Work - Volume 66, issue 4

Authors: Tosi, Francesca

Article Type: Introduction

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-203236

Citation: Work, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 913-916, 2020

Authors: Safin, Stéphane | Pintus, Pinky | Elsen, Catherine

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Articulating design and ergonomics skills through education is a major challenge for both fields. Indeed, professional ergonomists are increasingly deeply involved in design processes, and ergonomics education should train them in design skills. As courses in ergonomics education are often time-constrained, it is difficult to mobilize students in real-scale projects and to involve them in design processes. Conversely, activity analysis and active involvement of users in design projects (through co-creation or co-design processes) are rarely convened in architecture and design curricula. OBJECTIVE: It is therefore necessary to develop effective and relevant pedagogical settings, enabling students of both …fields to develop their abilities and equip them to act in concrete design situations. METHODS: In this paper, we describe a large-scale pedagogical setting involving groups of students from different disciplines gathered around a real-scale design project (re-shaping the waiting room of a mental health center). The ergonomics students’ main task is to analyze the needs and real activities of end-users; the interior design students’ task is to produce the design project. This communication more precisely focuses on describing the ergonomics students’ fieldwork and the practical and pedagogical innovations put in place to help them face the various challenges encountered during the project. RESULTS: Based on formal feedback from students, teachers and stakeholders, we address three main challenges: (1) dealing with the temporal constraints of the intervention, (2) documenting and observing a sensitive situation and (3) involving end-users to place them at the core of the design process. For each challenge, we describe the issue at stake, the work conducted to deal with this issue, and eventually the feedback collected from students, teachers and stakeholders. CONCLUSION: The paper concludes with an analysis of success and failure factors for such pedagogical settings, in particular for physical enquiry devices, co-creation processes, and co-constructed pedagogical settings. It shows the impact of these settings for students, but highlight that collaboration between ergonomists and designers is a key issue for learning in a positive experience. Show more

Keywords: Creativity, design education, co-creation workshop, physical enquiry, co-constructed pedagogical setting

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-203237

Citation: Work, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 917-931, 2020

Authors: Caon, Maurizio | Süsse, Rico | Grelier, Benoit | Khaled, Omar Abou | Mugellini, Elena

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Connected bike computers can support professional cyclists in achieving better performances but interacting with them requires taking their hands off the handlebar compromising focus and safety. OBJECTIVE: This research aims at exploring the design of an ergonomic interface based on micro-gestures that can allow cyclists to interact with a device while holding the handlebar. METHODS: Three different studies were conducted with seven professional cyclists adopting the gesture-elicitation technique. One study aimed at eliciting free micro-gestures; a second to evaluate gestures recognizable with a smart glove; the last focused on the gestures recognized through an interactive …armband. RESULTS: The analysis of the micro-gestures elicited during these studies allowed producing a first set of guidelines to design gestural interfaces for drop-bars (a specific type of handlebar for road bikes). These guidelines suggest which fingers to use and how to design their movement in order to provide an ergonomic interface. It also introduces the principle of symmetry for the attribution of symbols to symmetric referents. Finally, it provides suggestions on the design of the interactive drop-bar. CONCLUSIONS: The guidelines provided in this paper can support the design of gestural interfaces for professional cyclists that can enhance performance and increase safety. Show more

Keywords: Elicitation study, on-bike interaction, safety, sports, micro-gesture

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-203238

Citation: Work, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 933-944, 2020

Authors: Bozzi, Carolina | Mont’Alvão, Claudia

Article Type: Research Article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Marketing clothes online can be challenging for those who buy and sell them. They are products that people still feel the need to have direct contact with. Some of their attributes are not easily communicated digitally, such as the fit and the feel of the fabric. Besides, the lack of standardization of sizes practiced by the Brazilian clothing industry raises several doubts to the user. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this paper is to present the results of an investigation concerning the user experience (UX) resulting from the interaction with female e-commerce websites. METHODS: The methods …were organized into two stages: exploratory and descriptive. The former consisted of an exploratory interview (19 interviewees), an online questionnaire (205 respondents), and semi-structured interviews with 5 fashion specialists. In the latter, 60 users were divided into two groups of 30 participants to undertake a usability test on an e-commerce website (dafiti.com.br) to evaluate the UX when buying clothes. Group A used a desktop/laptop and Group B used a smartphone. The users were then debriefed and answered the AttrakDiff2™ questionnaire. RESULTS: Users lacked technical knowledge on clothing attributes and were extremely wary about the size and fit information provided (60% in Group A and 83% in Group B were not sure about fit and size information). Surprisingly, the AttrakDiff2™ showed no significant difference between the mobile or the desktop/laptop UX (Group A: M = 4.0 SD = 0.1; Group B: M = 4.1 SD = 0.2). CONCLUSIONS: The most significant problem faced by the users concerned the fit and sizing information, as these attributes are usually poorly communicated digitally. In addition to being a usability problem, by inducing users to errors, its greatest impact was on the UX. Show more

Keywords: Keywords. E-tail, usability, user-centered design, human factors, e-commerce, user experience

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-203239

Citation: Work, vol. 66, no. 4, pp. 945-962, 2020