Research Log: Human Factors

What are Human Factors?

Human Factors are essential to any design project; who are the users? What is the use of the space? How much room do you need for specific activities that will be performed? The meaning of Human Factors is building a space for those who will be using it, instead of asking users to evolve into using the space. With Human Factors the design solution is less about aesthetics and more about the needs for the different people who may be using the space.

My Project Human Factors

In relation to my own Capstone project, I am working with an age group of 16–17-year-olds, more specifically, Juniors and Seniors in high school. It is pretty simple to begin learning about these student who will be using the space, like average heights, weights, their natural line of vision. the size of their heads, and the importance of these considerations.

At these ages, the average heights are 68.3in - 69.1in for males with their eyes being 64.4 to 65.2 inches from the ground and a height of 64in for females with their eyes 60.1 inches of the ground. Average weight is somewhere between 129.6lbs and 132.2lbs, with their heads being about 7.5 - 7.6 inches by 8.3 - 8.4 inches by 5.9 inches.

These measurements can be very important in determining what kind of design can be possible, and it helps to insure that the students can use the space well and be safe while doing so.

Another set of measurements that set the boundaries for design is what the extent of their reach is and their abilities to bend. For this age group their reach ranges from 27.2in to 27.4in with a 12.8in to 13.1in reach above their heads. Their average knee bend ranges from 34.5 inches to 35 inches at the bend of their knee.

The importance of knowing this information is vital to designing a space for a specific group of people. Not only for their ability to use the space but to also be safe within the space.

Senses within Human Factors

What can 16-17-year-olds see? What is within their sight both internally and externally?

People of these ages can visualize patterns, the site of memories and emotions can be recognized, and their directional perception and understanding increases.

What can 16–17-year-olds hear?

There is a sense of distance that is increased and can be determined through hearing ability. Different sounds created different levels of vibration; these vibrations can connect specific sounds to specific meanings. There is also an experience of increased focus that is led by sound which is based of the term “sensory gating”.

What can 16-17 year olds understand by touch?

Their ability to further understand textures developes more at these ages, with their skin still being sensitive to preasure, pain, and temperature. Memories of touch are increased and reminded due to more tactile experiences.

What can 16-17 year olds understand by smell?

It’s more difficult to understand the sense of smell in people since it is consistently changing from person to person. Sense of smell allows for the capability to exposure to odors causing instant fatigue, though it is common to have specific labeled smells that can be remembered like floral, spicy, burned, putrid, and resinous.

What can 16-17 year olds understand by taste?

The sense of taste is similar to smell in the way that it is different from person to person, and can be based on their own interactions and experiences. Tastes remembered are commonly bitter, sour, sweet, and spicy, but again, individuals memorize these through their own personal experience. Taste ultimately comes from chemical substances within foods, mixed with saliva, these perceptions often appear from physically tasting food along with the memory of tasting it before.