Anthropometrics and Ergonomics - Kingsdown School

Product Design 

Anthropometrics and 

Ergonomics 

These icons indicate that teacher’s notes or useful web addresses are available in the Notes Page. 

This icon indicates that the slide contains activities created in Flash. These activities are not editable. 

For more detailed instructions, see the Getting Started presentation. 

1 of 25 

© Boardworks Ltd 2005

Learning objectives 

Learning objectives 

2 of 25 

© Boardworks Ltd 2005 

To consider the anthropometrics of potential end 

users when designing a product. 

To ensure that products being designed are 

ergonomically suitable for a range of user groups. 

To become familiar with anthropometric terminology. 

To be able to place users in a percentile range. 

To be able to carry out some empirical 

anthropometric research.

Background on anthropometrics 

3 of 25 


If a product is going to be successful and meet the needs 

of the user group, product designers must use specific 

information about the user group, such as their 

dimensions and physical characteristics. 

The dimensions of the human body are called 

anthropometrics. This word refers to the actual 

measurements of body parts, e.g. the length of an arm 

or the width of a foot. 

Anthropometrics are vital to product design because they 

are one of the key product criteria that designers use 

when developing solutions.

The study of anthropometrics 

4 of 25 


The word anthropometrics takes its root from two other 

words: 

Anthropology 

Metric 

Anthropology is the study of humankind. 

Metric describes the universal unit of measurement. 

When they are combined, they mean the study of human 

measurements.

The study of anthropometrics 

5 of 25 


Using anthropometric information 

6 of 25 


You must decide which group of people your product is 

aimed at. 

Anthropometric information is provided in tables and 

divided up into different ages, gender and nationalities. 

SO… you need to know who you are designing for! 

A children’s keyboard must have 

keys sized for children’s fingers. 

A design for an executive office desk for 

use in the USA would need to take into 

account the anthropometric data for 

working adults from America.


7 of 25 


Work out which body measurements are important. 

It is vital to know which parts of the body your 

product needs to accommodate. 

If you are designing a chair, what 

anthropometric information will you need? 

Buttock to popliteal 

length 

Buttock width 

Popliteal height


Are you designing for smaller, average or larger people? 

No two people have exactly the same dimensions but we all fit 

into one of three categories – depending on your dimensions, 

you will fall into the 5th, 50th or 95th percentile range. 

8 of 25 

Most people appear to be a similar 

height. These people fall into the 50th 

percentile range and are considered of 

average height. 

A small percentage of people are 

shorter than this majority – this group is 

known as the 5th percentile. 

Others are taller than most people and 

belong to the 95th percentile. 

5% of the population are smaller than the ‘average’ 

person and 5% are bigger than the ‘average’ person. 

About 90% of the population are considered average. 



9 of 25 


Look at the people around you now. Let’s carry out some 

empirical research. 

Arrange yourselves into gender groups (female and male). 

Within the gender groups, arrange yourselves into height 

order. 

How many people are ‘average’ and how many are 

significantly taller or shorter? 

Frequency 

Shortest 

1.5m 

Average 

1.68m 

Tallest 

1.85m 

Could you plot individual 

heights on the graph and 

draw a line through them? 

Does it look like the graph 

on the previous slide? 

If not, are there any 

obvious reasons why?

10 of 25 


Anthropometric constraints 

It’s important to think about whether to use the 5 th , 50 th or 

95 th percentile anthropometric data. 

Consider the following design scenarios and discuss why 

the particular range has been used. 

Designing a car dashboard 

5 th percentile measurements are used so that 

smaller people can reach the instruments easily. 

Designing an aircraft seat 

95 th percentile measurements are used 

so that larger people can sit in the seat.

Anthropometric constraints 

11 of 25 


Anthropometrics of the hands 

12 of 25 


Anthropometrics of the head and neck 

13 of 25 


Anthropometrics of the lower body 

14 of 25 


Anthropometrics of the upper body 

15 of 25 


Anthropometrics for seating 

16 of 25 



17 of 25 


What is ergonomics? 

The word ERGONOMICS comes from the Greek language: 

ERGOS = work 

NOMOS = natural law 

Ergonomics is the relationship between a product 

and its user.


18 of 25 


Ergonomists study products, systems and environments 

and how they fit with their users. 

As a product designer, you will need to consider how 

well a product meets the ergonomic needs of its user 

group in performing a task. 

If the relationship between 

these aspects in the circle is 

weak, the product is 

ergonomically unsuitable. 

How would a specification, 

a product analysis and 

anthropometric data be 

useful in this scenario?

Bottle case study 

19 of 25 


Using ergonomics in the home 

Designing a kitchen 

When designing a kitchen, there are several principles which 

are essential to stick to: 

The work triangle. For a right-handed 

person, the sequence of activities must 

allow movement from left to right from 

the sink, to a work surface, to the cooker 

(in that order). 

Tall cupboards, doors, routes through the 

kitchen and passageways should not 

interfere with the work triangle. 

The work triangle must not measure 

more than 7000mm (7m) for mediumsized 

kitchens. 

Using the activity on the next slide, create a kitchen 

20 of 25 

layout based around an ideal work triangle. 


Designing a kitchen 

21 of 25 


Car seats 

22 of 25 


Designing a chair 

23 of 25 


The same chair is being used by a 50 th percentile person, a 

5 th percentile person and a 95 th percentile person. How could 

the design of the chair be improved to suit all three people?

Plenary 

24 of 25 


Key points 

Key points 

25 of 25 


Anthropometrics is the study of body measurements 

and statistical data concerning the sizes and shapes 

of the population. 

Ergonomics is the relationship between a product and 

its users. 

All people fall into the 5 th , 50 th and 95 th 

anthropometric percentile range. 

User group, posture, clearance, reach and strength 

are all important factors in anthropometrics and 

ergonomics.

Anthropometrics and Ergonomics - Kingsdown School

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?