Course syllabus
Belastnings- och kognitionsergonomi
Cognitive and Physical Ergonomics
MAMA05, 10 credits, G1 (First Cycle)
Valid for: 2013/14
Decided by: Education Board E
Date of Decision: 2013-04-17
General Information
Main field: Industrial Design.
Compulsory for: KID2
Language of instruction: The course will be given in Swedish
Aim
The aim of the course is for the students to learn, early in
their education, how to develop products, phenomena and
environments adapted to the human physical and cognitive
conditions.
Learning outcomes
Knowledge and understanding
For a passing grade the student must
- be able to define basic concepts of ergonomics.
- be able to describe how the physical and cognitive capacity can
vary among different individuals.
- be able to problemize the interaction between humans,
technology, situation and activity.
- be able to describe the structure, function and capacity of the
human body according to ergonomic aspects.
Competences and skills
For a passing grade the student must
- be able to analyse a product or phenomenon from an ergonomic
perspective.
- be able to change products or phenomena by using a user-centred
design process, so they better correspond with the conditions and
abilities of people.
- be able to detect and identify possibilities and shortcomings
in the interaction between the user and a product or phenomenon at
an early stage by using methods in ergonomics, and carry out a
measurements and analyze results to evaluate differences between
products.
- be able to develop a product prototype adapted to user
tests.
- be able to find, select and prioritise relevant information
from a written report with help of group members.
- be able to communicate the result from a study using
text/images/sound.
Judgement and approach
For a passing grade the student must
- be able to take into account that people are different with a
great variety of conditions.
- be able to express the attitude that humans are primary not to
blame when a product or phenomenon gives high load or is hard to
use, and instead see the positive challenge in trying to make
products and phenomena adapted to the user.
- advocate a user-centred and participatory design process.
Contents
The course contains individual and group
assignments/project and lectures/seminars that cover the
following areas:
- Cognition, human abilities
- Attention. Visual and auditory perception.
- Analyses of user interfaces
- Concepts in cognitive ergonomics
- Usability
- Cognitive design
- Antropometrics and body angles
- Biomechanical calculations
- Measurement of physiological signals in the human body, for
example muscle activity
- Measurement and observation of body postures, body motions and
behaviour
- Analysis of measurement data in terms of for example amplitude,
duration and frequency
Examination details
Grading scale: UG
Assessment: A passing grade will be given to students who pass individual and group assignments, and written and oral presentations of group assignments/project.
Admission
The number of participants is limited to: No
The course overlaps following course/s: MAM081, MAMA10, MAMA11, TNS112
Reading list
- Norman, D. A.: The Design of Everyday Things. MIT Press, 2002, ISBN: 978-0-465-06710-7.
- Hägg G., Ericson M., Odenrick P. Physical load in Work and technology on human terms, Bohgard M. et al., 2009, Prevent, Stockholm.
- Material that is handed out at the beginning of the course and at the lectures and seminars.
Contact and other information
Examinator: Per Odenrick, professor, per.odenrick@design.lth.se
Course coordinator: Håkan Eftring, universitetslektor, hakan.eftring@certec.lth.se
Course homepage: http://www.certec.lth.se/english/education