Human capability and product design

Designing a product to minimize exclusion requires knowledge of the demands made by a product on its users' sensory, cognitive, and motor capabilities and knowledge of the range of these capabilities within the user population. Any user whose capability does not meet that demanded by the product is likely to be excluded from using that product, or at the very least experience difficulty. Hence good design requires an understanding of the characteristics and capabilities of the target users of a new product or service, so that it can be designed to operate within their capabilities and meet their needs and desires. This chapter describes various forms of information that help to create a better understanding of these characteristics, along with the users' sensory, cognitive, and motor capabilities. Users may be described in many ways. Businesses talk about market segments and preferences, medical professionals talk about symptoms and conditions, government talks about socioeconomic factors, and designers talk about anthropometry and capability. All represent different ways in which to describe the diversity of human form, performance, and behavior. All have some relevance to the design of products and services. However, the focus of this chapter is on anthropometry and, in particular, capability.