Welcome to 2024! As we change our calendars to a new year, I would like to draw your attention to an important editorial change at the Ergonomics in Design (EID). We have increased the number of manuscripts in each quarterly print issue to expedite the hard copy publication of our online papers. This change addresses the struggle many authors experienced waiting to see their online published manuscripts in print. So, I sincerely thank SAGE publishers and the HFES Scientific Publications Chair for this initiative. This first issue of 2024 features eight papers, which is exciting for me as editor-in-chief.
The first paper addresses one of the 17 United Nations sustainable development goals, that is, to ensure water and sanitation for all. Schelbert et al. presented the research behind a new sanitation technology designed to promote safe recycling and reuse of resources—a goal the United Nations has set for 2030. Using infrared recordings to analyze gender-specific urination practices, the authors created a device design that aids engineers in crafting sanitation technologies that are more user-friendly, gender-inclusive, and oriented toward reuse.
Beltrán et al. utilized infrared thermography to evaluate the impact of a novel backpack design on the thermo-regulation and perceived comfort of mountain bikers in a controlled setting. Analyzing qualitative and quantitative data on heat concentration areas, skin temperature, and thermal comfort perception, the authors compared a traditional backpack with a new design. Their findings indicate that ensuring airflow through a distance between the user’s back and the backpack, incorporating a rigid backplate and an arc radius morphology enhances heat dissipation and thermal comfort for mountain bikers.
The suboptimal interaction between soldiers, the environment, and snow boots can affect human performance. Bhattacharyya et al. developed an ergonomic “snow boot” to mitigate the risk of life-threatening cold injuries among Indian soldiers stationed in high-altitude, cold, and snow-covered border regions. The authors evaluated the new snow boot’s effectiveness using objective and subjective measures. The findings revealed that the newly developed snow boot was as effective as an imported counterpart. Users favored the new design and appreciated its relative lightweight.
Individuals with diabetes face the threat of diabetic retinopathy, a major cause of blindness. Despite the sight-preserving benefits of early treatment, screening rates remain low. Therefore, by combining psychological motivation theories with human factors tools like heuristic evaluation and task analysis, Casimir et al. crafted interventions to enhance screening rates at a specific clinic. These interventions targeted the entire screening system, encompassing patient choices, clinic staff, device usability, and the clinic environment. Results indicated potential solutions rooted in the theory of planned behavior. The authors’ plan for the next phase involves refining interventions and assessing their effectiveness.
Utilizing data visualization aids in comprehending information by allowing users to perceive it from various perspectives. Nimbarte et al. focused on developing and testing three energy visualization dashboards tailored for small businesses. Usability testing involved performance measurement, NASA Task Load Index workload assessment, and a post-test survey. The results revealed that compared to dashboards employing line charts and tables, a visually designed dashboard featuring gauges, pie charts, and flashing lights led to faster response times, lower mental and temporal demands, efforts, and higher ratings in terms of engagement, interest, and trustworthiness.
A successful onboarding process strongly influences users’ commitment to ongoing product use, shaping their engagement as they become acquainted with its features and functionality. Megyeri and Szabó delved into the initial user interaction with a novel software application, focusing on the user onboarding process. Supported by eye-tracking technology, the authors conducted usability experiments, specifically examining the effectiveness of various onboarding solutions, using the latest version of Paint 3D as an example. Additionally, user feedback on onboarding solutions was gathered through interviews. The findings suggest that user onboarding solutions are generally effective, emphasizing their value for computer software companies in supporting new users and enhancing the overall product value.
Ritter encountered systems deemed successful despite their lack of usability. As per the author, success, in these cases, is defined by increased usage, no employment repercussions, and users either putting in extra effort or relying on proxies to overcome usability issues. Further, the author defined usability and examined such systems, presenting reasons for their paradoxical status as both unusable and successful regarding human factors. The conclusion addresses this paradox, highlighting how it arises when designers overlook or dismiss stakeholders’ perspectives and alternative user experiences.
The core objective of human factors is to design systems that are easily usable for their intended audience, minimizing user errors. However, there are instances where human factors principles are applied in a manner that complicates user tasks. Using real examples of intentionally and unintentionally bad designs, Kortum demonstrated poor human factors practice. The author emphasized that professionals should safeguard sound principles of human factors, adopt a holistic perspective, and emphasize the value of effective, usable, and safe designs through education, preventing misapplications.
I hope you enjoy reading these papers as much as I did! With this issue, I would like to express my profound gratitude to the editorial board as well as ad-hoc reviewers for their timely reviews. I would also like to thank our outgoing editorial board members for their generous and superb voluntary service. At the same time, I am excited to welcome the new board members, and I look forward to working with them to deliver another year of EID.
Best wishes to all for the new year.
