Enhancing the use of anthropometric data

Anthropometric knowledge is most frequently used by designers and product evaluators in the form one-dimensional data to verify whether the product dimension is fitting the human dimension. Several ways of how anthropometric data are used can be distinguished in this matter: - Ego-design: your own body dimension as a guide; - Average-design: body dimensions of the average as a guide; - Design for P5: body dimensions of the smallest person as a guide; - Design for P95: body dimensions of the largest person as a guide; - Design for P5-P95; body dimensions of the smallest and largest person as a guide. This type is used most commonly and means that excluding 10% is acceptable. - Design for all: implies the continuous effort during the design process to exclude as few persons as possible To make this anthropometric world easier to understand two tools are discussed. The tool ‘Ellipse’ will demonstrate how easy it is to analyse a fit-problem with multiple 2D views. The tool ‘Persona’ will visualise the geometrical problems in the human-product-interaction with living persons or with digital models.