Ergonomics: Principles and Applications

• Ergonomics comes from the Greek words "ergon" (work) and "nomos" (principles/laws).
• Ergonomics is the science of designing interactions with equipment and workplaces to suit the job.
• Ergonomics is the study of how people work in their environment.
• Ergonomics in advertising aims to create convenience between the receiver and the ad environment by reducing pressure and ensuring response speed.
• This minimizes non-communication between the ad and the recipient.
• The International Ergonomics Association identifies three domains: physical, cognitive, and organizational.

Physical Ergonomics

• Physical ergonomics studies the human body's responses to physical and physiological workloads.
• It includes repetitive strain injuries from repetition, vibration, force, and posture.
• It examines physical, anatomical, and physiological qualities of the human body.
• It also studies the relationship between human senses (vision, hearing, smell, taste, touch) and ad design.
• It considers anthropometric measurements and the functional range of motion.
• It studies the mechanical qualities of the human body and biomechanical analysis for interactive advertising.

Cognitive Ergonomics

• Cognitive ergonomics addresses mental processes and capacities in the workplace.
• Mental strain from workload, decision-making, human error, and training fall into this area.
• It involves sensory perception, understanding, memory, logic, inference, and motor responses.
• It deals with the impact of these factors on the interaction between the receiver and the ad.

Organizational Ergonomics

• Organizational ergonomics concerns organizational structures, policies, and work environment processes.
• It includes shift work, scheduling, job satisfaction, motivation, supervision, teamwork, telecommuting, and ethics.

Environmental Ergonomics

• Environmental ergonomics examines the environmental impact on ad design.
• It includes audio/visual pollution, lighting, and visual impact on ad recipients.

Emotional Ergonomics

• Emotional ergonomics focuses on designing receptive and appealing advertising environments.
• Its purpose is to foster loyalty, connection, and interest-based discussion with the recipient.

Main Goals of Ergonomics

• Designing solutions to match human abilities and senses, considering activity, movement, and body dimensions.
• Adopting criteria and psychological aspects related to the recipient.
• Studying the human relationship with the surrounding environment and its impact on element and symbol selection.

Specific Goals of Ergonomics

• Security: Ensuring recipient-oriented designs are secure and comfortable.
• Comfort: Product design should align with physical abilities and not be cumbersome or require excessive energy.
• Ease of Use and Handling: Focuses on ease of use in ad design, considering visual tracking for an integrated vision.
• Productivity: Carefully consider design and elements to avoid distracting elements, adding complementary elements to display or sales boosters.
• Performance: Avoiding rapid changes in lighting levels allows adaptation, using gradual lighting changes for display.

Color Psychology

• Color choice in advertising can transmit messages without words and affect click-through rates.
• Some brands have colors so tied to their identity, they become synonymous with the brand (e.g., Coca-Cola Red, Tiffany Blue).

Typographic Composition

• Typography is a key visual element that portrays messages in words while also providing visual appeal.
• Font combination is called font pairing, and can make or break a design
• Color balance between words, letters, and the background is important.
• Typographic techniques can involve manipulating letters or adding textures.

Bandwagon Pressuring

• This technique aims to convince consumers they are missing out if they don't have a specific product.
• It utilizes FOMO (fear of missing out).
• Persuasive writing and slogans are common tactics.
• Overuse can lead to negative effects similar to repetition.

Body Language

• Body language in visual assets (videos/graphics) conveys confidence, knowledge, and success.
• Body language is nonverbal communication through stance, sitting position, smile, and movement.

Direct Gaze

• Direct gaze involves looking straight into the viewer's eyes.
• It is borrowed from hypnosis and a highly effective advertising technique.

Three-Quarter Gaze

• The gaze can be used in any direction, inwards or outwards
• The direction depends on what the message needs to be.

Composition

• Balanced composition is essential in visuals; it's how elements are placed in a visual space.
• Composition may control where one looks or to create a visual flow.
• Gestalt principles (simplicity, synchrony, association) are basic rules for composition.

Rule of Thirds and Golden Mean

• These are techniques used to create balanced visual advertisements.
• Rule of thirds separates the canvas into six equal rectangles to provide visual importance.
• The golden mean follows the Fibonacci sequence to direct element placement harmoniously.

Focal Point

• Pinpointing Focal Point is as important as choice of colors and typography
• A clear place to look to absorb the message is necessary

Visual Path

• A visual path guides the viewer's eye through the content.
• Common shapes are Z-shape which starts at the top left, and F-shape, which acts as a lined text.

Repetition

• The technique of repetition is a marketing strategy.
• Can re-air TV commericals, print ads, distribute merch, and make alternate versions
• Works best for campaigns/new products to raise awareness, but too much repetition has negative effect.

Emotional Appeal

• A method of marketing that is super effective.
• Brands need to understand their consumers/potential audience very well to utilize this tactic
• Storytelling techniques help customers relate to the story, and can make a mark around the world.

Symbolism

• Visual marketing uses symbols in the message/similes/metaphors.
• Should only be used if the brand is popular, as lack of common knowledge can cause confusion.

Anthropomorphism

• Turns the object into something that can talk talk / walk / move.
• If successful, often turns it into merchandise that helps sell the product if the object is well-known.

Storytelling

• Needs campaigns that evoke feeling and tell the consumer a story they can relate to
• Can come from origin stories or take inspiration from customer testimonials
• The story can be told only through visuals

Animation and Motion Graphics

• Use of fantasy to appeal psychologically to an audience
• Can leave a good lasting impression
• Can be used for adults and children's brands alike

Behind-The-Scenes

• Allows a brand to connect with its customers through creative images / videos.
• Let an influential employee take over social media channels.
• Allows for personalized content that the customers can relate to, as its honest.

Social Proof

• Using social media to advertise online.
• Influencer marketing / brand recommendations are great.
• Social Badges give a great visual, customer reviews are also a great touch of visual / testimonial

ARTIFICIAL REALITY

• Interactive advertising is becoming very popular.
• Also called 'covert advertising' - Doesn't sell anything directly, but generates awareness.
• Needs a personal app to work

ERGONOMICS WEB DESIGN

• In the realm of the internet - Ability of the website to effectively cater to the needs of users and what is comfortable to browse.
• Transparent website that is easy to find.

Rules of Web Ergonomics

• Clear visuals / clear hierarchy to show what is important (menus / links)
• Stick to the web to make site easy to see and read
• Use divide, to break up the site easily (structure it)
• Try to minimize external noise / elements that draw away from attention so the site is harder to use

Website Design Criteria

• User expectations are graphics of the demographic expected
• Understand user habits
• Adapt to user age and how they browse
• Be wary of equipment used (website displays may vary)
• Understand the levels of IT knowledge of visitors

Human Characteristics

• There are limitations / aptitudes we take advantage of in web design
• Cognitive, sensory
• Human processors use all 5 senses
• sight is most developed while taste and smell are difficult to develop -- Sight is responsible for 50% of brain use.

Types of Memory

• Sensory Memory: For sensory information / stimulating processing (1/4 of a second 250 ms)
• Short Term memory: Working memory (visual / sound)(7 mnemes +/- 2)
• Long Term Memory: Can have indefinite number of piecs of information

Interactivity

• Stimulates senses and facilitates learning
• Allows children to adapt quickly to multimedia resources, learning without consciously realizing
• Repetition is a way to transfer information
• Norman action theory suggests models action / reaction base on two concepts:

1. Humans devise simple models to define behavior
2. Break up into 6 steps:
   • Setting a goal
   • Formulating an intention
   • Devising an action plan
   • Carrying out an action plan
   • Perceiving state of the system
   • Evaluation of achieved stated compared to originally made goals

Design Considerations

• A list must be comprised of <7 items
• All users must be welcome
• Short messages facilitate memorization
• Faithfully communicate how something may have changed
• Reinforce organizations credibility / no overload
• Animated images/strong msgs
• Clear/ legible
• Structure and pace properly / title correctly - can be more easy to read
• visitor should know where to find them

Design Criteria

• Avoid the splash page / easily allow users to return to the hompage
• Maintain uniform graphic / let the users know the website
• Show how the page is up to date and who wrote it
• Use links often but too many can be complicated

Adapt

• Allows smaller screen types to be more viable
• text can be zoomed
• make it easy to communicate in order to cater to clients needs
• provide options for handicapped users (visually and partially impaired)

Website Design Guidelines

• Simplicity - minimize design for a great experience
• Navigability - help users move in design / make it easy / improve constant
• Constistency / Key to visuals / functionally, help with look and feel overall
• Bad Website Design / lead viewers away and suggest nothing
• Sticky Menus block contents of the page

Banners

• Banner ad is online display that attracts website visitors and links to other sites
• Banner ads are delivered from a central server
• IAB is the standard group of ads

Best Banner Sizes

• 728 x 90 / 160 x 600 / 300 x 250
• 300 x 250 Medium Square
• 336 x 280 Large rectange
• 728 x 90 Leader Board
• 320 x 100 Large Mobile ad

Recommended size / Files for Banner

• File should be under 150 KB
• GIF/JPG?JPNG and SWF Files accepted
• Banner loops should last no longer than 30 secs
• GIF <5 frames/ FLASH ads < 20

Structure

• logo with name of company
• Value: Why should the visitors purchase ad
• Images to attract
• Button for Call To Action

Quality / Imagery

• Keep images clear / high quality
• Relevancy of images is needed, select context of ad correctly:
• Use similar images to select specific ads
• Think audience / brand when selecting and marketing

Color Use

• Very important / vital to ad:
• Brand will affect color schemes / make sure minimal color

Typography

• very important, make sure its legible and clear:
• Use typeface / font size, bold headlines + smaller text
• Avoid cursive

3 main banner ads

• Proximity is needed to show where your ad is from
• Dont over do any banner parts for your product
• Good banners have a small button to help the product
• Unity will add extra to the eye of the design

Design principles to abide by

• Contrast to emphasize
• repeat the message
• align text properly
• simple to view and understand

Good advertising depends on 3 S's

• Simple
• Surprise
• Smile

Ad Placement

• Should draw the visitors eye, ask where what how and where the add will not disturb
• What the site is accomplishing. / visitors want
• Cleanse cluttering for page easy to look at

Ad Design Placement

• Avoid placing images out of content and too much distraction / use border
• Make sure visitors can see both the button and label of ad

Rotating Banner

• Series of images rotate on home page
• Should have less than 3 to avoid visitor loss
• Use scroll functions / limit the amount of time per image
• Help label buttons and make it easy to locate.