A few posts ago, I wrote about a recent New York Times article on accidental oversdoses of radiation received by some patients undergoing an intensive form of CAT scans for detection of strokes. This article is part of an investigative series in the Times which has now been recognized with a Public Service Award from the Associated Press Managing Editors association. The full article about this award can be found at http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jTEYAaTLag_kgedHrdnxv0QHbSAgD9HQLMIO0.

I had read some of the previous articles in this series as well — apparently, it is a challenge to design medical treatment equipment which is easy to use and flexible enough in its use to allow variability in treatment (a good thing) while preventing accidental (or even intentional) misuse. Engineers have to pay attention to these critical engineering needs — part of an area of engineering design called ‘ergonomics’.

Ergonomics is sometimes referred to as ‘human design’ or, in other words, design for humans. Knowing how big to make a car seat, how far to put controls from a pilot, and so forth, is only part of it. Ergonomics also includes issues of aesthetics (the appearance of a product) and safety. Safety encompasses not just designing so that the product does not have hazardous components, sharp edges, etc., but also so that the product has clear instruction, and proper safety warnings and labeling. This is a critical part of design — without proper attention to ergonaomic and safety needs, misuse and errors can lead to disaster.