From the slides provided, I learnt about the role of human factor techniques in understanding the designer’s customer base, as well as in making critical decisions about the design of their products. Further, I also learnt about two significant methods that designers can use to understand the needs of their customers. The first method, hierarchical task analysis, is used to determine how consumers utilize the product, which helps the designer in generating the needs of the user.
The second method, concept mapping, on the other hand, is used to determine the consumer’s mental relationships with the product by visualizing and organizing information related to the consumer needs and achieving more in-depth learning about these needs. From this information, I learnt that user needs, which are derived from user information, are the driving force behind creation of engineering requirements and designing of consumer products.
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"Using Human Factors Techniques to Aid in Customer Understanding".
I found the content in these slides very insightful, especially with regard to the importance of identifying and defining user needs in evaluating current products and defining new concepts related to the consumer product. This content also provides significant evidence about the importance of identifying and defining consumer needs to reduce uncertainty about the development of new products. Perhaps more importantly, the content on concept mapping and hierarchical task analysis provides essential information on how to improve the success potential of new consumer products through the use of market research and human factors.
Finally, the content was delivered in an easily understandable format by first discussing the meaning and importance of customer needs, as well as how to collect information on the customer needs. Moreover, the content also identified two methods through which designers can understand the consumer base in HTA and CM, further breaking down each method into a definition, practical example, and steps required to complete the technique.
