2-1. Ergonomics and Cognetics: What We Can and Cannot Do
Know thyself.
—Inscription at the Delphic Oracle, from Plutarch, Morals
Use a machine or a tool in accord with its strengths and limitations, and it will do a good job for you. Design a human-machine interface in accord with the abilities and foibles of humankind, and you will help the user to not only get the job done but also be a happier, more productive person.
Design guidelines for products that interact with us physically are reasonably straightforward. The sizes and capabilities of the human frame and senses have been well cataloged; these studies form the science of ergonomics. Chairs, tables, keyboards, and displays can be designed with a high degree of likelihood that they will ...
Get Humane Interface, The: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
