LABS+5-10


 * Tutorial 5: Human Scale Ergonomics and Frank Gilbreth's 'Therbligs'**

Ergonomics can be defined as the science of man as relating to his/her environment and the ability to maximize his/her productivity through his/her surroundings. Ergonomics usually deal with the issues surrounding furniture and equipment design. Ergonomics seeks to identify the issues of discomfort and fatigue cause by the environment.

The term ergonomics can be defined in several of methods in an office space, for example, comfort and simplicity, incorrect height and depth, and etc. The overall impact of good ergonomics on the worker is very visible in his/her ability to create a comfort work environment and increase work efficiency.

Another factor in the improving ergonomics is the issue of mental comfort. This issue is very important in maintaining and/or increasing productivity in any environment. For example, living or working in a environment that is comfortable and efficient decreases one’s stress level and negative mental energy—which would be a result of a living in a uncomfortable environment and/or a space which he/she hated.

Gilbreth’s system of motion analysis is an analysis of energy used in motion. The system seeks to find the most efficient method in completing tasks. Gilbreth first tested his system of motion analysis when he analyzed the work of brick layers.

Three categories Gerblith used in the Therblig analysis of checklist are Reach and Move, Grasp, and Pre-position. Reach and Move deals with the issue of movement. It presents questions that analyze the efficiency of movement on the worksite.

Grasp is the second category used by Gerblith, this category deals with the issue of grip when working with tools of your trade. This category presents a total of 11 assessment questions. The purpose of this category is to simplify your accessibility of tools in the workspace.

The third category used by Gerblith is Pre-position. Gerblith uses this category in his description of positioning workers in positions where they are accessible to tools and there work. Thus, workers are at a advantage and are most productive.


 * LAB 7 **

The concept of physical computing is the science of interactive computer technology. It involves creating an electronic/digital system which interacts with the analog world. The interaction process of has two key components, first, controi, and second, representation.
 * 1A **

Through the two components of the interaction process the user is able to access and manipulate the digital process/information. Second, the user can view the external representation of the input—allowing the results to be process. The tangible used interface gives physical tangible representation which can be directly touched and viewed through the computer form.

Tangible representation is tightly couple with the digital computation in the computer. The representation is physical; therefore, it also serves as a control mechanism, thus, users can directly interact with the digital computation. An issue with physical representation is that you cannot change a shape or color easily.

The inability to easily change the physical representation is solved by coupling the tangible representation with intangible representation, for example, sound. The application of physical computing technology can serve in many different sectors in order to improve efficiency and etc. Physical computing is rapidly changing the way in which users interact with each other and the digital realm.

This video spoke about D-tool, a software tool that enables rapid and reflective prototyping of physical user interfaces. The software is available to the public as an open source. Through d-tools authors can rapidly evaluate and build physical user interfaces. D-tool is the first system that offers integrate support for designing, testing, and analyzing early prototypes.
 * 2A **

D-tool offer integrated support for designing, analyzing, and testing early prototypes. For example, in analyze mode the author can view an overview of the interaction from the previous mode (test), in this mode the creator can see which action was taken most often, visualize timeline events, and etc. The first method in using d-tools in enhancing the creating process of a prototype is connecting the mock prototype to the D-tool hardware interface kit, these hardware are displayed on the d-tools hardware display where they can be changed and manipulate. D-tool can be used to build cameras, including the camera interface with a large number of buttons to navigate through the camera menus.

Exemplar is a programming by demonstration tool that allow authors to explore and prototype interactions involving sensors. Exemplar allows the designer to demonstrate, review and edit, and test a sensor base interaction. The software is available to the public as an open source system. One of the methods of design used in Exemplar is that it allows designers to input and output continuous values corresponding to filter input systems.
 * 2B **

Exemplar can be used when authoring numerous physical devices. The device is connected to a compatible hardware interface; data from all connected inputs is shown on the system simultaneously in the Exemplar software. The software allows for an overview of the inputs—for reviewing and editing the design. The author can then test the design to see if it works. Exemplar can then send events to the D-tool prototyping system to generate hardware output. The author can further refine design if needed. The next step after this process involves the evaluation of the design through the values of output.


 * LAB 8**

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One of the designs that I considered innovative is “Sticking, naturally”. This design was created to replace the toxins glues used now to bond things together. The design mimics and takes advantage of the natural secretion of mussels for bonding and gluing items together.======

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The “Skeleton Key” is a very inventive design because it mimics the natural structure of the human bones in its design due to the natural strength of the structure. The product is hallowed which means that it doesn't require as much material to build the product as other conventional chairs. The design also has a longer life span than conventional chairs, and thus, represents a more efficient cost over time.======

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“Stanch the bleeding” was inspired by the platelets in the bloodstream that patrol veins, sealing cuts and wounds. The idea behind this design was to create a product that could be implemented in the industrial sectors—oil pipelines, oil drums, and etc.—that would decrease and/or eliminate the risks of oil spills resulting from damages in the pipelines and/or drums. This design would dramatically decrease oil spills and their effects on the environment.======

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The “Scrubbing bubbles” product is an industrial flue scrubber that mimics the enzymes of mollusks to sequester CO2 from waste gases, converting it into nontoxic material. This product would have a great impact on the environment by decreasing the negative impacts of waste gases. The potential impact of this product can potentially reverse and/or stall the rate of global warming.======

2)

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According to Janine Benyus, "the simple, elegant mechanics developed by nature often make sense in a human context, too". In other words nature’s design’s can be applied in the human realm of living. The application of biomimicry designs in a human context will help to improve upon and create inventive mechanics in order to enhance human life.======

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The features of the nature’s design are very innovative when applied to human designs. For example, the “Skeleton Key” chair design which mimics bone structure shows the creativity of nature’s design and its ability to make design in the human context more efficient. Nature’s design teaches us that design doesn’t need to be complicated in order to be efficient.======

Biomimicry designs draw ideas from nature’s natural orders and implement those ideas in the designs of human mechanics. Using nature’s designs as a guide and/or reference for solving issues in the human realm. Thus, human designs should be an extension of nature’s natural mechanics.

**CCT333 Tutorial 9: Service Design**

The goal of Service design is to make the users actions more desirable, useful, and usable, while increasing the efficiency, effectiveness, and value for the service providers. According to Sylvain Cottong the definition of Service design is a human-centered approach that focuses on the customer experience and the quality of customer interaction as the key value of success. The human centered design approach involves, specifying the context of use for the design, specifying its requirements, creating design solutions, and evaluating the design.

Keys concepts of Service design are systems, value, journeys, people, and propositions. Service touch points are the tangibles that make up the total experience of using a service. For example, spaces, objects, people, and etc. The key benefits of Service design are it enables for ease-of-use, greater customer satisfaction, reduces support costs and improves customers’ tolerance of business goals that conflict with their personal goals.

Service design is becoming an important element in deciding whether or not a business is successful. The service sector accounts for 60% to 70% of industrialized nations GDP today. Service design is most developed in northern European nations like Britain and the Netherlands.

Service design combines the design methods from product design and interaction design for designing the interaction and experience of service. Innovating, redesigning and managing services represent a competitive advantage for modern businesses and public sector organizations. Good service accounts for the whole experience, before, during, and after the actual selling.

Today as the competitive natures of businesses increase the differentiation between those who will be successful and those who will not be will be decided by customer satisfaction with their experience and interaction with the company. Customers are willing to pay a premium for products and services that make their lives easier, more enjoyable and exciting. Thus, service design is important due to the growth of the service industry and its ever increasing importance in the sells process.