Product Design

Another area in which human factors psychologists give valuable insight is product design. This area is different than some of the others in that it looks at the value we place on the design of our products.

If you think about it, even the toothbrush you use can make you feel a certain way about yourself, and this is knowledge that is valuable to the designer. In this day and age many manufacturers and designers can make and market a product of high quality for similar prices. The edge that manufacturers need today is in the actual design of their product. If the style, shape, or color of a product can make the public feel good about themselves as a result of certain possession, then they will buy it over an equally functional and affordable option with unappealing design. If we think about it, design is involved in all parts of the manufacturing process. For instance, the design of the product, its packaging, and the symbolic value of those aspects are what really get people today to buy a certain product. Human factors psychologists in this area look at our perceptions of ourselves, our value systems, and what certain products may mean about our self-worth in order to design a product with the most powerful symbolic appeal.

Here are some interesting web sites to visit in this area:

	This is the homepage of an organization that focuses on quality design.
	This is the page of a company that researches and designs products emphasizing usability design.
	This site focuses on bad designs.
	This site is the webpage of a human factors industrial design firm. Even their website shows their design focus.
	This is the homepage for Philips, with job opportunities and their clear design focus.

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