorway. Obviously to find this dimension
we must consider the height of people.

The graph shows the range of heights of men and the

number of men at each height. You will see that few men
are very small i.e. 1500 mm. Few men are very tall i.e.
2000 mm. However there are large numbers of men who
are around average height i.e. 1750 mm.
Similar graphs can be drawn to show the distribution of
any human dimension, either of men or of women,
young or old.
You may think that when choosing the height of a doorway that you would simply choose the
size of the tallest man but this is not the case. The chances of the largest person in the world
using the doorway are so slim that it is not practical to use this size for a door. In fact when
designers require upper dimensions as in the case of the doorway they ignore the upper 5%.
The dimension chosen is called the 95th percentile (95th %le). See the graph. Similarly if the
designer requires to consider small individuals they ignore the smallest 5%. The dimension
used is called the 5th percentile.
Examples:
1. Door Design
If we once again consider the doorway height it should be apparent that the
designer will choose the 95th %le man (the 95th %le woman's dimension will
be smaller). Let's look at another example. Imagine we were trying to find the
maximum height that a shelf should be in a supermarket. We are of course
looking at an individual's reach here. Obviously it is the smallest individual we
should consider, i.e. 5th %le woman. Setting the shelf at a height suitable for
the 5th %le woman means that the shelf will be within the reach of all other
individuals.
Occasionally a compromise dimension is required. In a situation where to
choose the 95th % would prove inconvenient to the 5th % user (or vice versa)
the designer will choose a dimension in between. This dimension is called the
50th percentile. A good example of this would be the height of a wall mounted
mirror.

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2. Seat Design
Seats are used for a variety of activities and each activity will require
a different design of chair. The design of a chair to be used at a desk
will be very different from the design of an easy chair!
Measurements and considerations in chair design are:-
 Seat height A suited to work level. Seat depth B to provide
clearance.
 Seat back and angle C should support the natural curve of the
spine.
 Seat angle D should be horizontal or sloping back.
 Back rest E should be adjustable for a work chair and should also allow free movement
of the shoulders.
 Chair seat should be padded unless it is designed to be used for short periods only

3. Smart phones
The size shape of smart phone is optimized based on the human comfort. These ergonomic
considerations improve the user centered attributes of these products.

This figure representing choosing better screen size for a smartphone that being handles on
palms.

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Value Engineering
Value engineering (VE) is systematic method to improve the "value" of goods or products and
services by using an examination of function. Value, as defined, is the ratio of function to cost.
Value can therefore be increased by either improving the function or reducing the cost. It is a
primary tenet of value engineering that basic functions be preserved and not be reduced as a
consequence of pursuing value improvements.
The reasoning behind value engineering is as follows: if
marketers expect a product to become practically or
stylistically obsolete within a specific length of time, they can
design it to only last for that specific lifetime. The products
could be built with higher-grade components, but with value
engineering they are not because this would impose an
unnecessary cost on the manufacturer, and to a limited extent
also an increased cost on the purchaser. Value engineering will
reduce these costs. A company will typically use the least
expensive components that satisfy the product's lifetime projections.
The benefits of Value Engineering:
4. Value Engineering helps your organization in:
5. Lowering Operating and Management costs
6. Improving quality management
7. Improving resource efficiency
8. Simplifying procedures
9. Minimizing paperwork
10. Lowering staff costs
11. Increasing procedural efficiency
12. Optimizing construction expenditures
13. Developing value attitudes in staff
14. Competing more successfully in marketplace
Value Engineering helps you to learn how to:
1. Improve your career skills
2. Separate "Symptoms" from "problems"
3. Solve "root cause" problems and capture opportunities
4. Become more competitive by improving "benchmarking" process
5. Take command of a powerful problem solving methodology to use in any situation
Value engineering techniques can be applied to any product process procedure system or
service in any kind of business or economic activity including health care, governance,
construction, industry and in the service sector. It focuses on those value characteristics which
are deemed most important from the customer point of view. However it’s a vital tool in design
used to achieve impressive savings, much greater than what is possible through conventional
cost reduction exercise even when cost reduction is the objective of the task.

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Improving Value of Designs (Examples):

Whenever you try to improve the value of any designs remember these points
1. Value engineering (VE) is systematic method to improve the "value" of goods or
products and services by using an examination of function.
2. Value, as defined, is the ratio of function to cost. Value can therefore be increased by
either improving the function or reducing the cost.
3. It is a primary tenet of value engineering that basic functions be preserved and not be
reduced as a consequence of pursuing value improvements

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Concurrent Engineering
Concurrent engineering, also known as simultaneous engineering, is a method of designing and
developing products, in which the different stages run simultaneously, rather than
consecutively. It decreases product development time and also the time to market, leading to
improved productivity and reduced costs.
Concurrent Engineering is a long term business strategy, with long term benefits to business.
Though initial implementation can be challenging, the competitive advantage means it is
beneficial in the long term. It removes the need to have multiple design reworks, by creating
an environment for designing a product right the first time round.

Benefits of Concurrent Engineering:

1. Competitive Advantage- reduction in time to market means that businesses gain an edge
over their competitors.
2. Enhanced Productivity- earlier discoveries of design problems means potential issues
can be corrected soon, rather than at a later stage in the development process.
3. Decrease Design and Development Time- make products which match their customer’s
needs, in less time and at a reduced cost
Example, if the manufacturing department has a part that is difficult to manufacture due to the
poor design, considerable time will be expended in order to manufacture the part. To
accomplish this, sometimes, the manufacturing department introduces changes to the original
design such as either updating the part tolerances or changing the number of parts in the design.
At the same time, the changes in the product design may not be either communicated to others
in the product realization process or too late to prevent decisions that are based on the original
product design. At any rate the traditional model is vulnerable to a costly and error prone
product realization.

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Reverse Engineering
Reverse engineering, also called back engineering, is the processes of extracting knowledge or
design information from anything man-made and re-producing it or re-producing anything
based on the extracted information. The process often involves disassembling something (a
mechanical device, electronic component, computer program, or biological, chemical, or
organic matter) and analysing its components and workings in detail.
The reasons and goals for obtaining such information vary widely from every day or socially
beneficial actions, to criminal actions, depending upon the situation. Often no intellectual
property rights are breached, such as when a person or business cannot recollect how something
was done, or what something does, and needs to reverse engineer it to work it out for
themselves. Reverse engineering is also beneficial in crime prevention, where suspected
malware is reverse engineered to understand what it does, and how to detect and remove it, and
to allow computers and devices to work together ("interoperate") and to allow saved files on
obsolete systems to be used in newer systems. By contrast, reverse engineering can also be
used to "crack" software and media to remove their copy protection or to create a (possibly
improved) copy or even a knockoff; this is usually the goal of a competitor.

Reverse engineering has its origins in the analysis of hardware for commercial or military
advantage. However, the reverse engineering process in itself is not concerned with creating a
copy or changing the artefact in some way. It is only an analysis in order to deduce design
features from products with little or no additional knowledge about the procedures involved in
their original production.

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Design & Engineering Module-5

Tradition & Design

Increasing globalisation has led to product manufacturers seeking cooperation with other
companies at an international level, not only for production but also for product development.
In such cooperation engineering designers from different cultural backgrounds participate in
the design process. Their cultures will not only influence the product, but also the development
process. A study of the literature has shown that, so far, cultural influences on the development
process have not been studied. As a consequence there is a lack of knowledge on how to deal
with or exploit various cultures within design processes. The main objective of this research is
to support engineering designers working in intercultural design processes, i.e. processes in
which engineering designers of different cultures work together. This paper describes the
research approach, i.e. how to investigate cultural influences and their effects on the design
process. For this, the characteristics to be investigated are derived from the literature on design
and on cultural studies. An empirical study will be carried out to identify relevant cultural
factors and determine their effects. On the basis of the results, guidelines for engineering
designers and project leaders will be developed to deal with cultural influences.
Design and Culture have always been closely interrelated, but in many instances design is
flaunted as the true measure of culture, rather than belonging to part of cultural context of the
society. Design has become the embodiment of a larger process of creative ‘culture-mongering’
that has become a means to capture ideation, innovation and enterprise and made to stand for
cultural identity.
However, in the 21st Century the task of capturing Culture has become more and more difficult
in terms of expressing culture through the medium of design. Design increasingly struggles for
a clear sense of definition, and one is left asking, what can Culture really mean today, if it is
no longer tied to consumer lifestyle? We remain in a post-contemporary state where we require
a redefinition of meaning, value and identity.

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Evaluation of Wet Grinder:

Wet grinders are closely related to Indian culture and food preparation styles. It can be
considered as an example that describes how cultural motifs influencing designs and product
development.

Here engineering converts traditional home needs in to automated products with the help of
technology. But the speciality of these design is that after automation the equipment still exhibit
same features and feel that of traditional wet grinders. In other words the user will experience
the same feel which he/she experienced from traditional product while using modern product.
Hence traditional based design are more concerned with human emotion and cultural influence.

Note:
Download slide presentation regarding these topics. It will help you learn these design aspects
more deeply with extra examples and explanations.
http://www.slideshare.net/naseelazeeniya/design-and-engineering-module5-product-centered-
design-and-user-centered-design
Kindly write your feedback to:
NASEEL IBNU AZEEZ
Email: [email protected]

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