Introducing Digital Ergonomics
Digital ergonomics is an encompassing term that encompasses digital models and approaches for product and socio-technical integrated work system development, implementation, and continuous improvement. The focus of digital ergonomics is on individuals. They are the starting point for developing safe, healthy, and usable products or systems.
The ABC fundamentals of digital ergonomics:
Anthropometry is the study of measuring human body dimensions precisely.
Biomechanics is the study of human movement patterns and the capacities of biological musculoskeletal systems.
Cognitive psychology is the study of human cognitive processing functions such as how we understand and evaluate things, learn, recognise, compare, consider, solve problems, and make decisions.
The Furniture Industry
Common themes in the furniture industry include efficiency and profitability, sustainability, wellness, and work-life balance. To help attain these goals, we will cover open versus closed-office design. These ongoing issues give essential input for the production of items for built environments. So much effort is put into making these goods ergonomic, visually appealing, and environmentally beneficial. Next, we must analyse how we may expand on these themes in order to migrate towards virtual services.
This industry emerged in a time when labour was done in physical regions with physical instruments. All of these elements are still essential, but the vast majority of work is now done digitally via email, texting, cloud-based storage, and a myriad of virtual products rather than in physical locations. Manufacturing expertise makes it easy to ignore – or be unaware of — digital solutions. However, examining ideas in efficiency and profitability, sustainability, wellness, and work-life balance may reveal new prospects.
The technology industry is increasingly focused on “digital wellbeing.” When customers connect with technology, their mental and/or physical health should be supported in a measured way. To promote healthy behaviour, adjust the colour of screens at night to aid circadian cycles and set time limits for mobile phones.
Digital Ergonomics Integration
This is where Digital Ergonomics enters the picture. The development of digital productivity tools is accelerating. These instruments, however, struggle to accommodate the complexities of modern work. Technology teams frequently lack the amounts of process research that the furniture business has amassed over decades. Digital tools frequently fail to consider the user’s physical environment. Of course, the furniture industry does substantial research on labour, ergonomics, and physical environments.
These challenging issues will unavoidably be addressed in both the physical and digital domains. As technology advances, so will our understanding of the physical-digital link. New, inventive solutions to help people and businesses move from place to place, from home to workplace, and on aircraft, trains, and vehicles will emerge.
This is one viable development opportunity for the furniture industry, which is booming but stagnant. As the line between physical and digital objects blurs and more work moves online, new solutions emerge.
Digital ergonomics can be used to improve the effectiveness of products and systems. Because of virtual intervention, design faults are recognised early and minimised in the final execution.