Ergonomics for Interaction Designers: Part 1 - DESIGNING *for humans Firstly, this is not about adjusting your chair so that you're not slumped over the screen when working on a Flash prototype (although office ergonomics is a very important subject). Rather, the topic of discussion is the increasing value of ergonomics knowledge to the interaction designer. Ergonomics is necessary for 3-dimensional, tangible product design where issues of physical fit and comfort are critical. But for interaction designers in the 2-dimensional world of the display screen, ergonomics has largely been...irrelevant. For example in most cases, interfaces are designed for existing, defined hardware that are out of the control of the interaction designer. But things are changing... Driving FactorsThe continuing convergence of digital interfaces with physical products is putting interaction designers in a position where knowledge of anthropometrics, kinesthetics, and other non-cognitive human capabilities is valuable for creating effective design solutions. Part 1 Takeaways:
Journal of Neuroscience Methods - A microelectrode drive for long term recording of neurons in freely moving and chaired monkeys Describing the relationships between brain activity and behaviour is an important objective for neuroscience, and recording the responses of single neurons is an important technique toward this objective. Three limitations of this technique are the behavioural conditions in which the recordings take place, typically in chaired but not in freely moving monkeys; the brevity of the recordings, usually measured in hours; the number of electrodes that can be implanted as an array and thus the number of neurons that can be simultaneously recorded; and finally, the number of hemispheres recorded simultaneously. We began to develop a multichannel electrode drive with the principle aims of overcoming these and other limitations. The design of the electrode drive evolved over several years (Wilson et al., 1997) and in view of its success, we have decided to publish the results.
Trillion Dollar Coach Discussion on Theory of Human Behaviour and Interactive Systems Design Neuroscientists: We Don’t Really Know What We Are Talking about, Either NEW YORK—At a surprise April 1 press conference, a panel of neuroscientists confessed that they and most of their colleagues make up half of what they write in research journals and tell reporters. "We're always qualifying our conclusions by reminding people that the brain is extremely complex and difficult to understand—and it is," says Philip Tenyer of Harvard University, "but we've also been a little lazy. It is just easier to bluff our way through some of it. That's one perk of being a respected neuroscientist—you can pretty much say whatever you want about the brain because so few people, including other neuroscientists, understand what you're talking about in the first place. As long as you throw in enough jargon, it sounds science-y and legit and stuff." "It's not just what we write in our studies," explains Stephanie Sigma of Stanford University. Frederick Pompass of Washington University in St. Disclaimer: This is a parody. April, 2011 Okay, We Give Up April, 2005
Five Tips for Better Demand Planning and Forecasting Yogi Berra once said, "It's tough to make predictions, especially about the future." While there's no magic formula for forecasting, there are several steps that companies can take to mitigate uncertainty and improve their demand planning capabilities. Knowing these steps is critical in helping companies avoid issues further down the supply chain, says Randy Strang, vice president of global solutions and implementation-retail with UPS Supply Chain Solutions. Strang offers the following tips to improving forecast accuracy. 1. Forecasting needs and challenges vary widely, depending on a company's business model, size, geographic location and industry sector, among other factors. Are you setting stocking policies or setting financial guidance? 2. There are numerous factors that can impact a company's ability to forecast accurately. 3. Complex is not always better when it comes to demand planning. Time series methods look at historical data and project forward. 4. 5. See Also
i·bug - home Cognitive Function Article, Neuroscience Information, Mapping Brain Facts The ancient Egyptians thought so little of brain matter they made a practice of scooping it out through the nose of a dead leader before packing the skull with cloth before burial. They believed consciousness resided in the heart, a view shared by Aristotle and a legacy of medieval thinkers. Even when consensus for the locus of thought moved northward into the head, it was not the brain that was believed to be the sine qua non, but the empty spaces within it, called ventricles, where ephemeral spirits swirled about. As late as 1662, philosopher Henry More scoffed that the brain showed "no more capacity for thought than a cake of suet, or a bowl of curds." Around the same time, French philosopher René Descartes codified the separation of conscious thought from the physical flesh of the brain. Though absurdly unscientific even for its time, phrenology was remarkably prescient—up to a point. Corina's brain all she is…is here "Hi," she whispers. "What's this, sweetie?" "Good!" "Unicorn."