Human Factors & Ergonomics Foundations

Designing for the body that will actually use it.

Every physical and digital artifact is used by a human body with measurable dimensions, reach, strength, and perceptual limits. This course covers anthropometry, ergonomic principles, and the human factors research every maker needs before an object leaves the sketch stage.

Last updated 2026-07-25

In Development

This course's full module content is being written. The outline below is final, subscribe for updates when it publishes.

LEARNING OUTCOMES

01 Explain why anthropometric data should inform physical design decisions
02 Apply percentile-based sizing rather than designing for a single 'average' body
03 Identify common ergonomic failure modes in everyday objects
04 Design for reach, grip, and posture within realistic physical constraints
05 Account for sensory and cognitive load alongside physical ergonomics
06 Apply universal design principles to extend usability across ability ranges

What Human Factors Design Actually Covers

Human factors design studies how physical, sensory, and cognitive human characteristics should shape an artifact's form, not aesthetics first, function for the body first.

01 ▶ present

Anthropometry: Designing for Real Bodies

Anthropometric data describes the range of human body measurements across a population, and no design should be built for a single 'average' body, because the average body barely exists in most populations.

02 ▶ present

Percentile Sizing & Fit Ranges

Designing to accommodate the 5th to 95th percentile of a population handles the vast majority of users, while designing to the mean excludes nearly half of them.

03 ▶ present

Reach, Grip & Strength

Reach envelopes, grip types, and strength limits determine whether an object can actually be used, not just held for a photograph.

04 ▶ present

Posture & Repetitive Strain

Sustained posture and repeated motion, more than single awkward positions, are what cause long-term injury, a key distinction for anything used for extended periods.

05 ▶ present

Sensory & Cognitive Ergonomics

Ergonomics is not only physical, perceptual load (can it be seen, heard, read) and cognitive load (can it be understood quickly) are equally part of human factors design.

06 ▶ present

Universal Design Principles

Universal design extends usability across the widest practical range of ability, age, and context, treating accessibility as a core design requirement, not an afterthought retrofit.

07 ▶ present