World Usability Day

Chapters Hold World Usability Day Events

     World Usability Day (WUD) was created by the Usability Professionals' Association as a way to highlight the importance of the usability and accessibility of products and services in everyday life. WUD 2009 was held on November 12, and its theme was "Designing for a Sustainable World." Several HFES local and student chapters marked the day with special events, projects, or activities. For more information on WUD, go to http://www.worldusabilityday.org/.

Carolina Chapter Marks World Usability Day

     The Carolina Chapter cohosted an event with the Triangle Usability Professionals' Association. In keeping with the 2009 WUD theme of sustainability, Amy Hathaway, a water quality engineer from the City of Raleigh, was invited to speak about the Fred Fletcher Park Water Garden design project. The project is unique in that it addresses the environmental issues of storm-water runoff, water pollution, and erosion in an aesthetically pleasing way, resulting in an enjoyable and educational park experience for visitors.

     The event also included a design challenge that was open to chapter members and undergraduate and graduate students in related fields. The challenge was to solve some of today's sustainability design issues. Participants presented their solutions and ideas during the event.

By Christopher B. Mayhorn, Carolina Chapter President

China Chapter-Tsinghua Studies "Ergonomics in the Subway"

     To promote the awareness of usability problems and other ergonomics issues in civic life, the China Chapter-Tsinghua collaborated with the Beijing Subway Design Center and launched an activity called "Ergonomics in the Subway." Participants included Beijing Subway employees and students in the Department of Industrial Engineering at Tsinghua University. A total of 44 students in 12 human factors investigation groups went to major stations of the Beijing Subway to do field studies, discovering and analyzing usability and accessibility problems in the design of passenger information systems, ticketing machines, and other aspects of the system. Participants proposed and discussed improvement measures.

     All groups first presented their work at the university and then submitted an investigation report (in English) and an ergonomics improvement proposal (in Chinese) to the Beijing Subway Design Center. This event was promoted via the Web sites of the Department of Industrial Engineering and the Institute of Human Factors and Ergonomics at Tsinghua University as a celebration of both World Usability Day and National Ergonomics Month.

By Qin Gao, China Chapter-Tsinghua Secretary

San Diego Chapter Develops Gray-Water Information Kit

     In support of the World Usability Day theme of sustainability, the San Diego chapter has produced an information pamphlet highlighting usability issues in the selection, purchase, installation, and maintenance of gray-water harvesting systems. The pamphlet, produced in print and electronic formats, references current information on the laws governing the practice of residential gray-water harvesting in San Diego County. Also included is information on how gray-water collection and reuse can potentially benefit the community.

     Installing a residential gray-water system is neither difficult nor expensive. For example, a basic system uses a bucket to capture shower water. The water collected in the bucket is then reused in the garden to water plants. Also, water can be diverted from laundry to lawn or garden. A more sophisticated system requires the installation of a filter in the drain line below a sink and a connection to a toilet. Once the gray water is filtered, it is automatically diverted to the toilet, where it is stored and reused when the toilet is flushed.

     The kit is available online at http://www.sdhfes.org or as a printed brochure by request at Gray-Water Kit, c/o 9180 Brown Deer Road, San Diego, CA 92122, 858/535-1661.

By Joseph Cohen

University of Michigan Student Chapter Finds "Bad Designs on Campus"

     Last fall, the University of Michigan Student Chapter hosted its 4th Annual Bad Designs on Campus (BDOC) competition. The BDOC awards ceremony was held on World Usability Day.

     Submissions for the competition had to include a description of the selected bad design, the HF/E principles it violates, and a recommendation on how to improve the existing design. Submissions were evaluated based on originality of bad design and proposed solution, applicability to principles of HF/E, severity of the bad design, and practicality of the proposed solution. The top three submissions can be viewed on the chapter's Web site.

     The winning submission highlighted the inadequate directions to the automated external defibrillator (AED) at the G. G. Brown building on campus. G. G. Brown is notoriously difficult to navigate, and the directions to the AED are very difficult to understand.

     As a semester-long project for the current term, this winning submission will be used by the chapter to develop a proposal to be sent to the university in an effort to improve what we have deemed "The Worst Design on Campus." Our goal was to raise student awareness about HF/E, and we were rewarded with many excellent submissions. With continued member participation, we hope to correct a bad design and make a difference on campus!

By Michael McCloskey, University of Michigan Student Chapter President-Elect

South Jersey Chapter Hosts WUD Design Slam

     On November 24, 2009, as part of an annual community outreach effort, I visited Egg Harbor Township High School, where I announced the winners of the South Jersey Chapter's 3rd Annual World Usability Day design slam contest. The purpose of the contest is to familiarize high school students with the professional field of human factors/ergonomics and to demonstrate the benefits of making products more usable.

     For the 2009 contest, teams of students were invited to identify a design problem related to the current year's World Usability Day theme of sustainability. The students' task was to develop a design solution to meet the needs of the user and also to explain the benefits and possible drawbacks of the solution from a usability perspective. Students submitted essays, PowerPoint presentations, videos, and 3-D animations that explained their product proposals. Their solutions could be whimsical, but the products had to be designed for both sustainability and usability.

     A total of 38 students from three classes submitted 19 contest entries. Some interesting proposals included an e-waste disposal system, a system that uses gym equipment to generate electricity, and cars powered by solar panels.

     The first-place entry was a submission by Peter Ata, Ken Hodel, and Brandon Mazzone for a Universal Information Card (UIC). The proposed UIC could be used to replace keys, passports, credit and debit cards, E-Z passes, licenses, and other ID cards. It would reduce the use of plastic, paper, and metal and the number of items people need to carry. The card would be linked to biometric information to prevent theft.

     The second-place entry was submitted by Whitney Yang. Her proposal was for a solar/wind-powered household computer control system that uses motion sensors for activating and deactivating lighting, cooling, heating, and security systems. The device would not only deactivate lights and reset the thermostat but also would send alarms, texts, or phone messages when devices are inadvertently left plugged in.

     The chapter presented certificates of appreciation to all contest participants and thank-you letters to participating teachers and sponsors. The chapter also awarded $50 gift cards to the first-place students and a $25 gift card to the second-place student.

     All participants were invited to visit the Federal Aviation Administration's Research Development and Human Factors Laboratory at Atlantic City International Airport, and winners and honorable mentions were invited to present their work at an upcoming chapter meeting.

     The chapter was happy to sponsor this annual event, and we hope to keep expanding it in the coming years. This contest demonstrates to young people in a tangible way how human factors/ergonomics and usability can make life easier.

By Ferne Friedman-Berg

Virginia Tech Screens Film for World Usability Day

     The Virginia Tech Student Chapter screened Gary Hustwit's film Objectified to mark World Usability Day. The 2009 WUD theme was "Designing for a Sustainable World," and as described on the film's Web site, "Objectified is a feature-length documentary about our complex relationship with manufactured objects and, by extension, the people who design them" (http://www.objectifiedfilm.com/about/). Professor Rex Hartson, an early pioneer of usability at Virginia Tech, provided a thought-provoking introduction to the film.

     The chapter also created a glass-enclosed display for World Usability Day in Virginia Tech's Graduate Life Center. The display focused on general ergonomics issues, technology usability principles, and other ways in which human factors/ergonomics research has an impact on people in their day-to-day lives. The display was a wonderful opportunity to increase awareness of World Usability Day and human factors/ergonomics among members of the Virginia Tech community.

By Ranjana Mehta, Virginia Tech Student Chapter President

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