Human Factors and Product Design: Uncomfortable allies

The current state of Human Factors (HF) in Product Design (PD) is discussed within this paper. An analysis of consultancies, advertised jobs, the inclusive design area and product exemplars were conducted. Results showed that HF does not currently appear to play a significant role in the design of products. In order to address current and future societal changes e.g. the ageing population, HF needs to become the central emphasis of PD processes. A proposed way of addressing this is detailed in the form of a new educational pathway that combines HF and PD. It is envisaged that such a pathway would create individuals with necessary skill sets to address the societal challenges we face and overcome the barriers currently posed in this relationship.