Humane Interface, The: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems

2-1. Ergonomics and Cognetics: What We Can and Cannot Do

Know thyself.

—Inscription at the Delphic Oracle, from Plutarch, Morals

Use a machine or a tool in accord with its strengths and limitations, and it will do a good job for you. Design a human-machine interface in accord with the abilities and foibles of humankind, and you will help the user to not only get the job done but also be a happier, more productive person.

Design guidelines for products that interact with us physically are reasonably straightforward. The sizes and capabilities of the human frame and senses have been well cataloged; these studies form the science of ergonomics. Chairs, tables, keyboards, and displays can be designed with a high degree of likelihood that they will ...