Human Factors Design Handbook

Rating:
Summary: Good News!
Review: A review of our book stated that the body measurement data came from 1960 Air Force studies. The reviewer should be pleased to know that the book actually contains some of the latest anthropometric data available for the U.S. population. Just before publication of the Human Factors Design Handbook, the U.S. Army completed measurements of nearly 9000 subjects. These data are contained in our book. While this is not a profile of the civilian population (male and female subjects ranged from age 18 to 51), it does provide fairly good estimates. Unfortunately, even now there is no comprehensive survey data for United States civilian population. Currently the Society of Automotive Engineers is coordinating a massive survey of United States and European civilian populations. The project participants include Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and several industrial partners. The survey is called the Civilian American and European Surface Anthropometry Resource, or CAESARTM and data should be available late in 2001.

Just before updating the Human Factors Design Handbook, the author completed development of NASA's Man-Systems Integration Standards. This is the NASA "bible" of human factors design guidelines. Readers should feel confident in that these resources and data (including anthropometrics) were integrated throughout the revised edition of the Human Factors Design Handbook.

Rating:
Summary: Good News!
Review: A review of our book stated that the body measurement data came from 1960 Air Force studies. The reviewer should be pleased to know that the book actually contains some of the latest anthropometric data available for the U.S. population. Just before publication of the Human Factors Design Handbook, the U.S. Army completed measurements of nearly 9000 subjects. These data are contained in our book. While this is not a profile of the civilian population (male and female subjects ranged from age 18 to 51), it does provide fairly good estimates. Unfortunately, even now there is no comprehensive survey data for United States civilian population. Currently the Society of Automotive Engineers is coordinating a massive survey of United States and European civilian populations. The project participants include Wright-Patterson Air Force Base and several industrial partners. The survey is called the Civilian American and European Surface Anthropometry Resource, or CAESARTM and data should be available late in 2001.

Just before updating the Human Factors Design Handbook, the author completed development of NASA's Man-Systems Integration Standards. This is the NASA "bible" of human factors design guidelines. Readers should feel confident in that these resources and data (including anthropometrics) were integrated throughout the revised edition of the Human Factors Design Handbook.

Rating:
Summary: A rerun with only a few new parts
Review: As a Human Factors professional that owns the 1st addition, shortly after purchasing this version (2nd edition), I questioned my wisdom.

This book is about 200 pages shy of the original and not surprisingly repeats many of the same information as it's predecessor. Unfortunately, it gives us little more than dated information with a bit of new stuff tacked on.

What really dissappointed me was that the anthropometric data that is provided here, dates back to that of the original's 1960's data. What is the point of a new edition? The census data stated here is so dated it is ridiculous, both in composition as well as age. I wish I had known that this data was not updated prior to my investing in the new edition. I would not have purchased it.

I question the usefulness of data published in so recent a book based primarily on Air force personnel of the 60s. That type of data had it's day & was appropriate at it's original publishing. Today's Human Factors professional needs more diversified data that is more international in it's scope. For that matter, I'm certain 1960s air force personnel (who are screened for height and weight) hardly represent the year 2000 demographics of the United States much better.

I found it interesting that the same graphics that may have been the best you could do in the original were repeated in this new document. Couldn't they refresh some of the look, clean up some of the old graphs. As the original was, this document is a mix of font styles, graphics and inconsistent data presentation. Does this truly represent the user of the document well? I recognize presentation is not "everything" but on a second pass of the same information you could dress it a bit better at least.

The major addition predictably is the data surrounding workstations and computer usage, however, I'm questioning it's usefulness relative to the anthropometric data also here. Is this new data based on aged human measurement data too? Will it only fit the 1960 US air force man and woman?

I think this book would have been better printed as an addendum to the original version costing about $25. This way the workstation data could be added plus any items that are new.

Rating:
Summary: A rerun with only a few new parts
Review: As a Human Factors professional that owns the 1st addition, shortly after purchasing this version (2nd edition), I questioned my wisdom.

This book is about 200 pages shy of the original and not surprisingly repeats many of the same information as it's predecessor. Unfortunately, it gives us little more than dated information with a bit of new stuff tacked on.

What really dissappointed me was that the anthropometric data that is provided here, dates back to that of the original's 1960's data. What is the point of a new edition? The census data stated here is so dated it is ridiculous, both in composition as well as age. I wish I had known that this data was not updated prior to my investing in the new edition. I would not have purchased it.

I question the usefulness of data published in so recent a book based primarily on Air force personnel of the 60s. That type of data had it's day & was appropriate at it's original publishing. Today's Human Factors professional needs more diversified data that is more international in it's scope. For that matter, I'm certain 1960s air force personnel (who are screened for height and weight) hardly represent the year 2000 demographics of the United States much better.

I found it interesting that the same graphics that may have been the best you could do in the original were repeated in this new document. Couldn't they refresh some of the look, clean up some of the old graphs. As the original was, this document is a mix of font styles, graphics and inconsistent data presentation. Does this truly represent the user of the document well? I recognize presentation is not "everything" but on a second pass of the same information you could dress it a bit better at least.

The major addition predictably is the data surrounding workstations and computer usage, however, I'm questioning it's usefulness relative to the anthropometric data also here. Is this new data based on aged human measurement data too? Will it only fit the 1960 US air force man and woman?

I think this book would have been better printed as an addendum to the original version costing about $25. This way the workstation data could be added plus any items that are new.

Rating:
Summary: ergonomic standard.
Review: most everything necessary for rudimentary ergonomic evaluation in all aspects of design