Understand
Physical Ergonomics
Fitting products and spaces to people’s bodies: their reach, strength, posture and movement.
What is Physical Ergonomics?
Fitting products and spaces to people’s bodies: their reach, strength, posture and movement.
What you learn
Design for the smallest and largest people, not the average.
When it helps
a design assumes everyone can reach, see or handle the same things.
Use it at work
- Find the range of people who will use it, smallest to largest.
- Design reach and height for the smallest.
- Design space and clearance for the largest.
- Test with people at both ends.
Your output
Check one physical touchpoint of your product: can the shortest and tallest users reach it, see it and use it?
Watch for
Designing for an average body.
Related practices
Sources
- What Is Ergonomics (HFE)?
- Human Factors and Ergonomics (HFE)
- ADA Accessibility Standards: Section 308, Reach Ranges
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