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Human Factors Research Needs for an Aging Population (1990) / Chapter Skim
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3. What New Knowledge is Needed?
Pages 59-63

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From page 59...
... Similar information ~ required for other activities such as daily living tasks sod recreational activities. These data should be collected at the appropriate level.
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From page 60...
... 1lUNCTIONAL NORMS In many aspects of human factors work, data on the distribution of human characteristics across populations ~ a fundamental tool. For example, ~ order to design controls such as those found on appliances or in bathtubs/showers or to determine the apprm priate height and depth of shelves or cabinets, we need such data as comfortable reach dimensions, hand dunensions, and hand grip strength for a broad range of users.
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From page 61...
... It also unplies that it ~ unportant to understand what functions and abilities increase with age as well as those that decline. FOCUSED HUMAN FACTORS litESEARCH ISSUES Ultimately, we need answers to specific scientific and practical
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From page 62...
... DESIGN PRINCIPLES AND EXAMPLES Knowledge that would help reduce the number of problems that the elderly face would cons~t of actual solutions to a representative sample of design problems. If several important t~k-related prom letrm ~n~rolv~ng perceptual difficulties (e.g., reduced night vision for driving)
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From page 63...
... The two most important contnbuto" to good human factors design are task versus ability analysm add iterative design. By iterative desigm we mean a process in which design ideas are implemented in an easily modifiable prototype or simulation; tested on a represents tire sample of actual users; modified according to obeer~red successes, failures, and~mpremions; ardtr~ed again.
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Key Terms

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  • activity patterns
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  • task performance
  • various activities

  • apprm priate
  • prove useful
  • complex tasks
  • ability analysm
  • sequent activity

  • versus ability
  • laboratory setting
  • tenth specific
  • living activities
  • related twang

  • cognitive tasks
  • issues ultimately
  • specific disabilities
  • human characteristics
  • tasks sod

  • daily living
  • extent aging
  • iterative design
  • aformative evaluations
  • help reduce

  • aging changes
  • unprove task
  • night vision
  • iiing tenth
  • design techniques


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