Design+for+purpose.+(AHL).



**__Design for discomfort.__**

 * There are situations where designers are actively involved in designing uncomfortable products, systems and environments. The general goals of human factors design come into active conflict with the design goals of the project.

Fast food restaurants are not designed for comfort, they are designed to deliver fast food, and ensure a fast exit for their customers. They are designed to be clean and tidy but they are not designed to be comfortable.

How is this achieved? || ||
 * [[image:uncomfortable_chair.jpg width="198" height="230" align="center"]] || The chair on the left is part of a [|collection] of chairs that have been designed to be uncomfortable.

What makes this chair uncomfortable?

Why would anyone want to design an uncomfortable chair?

Do you think there is a market for uncomfortable chairs?

Could you explain your last answer? ||



**__Signage.__**
Signage is a very important area of human factors design. Signs are used all over the globe and if designed carefully they can be understood by the majority of people no matter what langauge they use. For this reason they are particularly important in areas where they are lots of people of different nationalities, like international transport hubs, airports, ferry ports and train stations.


 * [[image:signage_2.jpg align="center"]] || [[image:signage_3.jpg width="256" height="198" align="center"]] || [[image:signage_1.jpg width="278" height="267" align="center"]] ||

Another space where signs are important is on motorways, drivers dont have time to read signs so the symbols used are very important, they have to be seen and understood almost immediately. Again here we are working toward international convergence.
 * [[image:motorway_signage_3.jpg]] || [[image:motorway_signage_2.gif]] ||



Personal space.
A work space envelope is a 3D spacewithin which you can carry out your work from a fixed position.


 * [[image:workspace_en_1.gif align="center"]] || [[image:Work-station-set-up.jpg]] ||