Product Design

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  • 1.  Take a tranquilizer before reading this article

    Posted 03-20-2020 10:08
    I just read this article in Machine Design Magazine and it caused me to be short of breath!  The author has a complete lack of knowledge that people like us exist.  Let me know your reaction to "Mechanical Engineers Should Design Our Interfaces" at https://www.machinedesign.com/mechanical-motion-systems/article/21837776/mechanical-engineers-should-design-our-interfaces?utm_source=MN+MD+Today&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200311046&o_eid=2591D0158945A1W&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C2591D0158945A1W&oly_enc_id=2591D0158945A1W.
    What do you think we should do to counter such ignorance?
    Stay healthy.  No need to be alarmed by any symptoms you get after reading this article!


    ------------------------------
    [Stan] [Caplan]
    [Usability Associates, LLC]
    [https://www.usabilityassociates,com]
    [585-478-7757]
    ------------------------------


  • 2.  RE: Take a tranquilizer before reading this article

    Posted 03-21-2020 23:49

    Stan,
    Thanks for bringing this to our attention.  I read the article without the aid of a tranquilizer, but agree that we should be sure that readers of "Machine Design Magazine" don't get their only advice about user interface design from Mr. Rako. I also found his other article called "What's All This Usability Stuff, Anyhow?" in "Eloctronic Design" magazine, in which he makes some legitimate gripes about product usability. I would be happy to work with you on a letter to the editor or some other appropriate counter to Mr. Rako's apparently naive writing.  



    ------------------------------
    Keith Karn
    Principal Consultant
    Human Factors in Context LLC
    (215) 531-1521
    ------------------------------



  • 3.  RE: Take a tranquilizer before reading this article

    Posted 03-22-2020 10:09
    Hi Stan 

    Wow! Maybe we should submit a counter article to the magazine. 

    Christy
    --
    Christy Harper
    Managing Partner
    End to End User Research
    15355 Vantage Pkwy W, Suite 250, Houston, TX 77032
    (281) 741-9496

    Sign up to participate in future research: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/E2ESignUp




    ------Original Message------

    Stan,
    Thanks for bringing this to our attention.  I read the article without the aid of a tranquilizer, but agree that we should be sure that readers of "Machine Design Magazine" don't get their only advice about user interface design from Mr. Rako. I also found his other article called "What's All This Usability Stuff, Anyhow?" in "Eloctronic Design" magazine, in which he makes some legitimate gripes about product usability. I would be happy to work with you on a letter to the editor or some other appropriate counter to Mr. Rako's apparently naive writing.  



    ------------------------------
    Keith Karn
    Principal Consultant
    Human Factors in Context LLC
    (215) 531-1521
    ------------------------------


  • 4.  RE: Take a tranquilizer before reading this article

    Posted 03-24-2020 18:11
    Fellow HFE Professionals;
    I agree with Christy, that we should post a response, even if the article was published in 2019.

    In my 20 years of practice, MEs, EEs and other engineers have always reached out to validate their design with usability testing, so it has been a symbiotic and mutually beneficial relationship, as many of you in the field have experienced

    There are a few things that we can potentially work from to drive the positive message of working together;
    A) Using Alphonse Chapanis' genius style and his sentinel Human Factors Engineering work "Set Phasers on Stun" we can cite examples.  Cobalt machine controls which had horrific effects on young and relatively healthy subjects 
    B) We can also refer to more recent mechanical failures like the cover of Don Norman's "Design of Everyday Things" 
    C) We can show how usability testing has improved product design and metrics like the SUS System Usability Score can be used for benchmarking

    Thank you,
    Amrita Maguire
    Human Factors Engineer/Usability Engineer

    ------------------------------
    Amrita Maguire
    Senior Principal Engineer
    Dell EMC
    Round Rock TX
    512 723 7705
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 5.  RE: Take a tranquilizer before reading this article

    Posted 03-25-2020 11:37
    My bad, good catch, with apologies to Steven M. Casey, who is indeed the author of "Set Phasers on Stun"
    The late Dr. Alphonse Chapanis, often regarded as the father of Ergonomics, endorsed this book of Mr. Casey, as a tour de force in the context of bringing awareness of consequences of poor design. 
    My apologies for not crediting Steve M Casey.
    Thank you,
    Amrita

    ------------------------------
    Amrita Maguire
    Senior Principal Engineer
    Dell EMC
    Round Rock TX
    512 723 7705
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 6.  RE: Take a tranquilizer before reading this article

    Posted 03-26-2020 09:17
    Hello,

    You may also want to consider including examples of regulated industries that require or are strongly encouraged to incorporate usability into their product design process and in the evaluation of use risk, such as medical / in vitro diagnostics device design (FDA Guidance).

    Best regards,
    Melissa

    Melissa Steventon, PhD
    Head, Atellica Solution Systems and Software Content Development
    Siemens Healthineers, User Interaction Design Department
    melissa.steventon@siemens-healthineers.com

    ------------------------------
    Melissa Steventon
    Siemens Healthineers
    Newark DE
    (302)-631-0626
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 7.  RE: Take a tranquilizer before reading this article

    Posted 03-26-2020 16:25
    Melissa, I have emailed a senior editor at Machine Design Magazine to get guidance about responding to the article referred to in my original post which can be found at https://www.machinedesign.com/mechanical-motion-systems/article/21837776/mechanical-engineers-should-design-our-interfaces?utm_source=MN+MD+Today&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=CPS200311046&o_eid=2591D0158945A1W&rdx.ident%5Bpull%5D=omeda%7C2591D0158945A1W&oly_enc_id=2591D0158945A1W

    I have been tracking all the people who have responded to that post and will keep them informed about the information I get back from the editor.  I have included you in that group and will include any others who make future related postings or contact me directly at scaplan@usabilityassociates.com.

    ------------------------------
    Stan Caplan
    Usability Associates, LLC
    https://www.usabilityassociates,com
    585-478-7757
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 8.  RE: Take a tranquilizer before reading this article

    Posted 03-22-2020 10:34
    Keith, I think a letter to the editor would be an informative way to get the attention of readers and I would be glad to work on one with you.  A "barrage " of usability articles from members of this group would also impress readers that usability design practitioners exist who approach interface problems from a systematic and evidential perspective .  I had usability articles published in Machine Design many years ago and worked with Steve Mraz who is still an editor there.  He was receptive then and probably still is.  I'm open to contacting Steve to determine an appropriate path forward if several PDTG members want to consider submitting articles to Machine Design.

    ------------------------------
    Stan Caplan
    Usability Associates, LLC
    https://www.usabilityassociates,com
    585-478-7757
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


  • 9.  RE: Take a tranquilizer before reading this article

    Posted 03-23-2020 10:39
    Stan

    Tranquilizers, oh yeah.  But I'm running out of my 30 day supply.

    You have to applaud his enthusiasm at least! 

    I agree that a letter to the editor would be a good beginning.  An offer to write an article would be a great way to entice other types of engineers and managers to use HF Design (Or as it is now called in some circles UX, "User Experience") and get them as excited about good user interface design as our small group.  Something that combined a few simple HF lessons with strong examples...that would make them feel that they learned something from the article without having to have a MS or Ph.D.

    I am usually a quiet member of this group but am ready to help.

    Best,
    Lawrence Fleischer
    Director Process Safety
    BNSF Railway

    ------------------------------
    Lawrence Fleischer
    Dir., Occup. Safety & Environ. Hlth.
    Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway
    Ft. Worth TX
    (817) 352-1139
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  • 10.  RE: Take a tranquilizer before reading this article

    Posted 03-23-2020 22:59
    Hi Lawrence,
    Thanks very much for your response including your offer to get involved.  I'll give this a few more days to see if anyone else wants to join us and then I will contact all volunteers through email to arrange a conference call for coordinating a responsive strategy.

    ------------------------------
    Stan Caplan
    Usability Associates, LLC
    https://www.usabilityassociates,com
    585-478-7757
    ------------------------------

    Original Message


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